Taking Somatic Yoga Therapy to the Mat

If you've read the last couple of blogs on Somatic Yoga Therapy, you may be wondering what the process is in re-educating your mind and muscle connection so habitual movements that create pain can begin to dissolve. One way would be through a workshop.

In a workshop setting, say in a workshop designed to reverse the stiffness, aches and pains we associate with aging (The Myth of Aging) here are some ways in which the student would learn to make the changes to their movement, habitual patterns, etc.

First, each individual would lay on the floor and assess how their body feels to them.  This is the somatic awareness that we need to rekindle.  While this may sound simple, if we are no longer aware of an area of the body, we might just skip over the area, thinking it feels normal.   I would ask the students to compare right and left sides of the body – say how each shoulder blade feels.  How is it touching the floor? Does it feel the same on both sides?  And so on.

When the movement starts, we start from the center of the body. Everything radiates from the center of the body, or the core.  I’m not just talking about the “core” that is so highly focused on in many programs, but the entire core – those large, central muscles.  Everything radiates out from there.

We would address chronic contractions in the extensor muscles – the muscles along the backside of the entire body. Then the flexor muscles, these are the muscles on the front of the body.  We wake up lateral movers (side to side) and rotational muscles.  Yes, I did say “wake up” because many of these muscles we are no longer aware of. We think we rotate, but most people leverage into a twist, or they twist their shoulders, neck and head and the oblique (waist) muscles just passively move along.

Once these muscles are awakened and we become more aware of them, we look to the shoulders and neck and the pelvis area.  Remember, we radiate out from the center.

In a workshop such as Youthful Posture, we would start out in a similar fashion, waking up certain muscles, however the focus would be in gently releasing the front of the body.  Imagine a tight front body – depressed chest, pubic bone pulled up, as I described earlier.

None of this is accomplished through stretching.  In fact, we do a lot of contracting. The contracting brings awareness and then we slowly, slowly release out of the contraction, paying close attention to the feelings/sensations in our body.  We become aware again that we can move these parts. It feels very, very good.

If you are interested in learning more about this form of yoga therapy, or to express your interest in a workshop, please email namaste@focusyogastudio.com. 

This blog series, The Myth of Aging and Somatic Yoga Therapy, is contributed by Nancy Nesyto-Freske, RYT.  Nancy is a Certified Yoga Instructor and Certified Yoga Therapist and a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She earned her 200 hour certification with Moksha Yoga in Chicago, and was certified as a Yoga Therapist through Functional Synergy, Calgary, AB, Canada, by Susi Hately, in 2012. She is currently studying with Steven Aronstein at the Somatics Systems Institute in Northampton, MA.
   Nancy became passionate about helping people continue to enjoy the vitality they experienced when they were younger, so they could enjoy their active lifestyle, now and long into their retirement. She feels there is no reason we have to settle for less!

The Myth of Aging and Somatic Yoga Therapy

Part 2: The Mind, Body and Energy Link
contributed by Nancy Nesyto-Freske, RYT

I hope I have you thinking about the possibility of a life of graceful and easeful movement.  A life where not only your Yoga class is way more enjoyable and effortless, but all of your activities are that way as well.  There may even be a shift in your belief in who you are and what you can accomplish!

Take for instance the person with the rounded shoulders and depressed chest.  This is an easily recognizable posture in many older people, but take a look at young people, especially young women.  Office workers, those who are on a computer for many hours per day are developing this posture.  People of all ages who spend a lot of time on their electronic devices, head dropped forward looking at the screen, holding the device in their hands.  There is so much stress put on muscles just to hold that position, and we do it for hours every day. 

Here again, the brain likes efficiency, so now this becomes habitual.  We stay in this “shape” even when we’re doing something else.  This posture causes a contraction in the belly muscle, called the rectus abdominus.  This is a huge muscle that expands from the mid-chest to the pubic bone!  It is powerful as well. This muscle is the one that we notice in people who work that area strongly – 6 pack abs.  Well, consider if this muscle is chronically pulled down. The chest becomes depressed, the pubic bone pulls up and our breathing is affected (among many other things).  So, if our breathing is affected, it affects our brain because our brain relies so heavily on oxygen!  Our brain uses at least 25% of the oxygen intake of our entire body!  How can one not help feeling depressed if they are being pulled forward in a constant state of contraction? 

