Great book

I loved this book's simple and beautiful exploration of the depths of yoga.  It is a very enjoyable read. I learned many things.  Some of my favorites I will list here.  This book tells us that Yoga is the fire that dispels darkness.

Krishnamacharya's son Desikachar wrote the book with the intent to share the living tradition of his father.  Krishnamacharya lived until he was 100 years old and this book contains some wonderful photos of his life.  

The book tells us we get 21,600 breaths per day.  One of my favorite thoughts from the book is this:  The first few hundred breaths taken after waking each day are dedicated to Ganesh - the beloved elephant-headed god of new beginnings, the remover of obstacles, the enabler.  In this way, we bring the breath consciously into a daily act of renewal.

India's great gift to humanity is an accessible, practical approach to an enduring state of happiness.  This is the gift of Yoga.  I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

Study: Doing Side Plank Reduced Spinal Curving up to 50% in Scoliosis Patients

I sent this article to my friend Bob who was diagnosed with scoliosis in the summer of 1973.  Bob says, "I wore a Milwaukee brace during my junior year of high school.  My Cobb angle (the degree of the curvature) has always been about 28 degrees.  My daughter and I do the side plank 5 minutes per day on average.  If we miss a day, we make it up.  We now do it in three segments: once for 2 minutes, then twice for 90 seconds.  We rest about 10 minutes between each session".  

In one month Bob has seen results he's never been able to achieve for decades.  Please pass this article along to anyone you know with scoliosis.  

http://online.wsj.com/articles/study-doing-the-side-plank-reduced-spinal-curving-in-scoliosis-patients-1414443022

Updated Oct. 27, 2014 5:02 p.m. ET

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Performing a basic yoga pose for a few minutes a day reduced spinal curving by as much as 50% in scoliosis patients, according to a small but intriguing study in the current issue of Global Advances in Health and Medicine.

Researchers suggest practicing the side plank, or vasisthasana, pose on the curved side can strengthen muscles in the lower back, abdomen and spine that allow the spine to straighten.

Patients who practice the pose regularly may not need corrective bracing or surgery, they said.

An estimated six million people in the U.S. have scoliosis, an often painful condition that causes the spine to curve in an S-shape, according to the National Scoliosis Foundation. Scoliosis can affect a person’s gait, posture and self-esteem if left untreated, the study said.

Researchers at the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City recruited 25 patients, 21 women and four men ages 14 to 85, from a private medical clinic.

The subjects spent a week learning the pose, which involves leaning on one arm on the floor so the shoulders, hips and ankles are in a straight line, with the other arm pointing straight up.

For the study, subjects also elevated their ribs so the curved side of their upper body was facing out. Slight variations of the pose were used to accommodate participants’ physical abilities.

They were instructed to hold the pose for 10 to 20 seconds or longer at least once a day.

Spinal improvements were compared. X-rays were taken before the study and three to 22 months later.

After 6.8 months of follow-up, spinal curving decreased by an average of 41% in 19 subjects who practiced the pose daily. The average improvement in the group was 32%.

Curve reduction among regular practitioners was highest in seven teenage subjects—49.6% compared with 38.4% in adults. Patients who performed the pose fewer than four days a week improved by an average of 0.5%.

Studies with longer follow-up are needed to clarify the relationship between the duration of treatment and the length of improvement and the possible side effects of prolonged treatment, researchers said.

Caveat: The study didn’t include a control group. Compliance was self-reported.

Title: Serial Case Reporting Yoga for Idiopathic and Degenerative Scoliosis

—Ann Lukits

Soothe digestion

Are you still full?  A few gentle poses and twists to help your tummy settle.  Thanks Jason Crandell.

Sequence for Lotus pose

Enjoy another article by my teacher, Jason Crandell

November 7, 2014 by Jason Crandell

Essential Sequence: Fold into Lotus Pose

Lotus Pose (Padmasana) is one you were likely visually familiar with before you ever set foot in a yoga studio. Surely you’d seen sculptures of Siddartha or photographs of Indian sadhus with their legs tightly folded together in a pretzel shape. It’s a pose that’s associated with serene states of meditation — and the shape of the pose really does encourage quiet. The thighbones root down toward the earth, helping you feel grounded. And the shape of the legs creates a strong base of support that allows the spine to rise naturally and comfortably skyward. Perhaps the tranquil look of the pose is what makes us all pine for it. But make no mistake — it’s not to be attempted lightly. It requires an enormous amount of flexibility in the hip joint and if your body just doesn’t “go there,” you risk hurting your knees. Rest assured there are plenty of other Lotus-like options out there that are conducive to meditation. (And we’ll cover some of them in a future post.)

In the meantime, you can get many benefits with a sequence that prepares you for Lotus. And if your body is ready to fold into the pose, you will know. (Trust me on this.) There will be no knee pain, no stress, no sense of prying or leveraging or forcing. Instead, it will feel like you are folding yourself into the pose.

Most students make the same mistake when they open their hips for Lotus Pose: They focus on stretching the outer hips but forget to open the other muscle groups that comprise the hip joint. Don’t get me wrong—-the outer hips usually need plenty of help. But, the key to freedom and balance in your hips is working with allthe muscle groups that affect the joint, not just your external rotators. I can’t promise you a Lotus, but practicing the following sequence will make your hips be happier, healthier, and more supple as you work toward it.

If you want to make this sequence a stronger, sweatier flow practice, feel free to practice several Sun Salutations first. You can also add standing poses, arm balances, and inversions to increase the intensity of this practice.

If you’re in need of a quieter, more contemplative practice, you can finish with seated meditation or pranayama. As always, feel free to improvise if you feel the need to include a few additional postures or omit anything that doesn’t work for your body.

Hold each pose in the sequence for at least 5 breaths and be sure to practice both sides before attempting Lotus Pose.

One more thing before you start the sequence: Forcing your body into Lotus Pose is not worth it in the long run. Lotus is a technically tricky pose and, even with precise sequencing, many bodies will not be ready for the pose. So, as always, listen to your body and don’t push through pain. Pain in your knees or your hips is a sign to back off. Got it? Good.

My lovely assistant

My daughter, Mikayla, assisted at my yoga retreat in Hidden Villa.  She was a cheerful, supportive presence to all.  Here she is up front playfully demonstrating the balance pose, Bird of Paradise.