Not a stretch in sight
I have been struggling throughout the second lock down in Melbourne, I have found this time more emotional and my resilience is low. As a yoga teacher I feel a pressure to constantly communicate through my messaging to people to remain positive, and I have felt that this can lead to a sense of ‘toxic positivity’ where people are asked to deny how they are really feeling and to fill the fear and anxiety they are experiencing with a positive quote or mantra.
It’s ok to feel scared, angry and not so positive right now and the only solace I can offer as a teacher is that there is healing that you can tap into in your own body. My practice has changed a lot over the years and I have come to realise that where I get the most benefit is through simple movement and breath practices. We have been so conditioned as to push ourselves into more and more advanced poses and to reach for a sense of perfection in those poses. What is missing from this style of practice is a connection to something greater than yourself, to a sense of spirit; to the power of the breath and a noticing and awareness of the internal workings of the body.
During the recent Covid lockdown I experienced some quite acute low back pain, which made me feel nauseous. I used to experience this pain a lot and there was nothing I could do except lie on the ground and wait for it to pass! Now I know what to do….I gathered my props: half deflated pilates ball, a bolster, a strap, block and roller. I started on my back with my knees bent and my feet resting on the wall, hip width apart and I used my breath to sense where the pain in my back was coming from.
It takes time to yield into the mat and tune in to a felt awareness of the body, it also takes practice. What I found through simply lying on my back with my knees bent and feet at the wall was that the upper part of my left psoas and kidney / adrenal area was restricted. This makes sense as I have been stressed and my adrenals have been overtaxed. The psoas also acts as a messenger to the nervous system and when it’s tight, like mine was, it is guarding and being hyper vigilant and this in turn is communicated to the nervous system.
There is a huge sense of empowerment that comes with being able to isolate in yourself exactly where a felt sense of discomfort is radiating from. I spent the next hour and a half gently working with restorative poses and the props to help release the deep muscle of my psoas. When I stood up again my back pain was greatly eased and the nausea too. This self healing ability of the body through sense awareness and breath is the incredible realisation that I have come to over the years. It is why I love teaching a slow, somatic approach to yoga both in my restorative classes and gentle flow as the power to heal and transform is within each of us and I didn’t push my body or do a single ‘stretch’ to achieve it!
To release the psoas and come into the calm side of your nervous system try this pose called Constructive Rest.
It is the pose I nearly always ask my students to start the class in.
Rest on your back with your trunk and head parallel to the floor. Knees are bent and the feet are placed parallel to each other as wide apart as the front of the hip sockets, with the heels away from your buttocks. Do not force the spine to the floor. Resting here your lower back will naturally make contact as the psoas relaxes and the spine unfolds. Rest your arms comfortably on the floor, across your rib cage or on top of your pelvis. Let your eyes rest in their sockets. Notice what is taking place within your body. Do not push your spine down, this is a non-doing position. It is a being position, a position of rest. Gravity releases extraneous energetic nerve tension on our psoas, making the position very constructive. It is a useful position for unraveling tension patterns from the core outward, enhancing proprioception and letting go of old conditioning.
Intentionally focusing your attention on sensation while resting in this position will enhance the experience of relaxation and help to support your nervous system. Although your mind may be active, quiet your mind by following your sensations. The simple act of witnessing the habitual feelings, thoughts and images frees energy to reveal your true authenticity.