The next thing that happens is our head gets pulled forward because our eyes must focus on the horizon, not the floor.  So our neck, upper back and upper chest muscles become affected – either chronically tight or continually pulled on.  Now all sorts of compensations happen, our muscles are in a constant state of working, there is no ease. 

We start getting more frequent tension headaches. Our necks and shoulder ache.  The spine becomes mis-aligned.  Our energy is low and so are our spirits.  We may not feel as optimistic as we once did, or we perhaps believe less in our abilities to accomplish something.  It truly is amazing the spiraling effect that happens when our posture has shifted into this depressed posture.

Again, forcing ourselves upright, holding our shoulders back won’t change anything.  In fact, it may even start causing co-contractions and more problems if these become habituated. 

What will make the changes permanent are certain slow, thoughtful movements that allows the brain to start a different means of communication that what is now routine.  The key here is that the cortex, the learning part of the brain, must be involved for change to happen.

Stay posted to learn more about making these changes...

This blog series, The Myth of Aging and Somatic Yoga Therapy, is contributed by Nancy Nesyto-Freske, RYT.  Nancy is a Certified Yoga Instructor and Certified Yoga Therapist and a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She earned her 200 hour certification with Moksha Yoga in Chicago, and was certified as a Yoga Therapist through Functional Synergy, Calgary, AB, Canada, by Susi Hately, in 2012. She is currently studying with Steven Aronstein at the Somatics Systems Institute in Northampton, MA.
   Nancy became passionate about helping people continue to enjoy the vitality they experienced when they were younger, so they could enjoy their active lifestyle, now and long into their retirement. She feels there is no reason we have to settle for less!

The Myth of Aging and Somatic Yoga Therapy

Part 1: Our Efficient Brain and Bad Habits
contributed by Nancy Nesyto-Freske, RYT

Have you noticed over the last year or 2 (or more) that you don’t feel as flexible or mobile as you once did?  Or, perhaps your shoulders, back, knee (fill in the blank) have gotten tighter or they are painful more often than not?

Many blame age, they assume that as the years add up, things like that are just bound to happen.

What if that weren’t true?  What if that was a myth?  What if that myth was created because no one bothered to really investigate why many people get stiffer or feel achier than they did when they were younger.  Here is a simple explanation of why people get stiffer or experience chronic pain as they age:

• The muscles are controlled entirely by the brain.
• Our brain is efficient and likes automation – example is why once we learn to walk, unless we have some type of trauma, we always know how to walk without even thinking about it.
• Over time, for various reasons, we develop habitual movements and positions (think office worker) – these are automated by the brain because we do them so often.
• Muscles that are held a certain way for long periods of time become habituated, meaning they just move or hold that way.  Remember, efficiency.
• The brain no longer fully releases many of these muscles, so they remain chronically tight. 
• After a period of time, these habitual contractions start to cause pain, or we notice we’re not as flexible or limber as we used to be.
• Yes, time/age plays a part, only because these habits become stronger the more they are repeated.

And, guess what?  Our brains can learn how to release these habitual patterns so pain, stiffness, aches, etc. diminish and are eliminated.  But, it has to be done in a certain way. It cannot be achieved by stretching  or forcing a tight muscle. That will only make the muscle tighter!  If you’ve been “stretching” for years, you might agree that nothing changes.

In our next article, we will look as some specific examples of conditions created by these habits.

This blog series, The Myth of Aging and Somatic Yoga Therapy, is contributed by Nancy Nesyto-Freske, RYT.  Nancy is a Certified Yoga Instructor and Certified Yoga Therapist and a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She earned her 200 hour certification with Moksha Yoga in Chicago, and was certified as a Yoga Therapist through Functional Synergy, Calgary, AB, Canada, by Susi Hately, in 2012. She is currently studying with Steven Aronstein at the Somatics Systems Institute in Northampton, MA.
   Nancy became passionate about helping people continue to enjoy the vitality they experienced when they were younger, so they could enjoy their active lifestyle, now and long into their retirement. She feels there is no reason we have to settle for less!

