Two long nights, one short day, the Buddha smiles (haiku, author unknown)
More and more I hear people say they are not going to celebrate this season because it is full of crass commercialism, stress and stems from a tradition that they may be at odds with. I could not agree more that the meaning of the season can get lost in the melee of expectations that have been placed on this time.
Yet I cannot agree with throwing the whole enterprise out the door. If we look at most traditions around the world, including Christmas, Hanukah, Solstice, Chinese or Japanese New Year, Eid Al Adah, or Kwanzaa, we find a common denominator. They all involve light, food and community. Perhaps this is because, long ago, as people prepared for the cave journey, there was some fear that they would not make it through the winter, that there would not be enough food, warmth and hope to sustain them. It seems sensible then, that they would create a celebration filled with these things to sustain them through the dark times.
I believe that we do the same thing symbolically that our ancestors did physically. Winter time is the cave journey. It is a time when we are invited to go in and do some "housekeeping." Our ancestors spent the winter repairing their nets, pots and tools so they would be ready for spring. They spun wool and darned socks and sweaters. For us, the housekeeping asks us to turn inward, to notice what is stored in our cave (old baggage, false beliefs, hurts and wounds) and see if it needs tended to, healed, or released in preparation for the rebirth of spring.
The cave journey can feel dark and lonely at times. Perhaps this is why many people dread winter. However, as we know from yoga, if we never stop and listen, if we do not take the time to investigate, assimilate and integrate, the "stuff" of life continues to pile up creating emotional and/or physical distress. There is only one way through to spring - and that is through the cave.
I have come to think of this time of year as the big "bon voyage" party to send us off on the cave journey. The lights and candles that burn so brightly this time of year may represent hope and the light we will take with us to guide our journey. The food that abounds in celebrations may serve to give us trust and faith that we will have enough sustenance to survive, and the community reminds us that we will be kept safe and warm, and that we are never truly alone.
If this time of year if stressful and too filled with expectations, consider one tradition that does not serve you. Then let it go. In it's place create one that nourishes your spirit. And if you have already let go, create something new. Have a wonderful bon voyage party.
Let me know what rituals create light, hope and love for you this time of year. I'd love to hear how you celebrate and learn from you.
Shanti
Friday, December 30, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Reciprocal Inhibition
What does Reciprocal Inhibition mean and why does it matter?
According to Dr. Ray Long of Bandha Yoga, “the concept of the balanced Yin/Yang appears throughout the body.” One of the ways it shows up is through a concept called reciprocal inhibition. This is a term you may be intimately or at least remotely familiar with if you have been taken a yoga teacher training. But did you know (I didn't until Julia educated me) that reciprocal inhibition happens when there is a degree of familiarity with a task? When performing a brand new task, one the body is not familiar with, the nervous system creates additionally stability (at times experienced as joint stiffness) in the body by activating agonist muscles and antagonist muscles together. This is referred to as co-activation. This helps to prevent injury and generate stability until the body is more familiar with the task. As familiarity and repetition occur over time, the co-activation of the muscles is decreased in favor of reciprocal inhibition and the movements become more efficient and more fluid. This is another example of why establishing a new pattern, even one that is good for us, is hard work. It takes a lot of energy.
When a pattern is established, then the system moves toward the more energy efficient mode of reciprocal inhibition. What exactly does this mean and why does it matter? Reciprocal inhibition is defined as the mechanism by which the motor neurons of the nervous system cause a contraction in the agonist muscles, which are the prime movers, while inhibiting the contraction in the antagonist muscles simultaneously and reciprocally. In this way the antagonist muscles remain relaxed while the agonist does the work without opposition. Isn't this a great metaphor for life - to only use as much energy as needed, to get out of our own way and trust the innate intelligence of our being? Oops, I digress. Back to reciprocal inhibition. The degree of relaxation depends upon 1) the degree of contraction of the agonist, 2) the degree of skill the body has in the operation or task, 3) the degree of familiarity with the task, 4) the degree of complication in the task, and 5) if a task is voluntary or autonomic.
