Typically at the moment an injury happens we are unaware of what our body is doing. Though it sounds illogical to the mind, our body follows patterns we have trained into it. It is likely that unconscious movement & postural patterns set us up for events that cause injury. An example of this is if someone has a habit of letting a foot drag or leaning into one hip. When faced with a new obstacle while doing something as simple as walking this habit may cause a sprain or fall.
Another way our incorrect movement & postural patterns show up is called "repetitive stress injuries." Two common examples are shoulder/rotator cuff pain due to working with arms forward, and hip/low back pain from long hours of sitting. The movements we commonly use start out just fine but if we do not stay mindful of posture and take breaks during the work day we will slump into incorrect posture. After some time we notice discomfort so we must then consciously balance our muscular system with contrasting exercises. When multiple days go by without corrective movements we will start feeling discomfort as over used muscles pull joints away from their center.
As a seasoned Shiatsu practitioner I can report that the body tells its movement history loud and clear. Helping educate people on how they can balance joints through conscious postural and movement patterning is a big part of my work. When they learn how simple it is to alleviate their own discomfort, clients frequently exclaim "They don't teach us this!"
The reality is They can only give us broad outlines. In a society that is geared toward mass education They cannot teach what is good for each person.
Enter yoga. This is an ancient practice, developed & taught by seekers of personal empowerment.
Because we all live in the physical body we can learn the rules of physicality and consciously realign our structure. Yoga postures teach us to synchronize our body, mind and breath. This focusses our mind and brain together to activate neural pathways that strengthen new muscular patterns. This focussed state is needed to learning anything new.
When we realign our body with concentration and repetition we initiate a natural process of return to comfort.
Though it takes practice we can train the musculoskeletal structure to return and rest at home base. Over time the muscular structure will release old injury patterns in favor of the healthy, functional options.
Here's the catch.
If we want to empower our body/mind to learn, grow and heal we must do this consistently over time. For best results we need to reproduce the patterns on our own. Another person is needed to teach the mind/body/breath positioning and movement sequences but for it to transfer into our lives we must learn to do this by ourselves.
This means something different for every one every day.
Attending classes with consistency is important. Practicing between classes is optional and as simple as sitting & breathing for 10 minutes with correct positioning. If a student practices or even thinks through the new pattern for a few minutes between classes the information will become more natural. Once a new movement is practiced enough times it becomes a skill that helps us grow our posture library over time.
The reason the Ashtanga Yoga series is such a useful sequence is its consistency.
The Ashtanga Primary Series is called "Yoga Therapy" in Sanskrit. The sequences are designed to move the body through a gentle warm-up and gradual opening of all the joints then close in the home base postures. In my 32 years of practice this sequence has proven to be a therapy for every physical problem. The brilliantly crafted flow allows for all levels of modifications and change while the practitioner is traveling through their own physical journey.
In my Intro classes I invite students to learn home base and carry it along through the sequence.
If it's something you'd like to explore please come to a class or reach out for options. My current studio schedule in Missoula includes one Introduction class and one ongoing practice per week. Private sessions are available.
Please go to https://offthematselfcare.com/ for more about me and my contact information. Go to https://www.sacredally.love/movement-yoga-class-schedule to see my current classes.
Blessings, joy and health,
Christian