Is Mindfulness a Meditative Practice?

"Mindfulness" is a word that is popping up everywhere, and since yoga is such a good practice for developing mindfulness, we often hear this word in our yoga class. When our teacher implores us to practice mindfulness, just what do they mean?

"Mindfulness is simply having the mind full of what the body is doing in the moment," says Jaci McCarty, one of Focus Yoga's meditation instructors. "When we bring our full non-judgemental awareness to what we are doing, we guide the mind and train the brain to focus our attention."

"Train the brain" is an important phrase. We must remember that training the brain is like strengthening a muscle; at first our control may feel weak, but over time it gets stronger. Suddenly we may simply become more aware of our wandering mind, and that becomes a signal to draw it back into the moment.

"Our minds are very rarely focused on now; they are usually thinking in past or future, " Jaci shares. "Mindfulness is a strengthening tool that is practiced throughout the day to bring the mind into the present moment, much the way a formal seated meditation does."

How do you practice mindfulness? Here are a few ideas:

• When taking a shower, notice the sensation and the temperature of the water, the scents of the soaps, the feel of the floor.

• When doing dishes, examine each dish. Feel the slipperiness of the detergent. Pay close attention to the process.

• When walking, feel your feet on the earth, variations in your footing. Notice the scenery, colors, wildlife, colors, all the things you may often miss when the mind is elsewhere.

• When conversing with someone, give them your full attention. Listen to their words, how they relay their message, their expressions. Keep your mind on their message, without mentally jumping ahead to your response.

Remember, to be truly effective, "non-judgment" is an important component of mindfulness. When we include judgement in our observations, our mind is often remembering moments from the past that have shaped our opinions, or projecting into the future events that may or may not happen. To be truly in the moment, we need to observe only what is happening right now. That may be the hardest component of this practice!

Notice that much of our stress is created when our mind ruminates over past events, or imagines future ones. Given that, it's easy to see how the practice of mindfulness, much like meditation, not only strengthens our control of our thoughts, but reduces stress as well.

Mindfulness and meditation work hand in hand. If sitting on the cushion quieting your mind is difficult, begin with including pockets of mindfulness into your day. Those short moments will begin to train your brain, making a longer meditation practice more accessible.

If you'd like to learn more about the practice of mindfulness join Jaci McCarty at Focus Yoga on March 26, 6:45pm, for a Mindfulness Meditation. This class will clarify the practice, and help motivate you to include this important practice in each and every day.

Craze about Coconut

by Michelle Brandon
What is the craze about everything coconut? From coconut oil to coconut milk or water, we see a variety of forms and uses for coconuts. Coconuts possess an array wonderful health benefits. So is this really just a fad? No! Coconut water was actually given to soldiers intravenously during WWII when saline solution ran out. So yes, it has been around for quite some time but I do believe all forms of coconuts are making a tremendous come back!

Coconut trees grow in tropical climates such as Asia, Africa, South America and the Pacific Region. They can grow 50-80ft tall and have leaves that can range from 15-17ft in length.

Starting with the nutritional value of coconuts, the main thing we hear about is the MCT’s present in coconut oil. MCT’s are medium chained triglycerides which are healthy fats that help lower the risk of heart disease.  It also helps to enhance fat burning, boosting metabolism by increasing energy expenditure and may help with weight management by decreasing appetite.  MCT’s can also increase high density lipoproteins (HDL-healthy cholesterol) without raising low density lipoproteins (LDL-unhealthy cholesterol).  

Besides just heart healthy benefits, coconuts also provide antimicrobial properties, thus acting as an antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal.  In order to reap those benefits you would need to consume the oil. If you find coconut oil in its raw form, raw coconut oil will provide more fiber; MCT’s and higher levels of lauric acid, the component that creates an antimicrobial impact.

Yogis love coconut water after class!
We offer raw coconut water in the boutique.

Coconut milk is a great non-dairy alternative and considered a good source of calcium. It is actually a combination of coconut water and fresh grated coconut meat. Cooking with coconut milk in various Asian cuisines is very popular. Even just a simple glass of coconut milk is delicious! The fluid inside the actual coconut is considered the coconut water. Coconut water contains electrolytes, enzymes and amino acids and considered to be a good source of Vitamin B and potassium. So all in all, coconut water is a great thirst quencher while coconut milk tends to be richer and fuller in taste. Try adding coconut water, milk or oil to your next smoothie!

