Читать книгу Restorative Yoga Therapy - Leeann Carey - Страница 11
ОглавлениеThat which I seek finds me, embraces me, and knows me. It lives inside me.
Each of the yoga props listed in this chapter (except for the eye pillow) can be used in practice in all classifications of yoga poses — standing, seated, back bending, twisting, inverting, and forward bending — whether they are DOING or BEING poses. I have my personal prop preferences in style, size, material, and manufacturer. If you are a budget-minded yogi, however, the expense of yoga props shouldn’t deter you from creating an ample prop inventory. When I first started teaching, I used books for blocks, towels for blankets, couch cushions for bolsters, dining room chairs for support, fabric remnants sewed together for belts (trust me, I am not a seamstress!), and a kitchen sink and door jams for leverage (yes, even a kitchen sink!). All is possible. All the time. Always. Think outside the box.
Yoga Mat
Yoga mat manufacturers produce mats in various thicknesses. For ample support, whether the mat requires folding or rolling, it should measure no more than 3/16 inch deep, and I prefer a nonskid mat for sufficient stickiness. This guarantees the holding in place of other yoga props that may be used in combination with the mat. Check out local yoga studios that may be replacing old mats. You might be able to purchase used mats for a buck or two. Just clean the you-know-what out of them, and use them for props. Consider reaching out to your yoga buddies to see if they have an extra mat they no longer use because they don’t like it. The plethora of mats I’ve collected over the years includes expensive mats people have purchased but didn’t like for one reason or another. If I can’t use the entire mat as a prop, I cut it up into various-sized square sheets and use them as pads for bony body parts and lifts for feet. Get creative!
HOW TO USE: Yoga mats can cushion bony body parts; hold blocks, blankets, bolsters, and chairs in place; or be rolled up into tubes as a substitute for blankets or bolsters. The best yoga mats for use as props are quite sticky, can easily roll, and are not too thick. The wonderful thick mats that are now on the market are great for lying and practicing, but they are often far too thick to use as props.
Blocks
I prefer cork blocks because of their unique combination of stability, weight, and ability to slide against the floor when necessary. Some practitioners prefer foam blocks, which are lightweight and easy to carry and provide more cushioning. I like foam blocks for cushioning, but they are not stable. Therefore, I don’t recommend them for supporting standing poses or some back bends. Yoga blocks come in several sizes. I like the standard size, which is 4 x 6 x 9 inches. Having a few different sizes, however, is convenient. Sometimes a student needs a 4 x 6 x 9-inch block and another block half that thick. Blocks can be placed in three different ways, resulting in three possible heights: they can be laid flat (lowest height), placed on edge (middle height), or stood on end (tallest height). If you don’t have a block, consider using a book, preferably one you’ve already read so you don’t get distracted.
HOW TO USE: Blocks can be used to bring the floor to you to assist with flexibility or to wake up dull areas of your body. They also help to “reduce the reach,” access core stability, and provide unique leverage in far-reaching forward bends. Blocks are very versatile, and you will love them.
Bolster
Bolsters come in all sizes and shapes. Finding the right-sized bolster for you is important. If you are petite like me, a bolster that is half your body size doesn’t always work. Too much support isn’t helpful, and not enough doesn’t serve the purpose. I recommend you begin with a standard-sized bolster. You can always add folded blankets on top to create more height when needed. The most commonly used bolster is a standard “flat” bolster, measuring 8 x 27 x 32.5 inches and weighing 5 pounds. An oval bolster, measuring 9 x 26 x 34.5 inches, weighs 7 pounds. Choosing the right bolster for each pose and each person depends on the level of support individually needed and how the bolster best supports the trajectory of the pose.
HOW TO USE: In short, bolsters do exactly what their name suggests — they bolster a part of the body in order to open, release, or support that part. They are truly a godsend.
Wall
For vertical support, use a clean, sturdy, and flat wall without glass or a mirror. Besides a chair, a wall is my favorite yoga prop. You can push against, relax into, leverage from, and confront your fears with its support. Everyone has a wall in his or her house, yoga studio, or gym. Do not use a mirrored wall unless that’s all you have, in which case proceed with caution. I don’t recommend flipping up into a handstand on a mirrored wall unless you are certain of its stability and security. When using a chair against a mirrored wall, simply pad the back reinforcement bar of the chair with a blanket to prevent scratching or breaking the mirror. In a pinch, you can use a securely closed door with a flat surface. Also, a corner where two walls meet provides excellent alignment feedback for either side of the body. Try it and notice what you feel.
Chair or Stool
You can use a sturdy folding chair with a reinforcement bar in the back but with the backrest of the chair pushed out. If you hammer out the chair’s backrest, be sure to file any rough edges. Another option is to wrap the back of the chair frame with athletic tape. I learned that nifty trick from one of the Yapana Yoga mentors, and it works well because it also offers a nice grip for your hands. I learned my lesson working with athletes up to 6 feet 9 inches tall. The standard folding chair is too short (thanks, Luke!). In this case, it might be best in some yoga poses to use a stool or to prop your chair on blocks to make it taller. When working in a gym environment, I like stacking aerobic steps, because they provide a stable seat that sometimes a stool does not. And there is a new folding chair on the market that extends the normal height up to six inches. There isn’t an excuse not to use one.
HOW TO USE: The chair is another favorite yoga prop of mine, as it can provide a little more “restful” support. When necessary, you can drop all of your body weight onto the seat surface. I’ve included some very creative approaches to poses with the support of a chair. Note: sometimes you need to position the chair next to a wall so that it doesn’t move.
Blankets
Be particular about your blankets. The ones made entirely out of polyester are difficult to fold, and those that are strictly wool generate a funky smell after continued use and care. What to do? Purchase blankets that are a mix of the two materials. If you want to avoid the expense, use ones that you can afford and are readily available. Even folded up blankets from your house or bath or beach towels will work. Use what works for you and provides the level of support needed.
HOW TO USE: Blankets can be used to bring the floor to you, to cushion hard areas, and to weigh down an area of the body to help it release. Rolled or folded, they provide excellent support for chest openers, twists, and forward bends. Some BEING poses require short- or long-rolled blankets or double- or accordion-folded blankets. No matter which style of fold you use, always roll and fold the blankets so they have clean edges as they are supporting your body weight. Blankets fall apart when they are not carefully folded, and this will affect the level of support they provide.
Many folds and rolls begin with a single-folded blanket, called Foundation. From this shape you can make just about any of the other required shapes.
HOW TO FOLD A SINGLE-FOLDED BLANKET — FOUNDATION
1. Starting with the short ends of a blanket, fold it in half.
2. From the short ends, fold it in half again two more times.
3. Smooth out any wrinkles, and align the edges.
HOW TO FOLD A DOUBLE-FOLDED BLANKET
1. Start with a Foundation blanket shape.
2. Fold it in half from the long, clean edges.
3. Smooth out any wrinkles, and align the edges.
HOW TO FOLD TWO DOUBLE-FOLDED STACKED BLANKETS (AS A BOLSTER)
1. Stack two double-folded blankets so that their clean edges align with each other.
2. Smooth out any wrinkles, and align all edges.
HOW TO FOLD A MEDITATION PAD BLANKET
1. Start with a Foundation blanket shape.
2. From the short clean edge, fold in half.
3. Smooth out any wrinkles, and align the edges.
HOW TO ROLL A SHORT-ROLLED BLANKET
1. Start with a Foundation blanket shape.
2. From the short clean edge, tightly roll into a solid cylinder.
3. Smooth out any wrinkles, and align the edges.
HOW TO ROLL A LONG-ROLLED BLANKET
1. Start with a Foundation blanket shape.
2. From the long clean edge, tightly roll into a solid cylinder.
3. Smooth out any wrinkles, and align the edges.
HOW TO FOLD AN ACCORDION-FOLDED BLANKET
1. Start with a Foundation blanket shape.
2. From the long clean edge, fold in quarters accordion style.
3. Smooth out any wrinkles, and align the edges.
Belt
Belts also come in many sizes. I prefer using 10-foot belts because they provide the most options. It’s better to have a belt that’s too long than one that’s too short. If too short, you have to tie belts together to make a long one, which is confusing. The difference in the prices of a 6-foot belt and a 10-foot belt is insignificant compared to the benefits of working with a longer one. I also recommend the D-ring belts, as they provide the best locking system and are easiest to adjust. Although the long D-ring belt is my favorite, you can make a similar prop by sewing pieces of fabric together. But I encourage you to invest in a real yoga belt. When you do, you won’t be sorry.
HOW TO USE: Belts stabilize joints, encourage flexibility, support inflexible parts of the body, and create traction and space — two magic words in yoga therapy, as many suffer compression somewhere. Using a yoga belt can provide instant relief for some people. Need I say more?
Sandbag
The sandbag is another genius idea from B. K. S. Iyengar. It’s a yoga prop that provides weight and encourages overworked areas to release. Yapana therapy students are hooked on sandbags. Classical weight plates were once used, the old-school kind that are still used in gyms. Imagine being in Savasana (Corpse Pose) with a few large round weights stacked on top of the pelvis and legs. Don’t laugh until you try it. I’ll try just about anything that I think might provide the kind of support I need at any given time. However, sandbags work even better than weight plates, and you can make your own. Whether you use sand (don’t steal it from the beach; buy it from the store), pea gravel, rice, or some other substance for the bag, be sure you do not entirely fill the bag, because it needs to be manipulable so that you can rest only part of it on a limb if needed.
SANDBAG DOs
1. When placing the bags at the top thighs in a supine BEING pose, be sure the knees are either on the same plane as the hips or no more than 1 inch above.
2. When grounding the lower back in a prone BEING pose, place the bag directly across the back perpendicular to the spine, with the short ends of the bag facing each hip.
3. Any time you use the bag to ground the shoulders in a supine BEING pose, the back of the outer shoulders should not be more than an inch off the floor.
SANDBAG DON’Ts
Never place the bags directly on the knees unless you are following a particular therapeutic practice to encourage a specific result that you fully understand. The weight of a sandbag on the knees in some straight-legged seated positions with additional prop support can help to stretch tight ligaments. But you must know exactly how to do this and why you are doing it. People will place a 10-pound sandbag just about anywhere, thinking it will help. This will not help when used unwisely.
In general, be mindful of how and why you use sandbags around joints.
Meditation Pad/Zafu
A meditation pad supports a lift of the spine while in a seated position. Some practitioners use a zafu (from the Japanese word for “round cushion”). Will your meditation be better while sitting on a zafu or pad? That depends. My first meditation teacher taught me how to calm my mind while sitting on a street bench with traffic bustling around me. Would sitting on a zafu have made it better? I have no idea. Some people, however, choose to use one because of a feeling or discipline they’ve assigned to the object, as some also do with yoga mats. Can we have an active asana (posture) practice without a mat? Absolutely. Do we care for our yoga mats as though they were real estate? Some of us do. In the end, the basic value of having a meditation zafu or a meditation pad made from folding a blanket is that it lifts the pelvis higher than the legs, which makes sitting upright easier.
HOW TO USE: Sit on it, and practice being still. That’s it.
Foam Roller
Two words: Love it! Foam rollers come in several sizes and degrees of density and help to massage large muscle groups and fascia, the fibrous tissue that covers the muscles. Using a roller is almost like getting a massage, except you don’t have to pay for it, remove your clothes, or get greased with oil. It does a great job of breaking up lactic acid, and you’re in control of the pressure and duration. Of course, rolling on a tennis ball also does the trick, but the body rollers are far superior because of their size, shape, and density. Sometimes I like to start a class, a private session, or my own practice with the foam roller to encourage oxygen and blood flow to muscles. Other times I might end with the roller. It all depends on what I’m trying to support in the practice.
HOW TO USE: Just roll your body across it. You can roll across the front, back, and sides of the body. Roll slowly. If you rip through this action at lightning speed, you won’t feel or realize its effects.
Tennis Ball
As mentioned above, if you don’t have a foam roller, a tennis ball can be an adequate and inexpensive replacement. What’s effective about using tennis balls is that they can really work the small muscle groups.
HOW TO USE: Roll the ball with the soles of your feet — wonderful for those suffering from plantar fasciitis, a symptom of tight tendons in the soles. You can use it for the spine as well, basically like the foam roller, but since the ball’s surface isn’t nearly as large as the roller’s, be careful when using it near the spinal column. Don’t push it directly against the spine; just roll it on either side. You can also tape two tennis balls together so that they can roll in tandem up and down each side of the spinal column.
Eye Pillow
Choosing an eye pillow is sort of like the story “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” You may like an eye pillow that covers the entire forehead. Or perhaps you want one that covers only the eye lids and the bridge of the nose. Or perhaps you want one that falls somewhere in between. Why not have a collection of all sizes so that you can use them as you wish? If you are handy with a sewing machine, you can make these yourself. Eye pillows are typically filled with a mixture of flax seeds, lavender buds, and peppermint and/or chamomile leaves. The smell of this mixture can be very calming and soothing. If you do make any for yourself, please be sure to make them with a removable and washable cover to avoid eye infections from the dirt and dust that accumulate from continued use.
HOW TO USE: I consider eye pillows wonderful little gifts from yoga heaven. They can be used to block out the light, give a little bit of weight to the forehead or the palm of your hands, or provide a cool support under the back of your neck. They support a meaningful turning inward.
GOING DEEPER: THE RIGHTNESS OF PRACTICE
Much of an intelligent and creative yoga practice is getting yourself to see the wisdom of what you are doing and why. It is up to you to bring the kind of awareness to your practice that will clarify what you choose in order to make your practice meaningful. You will never know what comes from your practice if you don’t practice with devotion, concentration, and faith.