In Chapter 2 of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali says “Sthira sukham asanam,” which translates to “asana should have the dual qualities of alertness and steadiness (sthria) and relaxation and sweetness (sukham, which provides the root for the word sugar).” Reciprocal inhibition is the body’s natural intelligence of this sutra.
Again, RI is an autonomic response which at times occurs with volitional and familiar movements, but is usually automatic in movements elicited by the stretch reflex. However, we can use this natural response to assist in releasing long held tension in muscles that have difficulty releasing their contraction, possibly due to postural misalignment and imbalance. This is seen more and more frequently in the quadriceps and hamstrings. When the agonist--the quads--engage, the antagonists, the hamstrings are supposed to release. Yet because of a common postural imbalance, the tucking under of the sacrum, the quadriceps get overly stretched, which weakens them, and the hamstrings get tightly bunched. This affects the ability to adequately engage the agonist and relax antagonist. "Tight hamstrings" have become a frequent complaint in yoga classes.
Let’s play with an example that might assist with those tight hamstrings, especially understanding that the hamstrings cannot release unless the quadriceps are active. They need to have the quality of "sthria."
• Sit in Dandasana, staff pose. Support the sacrum with a wedge or folded blanket as needed to maintain neutral spine. Allow the legs to flop out, however they are showing up this day.
• Come into a forward fold (DO NOT do this if you are experiencing any back problems, as this is an example of what it feels like to not be supported). For me, as I do this, I feel a tugging at the sacrum and at the back of the knees. These are two places we do not want to feel a pulling because they are joints--this means I am not stretching a muscle, but rather possibly straining a tendon or ligament.
• Sit upright again and bend the knees slightly. Flex the feet and draw the quadriceps toward the pelvis, as if you were trying to shorten the front of the thighs. Let the back of the legs lift off the floor a little as you do this. Keeping the quads engaged like this, begin to lengthen the legs by sliding the heels away from you and pressing slightly through the ball mound of the foot. If the backs of the knees to not reach the floor, place a folded blanket under them so the hamstrings can release. You can also place a sandbag on the thighs to help them stay active while they release their weight toward the ground.
• Once again come into a forward fold. Keep the quads active and the sits bones grounded. Remember my other axiom, something has to stay grounded for something else to stretch. See if you can locate the stretch in the belly of the muscle rather than at the ends of the muscle. And of course, breathe.
Try reciprocal inhibition for yourself through this pose and others. Let me know what you experience.
By the way, I am not seeking to invoke controversy here. I know in Yin yoga we do come into postures without engaging the muscles in order to stretch the fascia and connective tissue. I would love to hear your thoughts on this and will write about this kind of passive stretching at a later date.
Shanti, Janice
According to Dr. Ray Long of Bandha Yoga, “the concept of the balanced Yin/Yang appears throughout the body.” One of the ways it shows up is through a concept called reciprocal inhibition. This is a term you may be intimately or at least remotely familiar with if you have been taken a yoga teacher training. But did you know (I didn't until Julia educated me) that reciprocal inhibition happens when there is a degree of familiarity with a task? When performing a brand new task, one the body is not familiar with, the nervous system creates additionally stability (at times experienced as joint stiffness) in the body by activating agonist muscles and antagonist muscles together. This is referred to as co-activation. This helps to prevent injury and generate stability until the body is more familiar with the task. As familiarity and repetition occur over time, the co-activation of the muscles is decreased in favor of reciprocal inhibition and the movements become more efficient and more fluid. This is another example of why establishing a new pattern, even one that is good for us, is hard work. It takes a lot of energy.
When a pattern is established, then the system moves toward the more energy efficient mode of reciprocal inhibition. What exactly does this mean and why does it matter? Reciprocal inhibition is defined as the mechanism by which the motor neurons of the nervous system cause a contraction in the agonist muscles, which are the prime movers, while inhibiting the contraction in the antagonist muscles simultaneously and reciprocally. In this way the antagonist muscles remain relaxed while the agonist does the work without opposition. Isn't this a great metaphor for life - to only use as much energy as needed, to get out of our own way and trust the innate intelligence of our being? Oops, I digress. Back to reciprocal inhibition. The degree of relaxation depends upon 1) the degree of contraction of the agonist, 2) the degree of skill the body has in the operation or task, 3) the degree of familiarity with the task, 4) the degree of complication in the task, and 5) if a task is voluntary or autonomic.
In Chapter 2 of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali says “Sthira sukham asanam,” which translates to “asana should have the dual qualities of alertness and steadiness (sthria) and relaxation and sweetness (sukham, which provides the root for the word sugar).” Reciprocal inhibition is the body’s natural intelligence of this sutra.
Again, RI is an autonomic response which at times occurs with volitional and familiar movements, but is usually automatic in movements elicited by the stretch reflex. However, we can use this natural response to assist in releasing long held tension in muscles that have difficulty releasing their contraction, possibly due to postural misalignment and imbalance. This is seen more and more frequently in the quadriceps and hamstrings. When the agonist--the quads--engage, the antagonists, the hamstrings are supposed to release. Yet because of a common postural imbalance, the tucking under of the sacrum, the quadriceps get overly stretched, which weakens them, and the hamstrings get tightly bunched. This affects the ability to adequately engage the agonist and relax antagonist. "Tight hamstrings" have become a frequent complaint in yoga classes.
Let’s play with an example that might assist with those tight hamstrings, especially understanding that the hamstrings cannot release unless the quadriceps are active. They need to have the quality of "sthria."
• Sit in Dandasana, staff pose. Support the sacrum with a wedge or folded blanket as needed to maintain neutral spine. Allow the legs to flop out, however they are showing up this day.
• Come into a forward fold (DO NOT do this if you are experiencing any back problems, as this is an example of what it feels like to not be supported). For me, as I do this, I feel a tugging at the sacrum and at the back of the knees. These are two places we do not want to feel a pulling because they are joints--this means I am not stretching a muscle, but rather possibly straining a tendon or ligament.
• Sit upright again and bend the knees slightly. Flex the feet and draw the quadriceps toward the pelvis, as if you were trying to shorten the front of the thighs. Let the back of the legs lift off the floor a little as you do this. Keeping the quads engaged like this, begin to lengthen the legs by sliding the heels away from you and pressing slightly through the ball mound of the foot. If the backs of the knees to not reach the floor, place a folded blanket under them so the hamstrings can release. You can also place a sandbag on the thighs to help them stay active while they release their weight toward the ground.
• Once again come into a forward fold. Keep the quads active and the sits bones grounded. Remember my other axiom, something has to stay grounded for something else to stretch. See if you can locate the stretch in the belly of the muscle rather than at the ends of the muscle. And of course, breathe.
Try reciprocal inhibition for yourself through this pose and others. Let me know what you experience.
By the way, I am not seeking to invoke controversy here. I know in Yin yoga we do come into postures without engaging the muscles in order to stretch the fascia and connective tissue. I would love to hear your thoughts on this and will write about this kind of passive stretching at a later date.
Shanti, Janice
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Presence
Last time we were talking about establishing presence and truly listening. Your presence is the greatest gift you have to offer. What would it be like to give yourself that gift? To listen to yourself?
Most of us have had the experience of becoming inured to a sensation. If you live by the railroad track the noise may at first create distress, i.e., interrupting a phone conversation because you can't even "hear yourself speak." Yet after sometime you may find that the sound has muted in the background, perhaps no longer a disturbance but rather a familiar friend. Given the amount of stimulus we are subjected to each day, it is understandable that we begin to tune out. How often have you heard someone with a back strain say they don't know how it could have happened, they simply bent down to pick up a piece of paper and "ouch," they couldn't stand back up again? Those of us familiar with the workings of the body know that it was not that simple, there had most likely been messages about the back for months that had not been heard.
