yoga

As my back pain gets to be too much without it.

As soon as my sciatica plays up then I know I need to do the back improvment postures.

I just can’t to calling them poses, you know? Doesn’t seem very manly. Yes, I’m being silly I know. But with women becoming more man-like and men becoming more woman-like sometimes a point needs to be made.

Even if it seems trivial.

Anyhow back on topic…I can say that this goal is accomplished as it it part of what I do every week now. Doing a complete yoga workout will only be done occasionally (probably once a month.)

This will be from the Basic Yoga For Dummies DVD. I got it memorised (sort of) which is just at well as I loaned this to my brother two years ago and haven’t had it back since even though I have asked about ten times. I lent it to him for stress relief but he hasn’t done any at all for at least a year.

I want to see Sara Ivanhoe again (the DVD’s instructor.) She has a calming approach on the DVD. Also she isn’t half bad looking for an older lady – that’ll be the regular extensive yoga practice!

I’ll just do without – it isn’t worth falling out over so I will stop asking for it back.

Goal DONE!

This method of relaxation works for me sometimes. I list it here for my own easy reference – I strongly recommend that you DO NOT do this yourself.

“In motion, be like water
At rest, like a mirror
Respond, like the echo
Be subtle, as though non-existent.”
- Taoist verse

Ch’i when accumulated in the tan t’ien (a point just below the navel) and used properly has the quality of massed wind or water.

A good and quick way to lay in a store of ch’i is simply the following exercise derived from IndoChinese sources. Choose a quiet room where I will not be disturbed. Turn down the lights and for fifteen minutes a day (it must be every day!) perform the following exercise.

Sit down comfortably. Relax my body and time my inhalation/ exhalation cycles so that they do not exceed ten a minute. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, but inaudibly. My tongue should adhere to the roof of my mouth. Now take my left hand and cover my right ear well but not tightly. Breathe slowly and think of only one thing-relaxation. After five minutes reverse my hand and ear: my right hand now covers my left ear. Breathe and concentrate loosely as before. After five minutes cross my arms, covering both ears, my right arm on the outside of my left, and do this for five minutes.

And that is all. Within two weeks I may notice:

(1) My tongue becomes semi-rigid.
(2) My palm(s) in contact with my ear(s) become cool; when not in contact, they will sweat.
(3) My entire body will become light and airy and I may feel that you can levitate.

The things I will not notice will be even more significant. My arms will fill with ch’i, My body will become pliable, and my movement will be expedited greatly. But these things will take longer.

Reminder: This must be done every day! And I must relax, slump, droop. Otherwise progress may not come. But if I practice it faithfully, my body will become healthier and more powerful.

Didn’t sleep very well last night so I got up even earlier today and did a session of basic yoga workout for dummies, followed tightening warrior one pose. Went back to sleep for an hour then did ‘A method of increasing chi’.

Set my alarm for really early today so I could get a 90 min session of yoga done. Did victory breath, limbers, power-yoga (warm-up only), basic yoga for dummies workout and learnt the warrior one pose.

Check it out – don’t know how much longer this will be available to view online so be quick.

Star Wars Yoga