Practicing Pilates can be done on a mat or with any number of devices such as the Reformer. Shannon Knorr, a yoga and Pilates instructor, talks about therapeutic Pilates to help with body alignment, pain relief, and more. Julia Carver, a Pilates and Movement Therapist, works with veterans who have experienced PTSD and other trauma to help them with neural reconnection.
For people with muscle weakening conditions, like muscular dystrophy, Pilates can help strengthen core muscles.
Yesterday I went to my second Pranayama class at a well-respected yoga institution celebrating 40 years of yoga education in the San Francisco Bay area. It’s a monthly session focused on different methods of yogic breathing. I’ve always wanted to learn more about pranayama (a Sanskrit word that translates to “extension of the prāṇa (breath or life force)” or “breath control”).
In traditional yoga, as I understand, the natural progression is from asana practice (yoga postures or stretches) to pranayama to meditation. And I want to take up Gareth Walker’s challenge to me — start a daily meditation practice. With pranayama I can practice respiratory health and integrate daily meditation into my life.
I have felt the benefits of meditation — even with isolated short practices. I crave that stillness.
In yesterday’s 1.5 hour class we began on our backs in a restorative pose. For most of the class we reclined in different poses and focused on breathing in our lower back — expanding the space for our kidneys. During the final third of the class we were in a seated position. And that’s when I felt it…sort of like floating. Momentary bliss. If I could capture and bottle the sensation I couldn’t use it that much. I couldn’t write a blog post feeling blissed or could I?
My bliss may be different than your bliss. I felt the release of all tension in my body. The release of all thoughts of past and future and was firmly rooted in the now. No physical or emotional pain or stress.
So I asked the teacher how to begin a regular practice. She told me a good way is to practice for 20-minutes at least 4x/week. Start in a relaxed pose and work up to the seated position. Sounds simple enough.
It’s cold and flu season so I asked a respiratory therapist I know — Lee Guion — to offer some guidance. Here are Lee’s 7 Tips for Respiratory Health which are critical for those with a condition that causes weakened muscles:
But this list is only a list. You should listen to the podcast.
There are many online videos to guide you in a practice combining breath work and movement but here’s one from the Niroga Institute for people with asthma.
Here are Homework Assignments for the rest of 2017:
Urban Zen integrates the practices of Reiki, aromatherapy, body scans, breath awareness, and movements/restoratives to initiate self-care and healing. In a conversation with Valerie Jew, I learn how these modalities can help not just people with chronic health conditions but caregivers as well as health care providers.
You can visit the Urban Zen Foundation website to learn more about this program.
Valerie recommends the following books to learn more about any of the specific modalities used: