A gentle & therapeutic yoga practice can be very effective in resolving both acute and chronic low back pain. In fact, biomedical researchers have recognized the benefits after reviewing 8 years of research and are now recommending yoga as a first-line treatment for low back pain.

Below is a sequence that I often prescribe to clients once the pain is starting to diminish after treating with heat, acupuncture, and rest. One needs to be able to get up and down from the floor with ease and without fear of re-injuring the area.

The aim of this practice is to strengthen the muscles along the spine by extending it and to strengthen the core muscles all around the spine in neutral postures. If done daily, these postures can help restore the natural curve to the low back, allowing a bulging disc to recede back into the spinal column. And it restores blood and energy flow to the area which helps prevent future injury.

Each shape should be held for at least 5 deep, even breaths.

Mountain Pose (Tadasana) & Upward Salute (Urdhva Hastasana)

Mountain Pose

Mountain pose establishes good posture. With the feet together or hip width apart, place your weight over the center of both feet. Engage the quadriceps, lifting the kneecaps. Ground down energetically through the tailbone until you feel the lower belly engage, but the tail stays back (not tucked under). Stand up straight so that the natural curve of the low back is present. The chest lifts, as well as the crown of the head, while the shoulders depress away from the ears and arms stretch heavily to the floor.

After several breaths, see if you can lift the arms alongside the head while maintaining the strong support in the lower body, as in the picture below. Nothing should shift except for the lifting arms and a stronger engagement in the belly.

Upward Salute

Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Chair pose – front

Chair pose – side

With feet hip-joint width apart and parallel, bend the knees while keeping the torso up about 45 degrees with the floor. The tail stays back and there’s just enough of a tuck to engage the lower abdomen. You should feel supported both in front and in back of the spine.

If holding this shape is too demanding, place your tail against a wall. The hands can also come down to the hips.

Box Pose

Box Pose

Stand facing a wall. Place the hands on the wall in front of the hip points. Leave the hands there as you walk the feet back, bringing the torso parallel to the ground and hips over the feet. The hips are tilting forward as the inner thighs stretch back, bringing the hips to 90 degrees with the floor and attempting to leave the natural curve in the low back.

Warrior 3 (Virabhadrasana 3)

Warrior 3 Pose (Virabhadrasana 3)

If Box pose brings relief, then go ahead and try this more demanding shape. Bring the feet together, still under the hips and extend one leg back. Press out strongly through that leg, engaging the buttock muscles to lift, not the back and core so much. You’re pushing into the wall and back through the leg with equal energy. The back toes face the ground so the hips remain level (don’t let the lifted-leg-hip rise higher then the other). Repeat with the other leg.

Camel (Ustrasana)

Camel pose

Place the knees under the hip joints and hands at the waist. The tops of the feet can be flat to the ground or you can be on the back of the toes. Ground down with the tail as you reach the chest up and extend the spine. If it feels safe for the neck, extend the head back too.

There are many variations and levels to this pose. Remember, this is a therapeutic practice, so the goal is not to reach the hands to the feet as we do in the full version of this pose. Actually, you may want to isolate the hip flexor, core, and spinal muscles by doing the pose against a wall to remove some of the complexity of the shape (as below).

Camel pose against wall

Lunge (Ashva sanchalanasana)

Lunge – hands down

Tight hips can be part of the issue if low back pain is a common occurrence for you. We should all be lunging everyday to counter the stagnation that pools in the hips from long periods of sitting in chairs. Lunging keeps the hips open and supple, which then frees up the lumbar spine above.

Come into this shape from table pose with the knees under the hips and wrist under the shoulder. Step forward with one leg and align so the ankle is under the knee. Stretch the hips as far forward as possible while sending your tail back with the knee behind you. Once this become neutral for the hips and back, increase the intensity by bringing the hands to the front thigh and the torso upright (see below).

Upright Lunge

Locust variations

locust pose shalabhasana

Locust is an essential pose for strengthening the back and restoring the lumbar curve. The single-legged variation is my favorite.