Coconuts are also used for topical uses! The oil can be used to hydrate the skin, makeup remover, massage oil and oral oil pulling. Oil pulling, also called Kavala or Gandusha in Ayurvedic text, is a traditional Indian folk remedy used to promote oral hygiene. During this process, swishing coconut oil in the mouth for 10-15 minutes is about the standard length of time. Remember; do NOT swallow the oil once done!

Overall, this plant is highly regarded and holds the honor of the title “Tree of Life.”  When it comes to coconuts, there are so many uses and health benefits internally and externally, it truly is a magical plant. Give it a try!

Want more information? Check out The Coconut Miracle, written by Bruce Fife.

Positively Nourish,
Michelle Brandon

Nutrition Tip with Michelle: Turmeric for Winter and Health

By Michelle Brandon

The winter season is an appropriate time for grounding. Grounding is the process of bringing awareness to the body to connect with earth energy in order to prevent depleting your own body's energy. During the winter we need to make sure we are not just surviving but in fact we are thriving! One way to ground yourself is to nurture the body by incorporate plenty of root vegetables in your meals, including yogis favorite spice: Turmeric!

Turmeric is native to Southeast India and needs an abundance of rainfall for optimal growth. Curcumin is the concentrated,  active ingredient in turmeric and is also responsible for the strong orange pigment it contains. Turmeric has been known for its high antioxidant value eliminating free radicals in the body. Turmeric also promotes a healthy response to reducing inflammation in the body. Pain and arthritic conditions within the body often correlates with swelling and inflammation. If inflammation is reduced, pain may be reduced as well!

Turmeric is fat soluble, meaning in order to absorb into the body's system fat must be present. So it is a good idea to eat it along with a meal containing heart healthy fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, safflower oil or even naturally occurring essential fatty acids from fish. Turmeric is a root with unique flavor, making it perfect for spicing up soups, casseroles, salads or even smoothies! There are two forms of turmeric, ground and fresh. Both work the same. It just depends on personal preference. I think fresh is best!

Never tasted turmeric in a smoothie before? Join me at Community Sanctuary (in Focus Yoga) this Saturday, January 17th at 12:30-2:30 for a Clarifying Cleanse Workshop. We will explore a 7-day plant based meal plan, providing delicious recipes, informative charts, taste testing and much more! Click here for more information. (click the "workshops" tab)

Five Essential to a Successful Meditation Practice

Contributed by meditation instructor Jaci McCarty

There is a lot of buzz right now around the topic of Meditation. It seems like every time I visit my Facebook page, or browse the internet, there is another article on the benefits of a regular meditation practice.  I surely love seeing and reading all these articles, and yet most people I know do not have a regular meditation practice.  Why?

I feel it takes a bit of knowledge and instruction before starting this very natural practice of meditating.  There are definitely misconceptions and a general feeling that it is "hard to stop thinking".  According to my meditation teacher Sarah McLean, there are five essentials to a successful meditation practice.  I thought it would be valuable to share them with you in hopes it will make the practice seem a little more accessible to you!  So here they are.....

Its okay to have thoughts while meditating.  There it is, plain and simple. We have up to 60,000 thoughts a day, they don't just magically stop because you close your eyes to meditate, and they are not supposed to.

Don't try too hard.  No effort is required; just a simple shift in attention.

Let go of expectations.  Don't place goals or labels on your practice: just do it. Just the experience of doing is enough.

Be kind to yourself.  I call this "compassionate awareness". Try not to put words around what you become aware of. Just notice it. 

Stick with it.  Stay for the time you have set for your practice. The only way to benefit from meditation is to do it.

I think these tips will help you when you set the intention to begin a meditation practice. It is such an important tool and the perfect anecdote to stress.

I will be teaching a beginning meditation class  on January 29th at 6:45 where I will expand on these and give more practical tips on how to meditate. Click here to register for this special class.

I wish you peace awareness and compassion,
Jaci