Learning a Skill
The right prop support can teach a skill necessary for experiencing a balanced approach for doing, being in, and breathing in a yoga pose. Some solutions for addressing difficulties in a pose may often be found in other poses that require less. And solutions will always include a soft breath and a calm mind — in essence, a yielding body and mind. Yoga poses require not only strength, stability, flexibility, and mobility but also skills such as proprioception (the unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself), somatic movement (movement that relies on an awareness, desire, and ability to become more self-determining; somatic refers to your ability to sense the processes going on “within” you), and a mind that doesn’t react to its own fluctuations. If one or more of these skills are significantly impaired, the benefits are that much harder to achieve. For instance, let’s use a simple back bend as an example.
Back bends require the chest muscles to stretch, the mid and upper back muscles to contract, shoulder mobility, and the fibrous tissue between the mid and upper back vertebrae to move forward. Muscles that are too tight and joints that are too stiff end up relying on help from other areas of the body that aren’t meant to play a significant role in the pose. In a classic back-bending pose, this can put strain on the lower segment of the spine and disrupt proper rotation of the shoulder joints. These imbalances, if not addressed, make it difficult to open and lift the chest with strong back body support, a skill necessary for a safe back bend. Therefore, safe and enjoyable back bends are often inaccessible to many students.
The photo above demonstrates a simple chair-supported Ustrasana (Camel Pose). This variation (see page 51) allows you to breathe and soften in the pose and explore areas that otherwise would not safely be available in a back bend. With the chair, you can investigate the skill necessary to stretch and contract the muscles needed to support a healthy back bend without additional load on the lower back. Benefits abound.
Acceptance — Meet Yourself Where You Are
I am reminded of a workshop I taught for yoga teachers at a body/mind conference. We covered a lot of pose breakdowns, which is always rewarding. Troubleshooting solutions for different body types is a little like being in a lab. You never know how one insight will lead to another, so it is important to be open to the process. The only formula I know for this is meeting students where they are. I practice this acceptance on the mat. It’s not always easy, but it is always inspiring.
Throughout my travels, I’ve had the privilege of working with yoga instructors and students from all over North America and Canada. My experience in general is that too many practitioners feel bad when they run across a yoga pose they cannot execute well. What’s worse, I have perceived embarrassment and almost shame. I hear rumblings like, “My shoulders aren’t as flexible as Eric’s.” Or teachers share their concern when they aren’t as mobile as some of their students. My advice: welcome acceptance.
NEWS FLASH: There may be poses that you will never be able to practice well without accepting additional support. Or you may come to the realization that some poses aren’t right for your body type. Don’t feel defeated. Instead, consider this as a giving moment to embrace what is present. Adjust to the utter kindness of accepting support and letting go into what’s happening now. Strategic yoga prop support can help you learn how to safely and efficiently leverage your strengths, play with weaknesses, and explore them with a soft breath and calm mind. Sweet relief.
When you step onto your mat, do you ask, “How can I grow today?” or “How can I be more of myself today?” The time on our mat can be used to address these deep questions by recognizing and attending to our individual needs at the moment. Meeting ourselves where we are shines a light on what may be a missing ingredient in many yoga practices: acceptance and mindfulness of what is happening now. Learning how to efficiently use the body and breath as resources to focus, grow, or transform can bring attention to opening and integrating the Light that lives within.
I have a history of tight hamstrings and calves and a tight mid and upper back. This makes forward bends of all kinds my least favorite poses. The variation of Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend Pose) shown in the photo above (and explained on page 91) offers the kind of support needed to move gently into the stretch of my tight legs and back. Yes, it’s a lot of support, but I’m not too proud to accept it. Over the years of my practicing this variation from time to time, it has helped me to make great leaps in my forward bending. It has improved my flexibility, and more important, it has taught me how to be more patient in a pose that I previously considered to be my nemesis.
Make It Calmer
Support also comes in the form of feeling that you are so well taken care of that you can completely surrender. Ahhh — nothing quite like it. The body and mind may require a level of healing in a yoga pose that can be offered only when properly supported.
Tom has had a couple of bad bouts with his lower back giving out. One evening he walked into my house for a casual dinner party I was hosting for friends. I watched him walk with a strong lean to one side, like a crab walking on the ocean’s uneven sandy bottom. After a visit to the doctor and some yoga therapy, his back healed. But there’s nothing more satisfying to someone who has been dealing with back pain than to voice an audible “ahhh” when put into a supported yoga pose that provides both physical release and mental relief.
A well-supported Balasana (Child Pose) — just what the doctor ordered.
STRATEGIC PROP PLACEMENT
Pose Alignment and Misalignment
Much of the time we don’t know what we are doing while we are doing it, even on the yoga mat. All kinds of misalignments occur without awareness, because habits have deep roots that are invisible to us — that’s why they are called habits. Yoga props help us highlight those common and repeated misalignments by preventing us from overworking mobile areas or by stabilizing and stretching underworked ones.
Bringing the Pose to You