To begin, start in Sphinx pose by coming to the floor in a prone position and prop yourself up on your forearms. Engage the quadriceps so you feel both kneecaps lifting and the tops of the feet press into the floor. Your belly lengthens forward as your chest lifts slightly. If this is difficult, stay here and breathe until the sensation in the back becomes neutral.

Proceed by lifting one leg, isolating the strength of the buttock muscles first, then recruiting the low back muscles at the top of the lift. Hold for a few breaths, then switch sides. You can then continue by moving with the breath: lift a leg on the inhalation, lowering as you exhale and alternating until the low back feels supple and warm.

Locust pose w/ knees bent

Another effective variation of Locust is also a preparation for Bow pose. This brings even more energy into the low back.

From a prone position, stretch both arms back with the legs. Bend the knees, keeping them in line the hips (not going wider) and let the big toes touch. Ground down with the pubic bone. On an inhalation, lift the thighs, torso, and arms. Stay lifted as you continue to breathe for several cycles. Rest prone with the head turned to one side, then repeat.

Bridge

Bridge pose

Roll over so you are now supine. Bend the knees, bringing the feet in close to the buttocks, hips joint width apart. Arms are stretched down toward the feet. Lift the hips, keeping the knees squeezed in and the sacrum wide. There is a tendency here to let the knees splay out and this is indicative of a weak core and may bring added pressure to the low back. Keeping the inner thighs toned here will keep the core strong and the low back area safe.

If you have space, interlace the fingers beneath you and squeeze the shoulder blades together, stretching the chest up toward the chin while keeping the neck long.

After releasing this shape and resting supine again, it may feel good to come into happy baby pose or hug the knees into the chest

Inverted Lake/Legs up the wall (viparita karani)

Inverted Lake/Legs-up-the-wall Pose

It may take some finesse to get into this pose with a bolster, but it’s definitely worth trying. Place the bolster horizontal at the crease of the wall. The next steps kind of happen all at once… just try and you’ll see what I mean. Face sideways with the wall away from the bolster and lift your outside hip up onto it while you gently swing your legs up the wall and center the back of the hips over the bolster.

You can play with the position here. Some people like the bolster to rest just under the sacrum. Others like to roll it further away from the wall so it supports the lumbar spine (this is a deeper backbend).

Let go completely into the Earth while the mind stays bright and alert. Perhaps a feeling of gratitude may arise in your heart for this wise body that is asking to be cared for more deeply. Trust that as you rest, energy is moving where it needs to go, moving you into physical and energetic balance.

May you experience deep peace here on every level.

After you try this gentle & effective yoga sequence for low back pain, please let me now how you feel in the comments. Also, if you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends!

#yoga #lowbackpain #asana #selfcare #homepractice

Yoga is an effective, enjoyable way to address the root of your sleep issues and induce a pleasant snooze. In a national survey of 35,000 households, 55% of people who practiced yoga reported that it helped them sleep while 85% said that it helped them reduce stress.

Remember that approach is key, since how we do our yoga practice is just as, if not more important that what we do. We have to be conscious of our breathing and back off when a posture becomes too exciting or stressful.

Not all forms of yoga are relaxing either (no vigorous vinyasa or heated yoga classes before bed!), so a calming, more restorative approach is necessary to get the body ready for sleep.

The following sequence is an essential part of my nighttime routine. It melts away any muscle tension accumulated throughout the day and reduces stress. When done in a meditative way with mindful breathing, it also helps to tame obsessive thoughts, calm the mind, and prepare it for sleep.

Hold the following postures for 5-8 slow, deep breath, perhaps emphasizing the exhalation to help let go of tension. It’s best to do this immediately before retiring, so you can climb right into bed afterwards.

Yoga Sequence for Better Sleep

1. Standing forward bend (Uttanasana)

 

 

This posture is great for relieving tension in the back. Crossing the forearms makes the upper body heavier so there’s greater traction along the spine. Blood and energy is directed toward the head to calm the mind.

Bend the knees if tight hamstrings are pulling your low back, causing discomfort.