How can we begin to hear ourselves again?
A couple weeks ago I was fortunate to have been at an iRest Yoga Nidra training. Yoga Nidra is a process of traveling through the koshas to heal and unwind any stuck places so we can deepen into the practice of meditation remembering our wholeness, our True Nature. The iRest style of Yoga Nidra, developed by Richard Miller PhD., places strong emphasis on noticing sensation and "meeting and greeting" every sensation as a welcome messenger. Be sure and check out their website: www.irest.us.
Instinctually, we are hard wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain. This makes sense when it comes to learning not to stick our hand into the fire. But when we label other sensations as painful that are not dangerous we can spiral into a pattern of attachment and aversion that puts us on the roller coaster of suffering. I can share a personal example. I am quite attached to peace, love and harmony. This, to me, is pleasure. Conversely, as one might guess, I react to anger as if it were pain. I don't like it within me or around me. Yet anger is a normal and natural emotion. It is not “bad”. It is my reaction to it that creates the trouble, not the emotion itself. By this I mean, when anger becomes present and I push it down, I can become “sweetly and nicely” controlling, i.e., passive-aggressive. And we all know that there is nothing sweet or nice about that. It would be much more useful for myself and the other person if I said, “I am angry about this situation. When I can find some words, I would like to talk more about it.” Or “you seem angry and that really triggers me. I am going to go collect myself and perhaps we can talk more later.” This would be greeting the experience rather than reacting to it. Of course, I will not be able to actually speak my truth outside if I am repressing it inside. This is where iRest comes in.
Like all yoga nidra, we begin with setting the intention and then doing a body scan. This creates physical presence that allows for a deepening to occur. Next the focus in on the breath. This draws awareness even deeper and set up for the next stage, which is welcoming of sensation. We can begin with sensation like hot and cold, which tend to have less of an emotional charge. That would look like, “where is hot located in my body, what does it feel like? Where is cold in my body and what does it feel like?” From a neutral and relaxed place, this pair of opposites can be explored and any reactions to them can be noticed. The more aware we are of our reactions, the more we can begin to unwind the patterns of reaction and move into right action. Other opposites can be explored, loose and tight, relaxed and tense, etc. They can be fully explored. In other words, welcome them as an invited guest.
When this feels doable, then move onto emotions. Using my example, it would be anger. I could invite anger to be present. I then would explore it fully - where it lives in my body, how I feel when it is present, its color, shape, texture, etc. Thoughts that tend to go along with the experience of anger. In other words, be fully present to the sensation of anger. Then I would invite its opposite – perhaps happiness or serenity. I would explore the sensation of that emotion in the same way. Then I would invite them both to be present. I think of this as inviting them both to the dance and noticing how they dance together. They are, after all, two halves of a perfect whole. After some time of observation, I can move back into feeling the sensations. The feeler becoming the observer. The observer moving back into felt sensation. Then--and this stage takes practice and it is what our yoga is about–taking it off the mat, hold both at the same time. In other words, feeling the reality of my feelings while observing them. By feeling them, I have an idea of what is going on within me. By observing them, I can take that data and come up with an action that is right for that moment. That keeps me in harmony with the world. And here is the most excellent part. Harmony is what I was seeking all along. I just can’t get there by repressing my feelings. By giving myself the gift of presence, I become present. As we know there is no greater gift than that.
I hope you had a wonderful day of grace and gratitude and may it follow you into the holiday season. Take a moment and give yourself the gift of your presence. Let me know how it goes.
