Karmic Seeds Body Mind & Spirit

No matter what our weight, we can use the cues from our physical and mental selves to judge how healthy we are. Health is not a numerical concept and cannot be defined using statistics. Human beings, however, tend to want to quantify well-being into easily understandable figures. We feel compelled to ascribe numbers to every aspect of wellness, from the qualities of our food to our fitness levels to the physical space we occupy. As a consequence of social pressures, we turn our attention away from health and focus instead on the most contentious of these figures—weight—checking our scales to see how we measure up to our peers and role models. Yet each of us is equipped to gauge our relative healthfulness without any equipment whatsoever. When we have achieved a state of wellness, we feel buoyant and energetic. Some of us are naturally slim, while others will always be curvy. No matter what our weight, we can use the cues we receive from our physical and mental selves to judge ho...

Want to find a new sense of balance and freedom in your practice? Learn how to skillfully stretch and strengthen the mysterious psoas muscle. JUNE 7, 2013       BY JULIE GUDMESTAD Most yoga students are aware that the psoas is a central player in asana, even if the muscle’s deeper function and design seem a mystery. A primary connector between the torso and the leg, the psoas is also an important muscle off the mat: it affects posture, helps stabilize the spine, and, if it’s out of balance, can be a significant contributor to low back and pelvic pain. The way that we use the psoas in our yoga practice can either help keep it healthy, strong, and flexible, or, conversely, can perpetuate harmful imbalances. The psoas is a deep-seated core muscle connecting the lumbar vertebrae to the femur. The psoas major is the biggest and strongest player in a group of muscles called the hip flexors: together they contract to pull the thigh and the tor...

 BY BETH SPINDLER Below are some common assumptions (and clarifications) to assist in differentiating between yoga classes and yoga therapy. Assumption #1. People must be able to get up from the floor and lower down to the floor to practice yoga. Mobility issues often prevent people from attending yoga classes. Knee, hip, and lower back problems may make lowering to the floor painful and embarrassing. An injured or weak shoulder or wrist can also make getting up from the floor challenging. A class that requires students to lower their bodies to the floor may keep an individual from returning, even if the class is truly needed. Private yoga therapy can help a client assess her abilities and limitations in a setting free from rush or embarrassment. Of course, there are chair-yoga classes but not everyone can attend these classes, as they may be offered at inconvenient times or inaccessible locations. Teachers for such classes are less likely to be available because yoga te...