2. Headstand or rabbit (Sirsasana or Sasangasana )

 

 

If Headstand is already part of your practice, doing it at night can activate the endocrine glands and calm your nervous system. Contraindications to this pose include neck injuries, high blood pressure, heart conditions, and menstruation.

 

 

Like Headstand, Rabbit pose is therapeutic due to it’s direct effect on the brain. But this posture is more approachable since you can control the pressure placed on the head and ensure that the neck is not compressed.

3. Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana)

 

 

Shoulderstand is a counter pose to Headstand variations. It regulates any hormonal imbalances and soothes the nerves. This pose should be skipped though if you have a neck injury, high blood pressure, or are menstruating.

4. Bound angle w/ neck extension & open chest (Baddha konasana)

 

 

This posture (as well as #5-8 below) relieves tension accumulated in the hips, chest, and neck from long periods of work in front of a computer.

5. Seated twist (Ardha matseyandrasana)

 

 

6. Neck stretch, simple seated posture

 

 

7. Eagle (Garudasana) arms, simple seated posture

 

 

8. Reclined Figure-4 Stretch

 

 

9. Legs-up-the-wall-or-bed (Viparita karani)

 

 

This inversion is necessary to ease tired legs and reverse blood flow to the heart and brain, especially if you were not able to include headstand and shoulderstand in your routine. It reduces anxiety, calms the mind, and helps regulate blood pressure. It can even calm crazy 7-year-old boy energy!

Most of you will be yawning before you complete this series! If so, hop in bed and have a wonderful night’s rest!

Still needing extra help? You may also want to check out my Yoga Nidra meditation on my Meditation Page. Yoga Nidra (Yoga sleep) is a very effective meditation to induce a relaxed state of mind and is also effective with changing mindset and habitual patterns.

Well wishes to you all…

Read Part 3: Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture for sleep issues

A few yoga teacher colleagues encouraged me to check out Sarah Powers around the year 2003, feeling that I would resonate with her style & message. In this first workshop with her I was introduced to Yin Yoga. I loved her deep, philosophical approach.  Sarah was the teacher I had long been seeking, so I continued to study with her as often as possible. I also had the pleasure of studying with Paul Grilley in a week-long Yin Yoga teacher training they did together in Winter of 2005.

Sarah & Paul both talked about Taoist philosophy & Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Meridian Theory in our Yin sessions together. I was very intrigued by this brief education in TCM and felt inspired to look into it further. I credit this training for helping me take the plunge in obtaining my Masters Degree in TCM the following year.

Through Yin Yoga, I was able to achieve a depth in my practice I had never experienced before. It also had a profound affect on my teaching style. Once it became a part of my personal practice, teaching became almost effortless. A few regular students commented that my teaching “turned a corner” and my classes began to steadily build. Yin Yoga helped me find authenticity and confidence as a practitioner and a teacher.

Obviously, I think Yin Yoga is pretty awesome. And even though we may have different experiences with the practice, I think it can really help you too.

Here Are 10 Reasons Why You Should Try Yin Yoga!

1. It increases your flexibility and keeps you juicy

Most styles of Yoga are considered “Yang” because the focus is on movement, strength, engagement, and using a lot of muscle to produce heat. Yin Yoga is called such because it is the opposite. It is a slow practice (postures are held for 2-5 minutes each), it requires us to let go of muscular effort, we yield to gravity’s pull, become quiet & inquisitive, and it’s very cooling.

When we let go of the muscles in the stretch (which is safe to do if we approach it slowly, mindfully, and close to the ground) we’re able to access the deeper tissues. It’s the fascia, the tendons, and ligaments where tension likes to accumulate throughout the years.

Yin Yoga increases flexibility not only because deep-held tension is being released, but also because blood is able to circulate better in areas that were previously deprived.

2. It’s an effective way to relieve stress

Naturally, when we’re able to consciously let go of tension, the body relaxes it’s stressful approach to what’s happening around us. The parasympathetic nervous system, our “rest & digest” mode, is activated and we experience more ease in the body and mind.

3. It helps you let go of negative mind patterns

When you’re this still for this long, you’re going to hear the mind speak. And what you hear may not serve you well.