Shanti, Janice
Most of us have had the experience of becoming inured to a sensation. If you live by the railroad track the noise may at first create distress, i.e., interrupting a phone conversation because you can't even "hear yourself speak." Yet after sometime you may find that the sound has muted in the background, perhaps no longer a disturbance but rather a familiar friend. Given the amount of stimulus we are subjected to each day, it is understandable that we begin to tune out. How often have you heard someone with a back strain say they don't know how it could have happened, they simply bent down to pick up a piece of paper and "ouch," they couldn't stand back up again? Those of us familiar with the workings of the body know that it was not that simple, there had most likely been messages about the back for months that had not been heard.
How can we begin to hear ourselves again?
A couple weeks ago I was fortunate to have been at an iRest Yoga Nidra training. Yoga Nidra is a process of traveling through the koshas to heal and unwind any stuck places so we can deepen into the practice of meditation remembering our wholeness, our True Nature. The iRest style of Yoga Nidra, developed by Richard Miller PhD., places strong emphasis on noticing sensation and "meeting and greeting" every sensation as a welcome messenger. Be sure and check out their website: www.irest.us.
Instinctually, we are hard wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain. This makes sense when it comes to learning not to stick our hand into the fire. But when we label other sensations as painful that are not dangerous we can spiral into a pattern of attachment and aversion that puts us on the roller coaster of suffering. I can share a personal example. I am quite attached to peace, love and harmony. This, to me, is pleasure. Conversely, as one might guess, I react to anger as if it were pain. I don't like it within me or around me. Yet anger is a normal and natural emotion. It is not “bad”. It is my reaction to it that creates the trouble, not the emotion itself. By this I mean, when anger becomes present and I push it down, I can become “sweetly and nicely” controlling, i.e., passive-aggressive. And we all know that there is nothing sweet or nice about that. It would be much more useful for myself and the other person if I said, “I am angry about this situation. When I can find some words, I would like to talk more about it.” Or “you seem angry and that really triggers me. I am going to go collect myself and perhaps we can talk more later.” This would be greeting the experience rather than reacting to it. Of course, I will not be able to actually speak my truth outside if I am repressing it inside. This is where iRest comes in.
Like all yoga nidra, we begin with setting the intention and then doing a body scan. This creates physical presence that allows for a deepening to occur. Next the focus in on the breath. This draws awareness even deeper and set up for the next stage, which is welcoming of sensation. We can begin with sensation like hot and cold, which tend to have less of an emotional charge. That would look like, “where is hot located in my body, what does it feel like? Where is cold in my body and what does it feel like?” From a neutral and relaxed place, this pair of opposites can be explored and any reactions to them can be noticed. The more aware we are of our reactions, the more we can begin to unwind the patterns of reaction and move into right action. Other opposites can be explored, loose and tight, relaxed and tense, etc. They can be fully explored. In other words, welcome them as an invited guest.
When this feels doable, then move onto emotions. Using my example, it would be anger. I could invite anger to be present. I then would explore it fully - where it lives in my body, how I feel when it is present, its color, shape, texture, etc. Thoughts that tend to go along with the experience of anger. In other words, be fully present to the sensation of anger. Then I would invite its opposite – perhaps happiness or serenity. I would explore the sensation of that emotion in the same way. Then I would invite them both to be present. I think of this as inviting them both to the dance and noticing how they dance together. They are, after all, two halves of a perfect whole. After some time of observation, I can move back into feeling the sensations. The feeler becoming the observer. The observer moving back into felt sensation. Then--and this stage takes practice and it is what our yoga is about–taking it off the mat, hold both at the same time. In other words, feeling the reality of my feelings while observing them. By feeling them, I have an idea of what is going on within me. By observing them, I can take that data and come up with an action that is right for that moment. That keeps me in harmony with the world. And here is the most excellent part. Harmony is what I was seeking all along. I just can’t get there by repressing my feelings. By giving myself the gift of presence, I become present. As we know there is no greater gift than that.
I hope you had a wonderful day of grace and gratitude and may it follow you into the holiday season. Take a moment and give yourself the gift of your presence. Let me know how it goes.
Shanti, Janice
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