Saturday, May 28, 2011

Q & A, Healing Sciatica

Someone asked how they could use yoga to help with some sciatica that they started experiencing during their pregnancy.
Having never met them, this is what I felt like i could safely offer.


most generally, sciatica is caused by the irritation, compression, and/or inflammation of the sciatic nerve.

see, the sciatic nerve comes down the vertebrae and weaves through the pelvis, it passes under a part of the pelvis called the sciatic notch (bone). then it travels down through the glut and the hamstring.

often, what can happen, is through alignment, tension, injury, etc, is that the notch rubs against, or crushes the nerve. this is irritating. also, if there is a possibility that the nerve can get squeezed by the glute and the hamstring pushing, or being stuck together.

the best thing to do it to create space in the jammed areas, and be really mindful of your not making it worse by doing poses that jam up the area.

some poses that might be useful:
*pigeon pose while lying on the back, you can do it the normal way, if your hips are really open
*pascimottanasana with the knees deeply bent and the spine straight, to peel open the tissues in the back of the legs and butt. deeply bent knees, really really
*try putting two straps around your hips, pull one to the left, and pull one to the right. this can help open the pelvis nicely. you can keep them on while you do your practice, and it might support you nicely
*twisting triangle
*easy locust pose that will strengthen the low back muscles

avoid
*deep forward folding with legs straight
*deep backbends that jam the sacrum

hope it helps.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Aquiring a Taste for Your Life

Your life might be an aquired taste.  Do you remember the first time you had a glass of wine, how awful it was? Do you remember the dawning of awareness, as you realized the depth, the complexity, the beauty?  Have you ever listened, as a vintner discussed what goes into every bottle, the effects of the soil and the atmosphere and the wood of the casks?  Or as a connesiour encourages you to absorb every last bit of flavor? Have you seen their faces light up as they describe what they love about wine?  
This is your life.  Your life is an acquired taste!  You have created your life.  You have done the best you could, given your particular environment, genetics, and karma.  You have crafted something, that just might be wonderful. Sit back, light a candle, and taste it. Savor it's complexity.  Consider the possibility that nothing in your life needs to change except the way you taste it.  Extract every nuance.  Give yourself a chance to sift through what you may have initially written off as unpleasant.  Allow the flavors to open and reveal themselves to you.  Let the bitterness, the grit, the swarm of seemingly conflicting impressions melt into a harmonious blend of experience.  Marvel at the richness and the beauty.
In my favorite Bukowski poem, 'The Laughing Heart', he agrees, 

'Your life is your life, know it while you have it.  You are marvelous, the gods wait to delight in you.'

Join them, all the gods, masters and holy ones.  Join the winos, and the beats.  Delight in your life.