We start to notice how we talk down to ourselves, how harshly we judge our experience and other people, how we like to reduce the things we experience into ways that fit our current belief systems. We gravitate to those who accept our own ideas and beliefs and our perspectives on life become very small.

With a sustained Yin practice, we are able to shift our perspective and include more in our experience. Just like the layers of tension we’re peeling off gradually, these unhelpful patterns of the mind can release too and we can replace them with a more positive, inclusive outlook on life.

4. It’s a great introduction to meditation

After a few Yin sessions when you’ve adjusted to the approach and have witnessed the mind habits mentioned in #3, we can use this time to tame the mind.

In meditation we often use an anchor to help keep the mind present. It could be watching the breath, focusing on a certain place in the body, concentrating on sound, etc. With Yin Yoga, we also have the strong sensations from the stretch to focus on.

Many people who have a hard time sitting with their thoughts in simple meditation find Yin Yoga more approachable. They are more in touch with their bodies, less so with their minds. By first focusing on the sensations of the stretch and opening up & strengthening the mind gradually with Yin, it can be more interesting for them. As they value it more, they are able to sit longer with less sensation.

5. It help you process strong emotions

Yin Yoga gives you the time to vent strong emotions. Many times I’ve watched my worry & anger (my main go-to emotions when I’m out of balance) shift and have moved into a state of equanimity by the end of the practice. I’ve helped students deal with fear and grief as well. Contentment is possible, but only after we’ve accepted what is present in the heart.

6. It prepares the body for sleep

Stress, tension, and obsessive thinking are some of the biggest triggers for insomnia. Yoga is a great way to relieve stress and tension. But some form of meditation is necessary to help with an occupied mind. Yin Yoga addresses it all.

7. It helps you develop tolerance and grow

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ~ Neale Donald Walsch

Holding the Yin shapes for 2-5 minutes is not easy. The sensations you’re feeling, especially in the hips, can be quite intense. It’s necessary to move through the discomfort to experience freedom and ease in the body once again.

Isn’t this true for anything in life? If you want to experience something different from what you’re used to, it can be a bit scary and uncomfortable. Let your Yin practice help you build your capacity for tolerance and push your limits of what’s comfortable. What you’re working on in the practice will permeate into your life to help you create new and exciting things.

8. It helps you appreciate simple moments

The biggest complaint I’ve heard about Yin Yoga is that it’s boring.

Have you seen what a bored child can do? When given the space to sit with themselves a bored child can tap into their imagination and do amazingly creative things. And they will play by themselves for hours once they really get going.

Why are we adults any different? Because of all that stuff mentioned in #3. Somehow, long ago, we decided that we didn’t like hanging out with ourselves and that there are more important things to do. That is very sad.

As we engage in Yin Yoga, we are able to watch our experience breath by breath. By shifting our perspective we can appreciate each new breath as another moment of our precious lives. Even the boring and dull moments have value.

9. It’s like an acupuncture session you can do by yourself

The TCM meridians that we stimulate with needles in acupuncture to direct the flow of vital energy (qi) and blood, run along the deeper connective tissues of the body that we’re focusing on with Yin Yoga.

Taoists and Yogis know that energy/qi flow where the mind goes. We place ourselves in shapes that help access these deeper tissues and direct the mind and breath into those areas, and can thereby dilate the meridians and mobilize the qi & blood. When the qi & blood are abundant and free, we experience health and well-being.

10. It helps you stay grounded amidst chaos

Yin Yoga is very grounding in nature. We are able to observe all that is happening within us and around us with a calm, clear mind.

We live in a culture that is fast-paced, values work over rest, values financial gain over personal growth, etc. Our yoga practice can be a way to bring balance to our lives and those people we share it with.

What does the world need more of? Peace, tolerance, acceptance? You can answer that question for yourself and perhaps cultivate that in your practice.

I can’t wait to hear about your experience with Yin Yoga! Are any of these 10 reasons to try it resonating with you? Please let me know in the comments!  If you enjoyed this post, please share with your friends!   Well wishes to all…

#yin #yoga #meditation #stress #relaxation #balance #insomnia #sleep #grounding