From
3/4/04
Dear
Student,
I hope this snowy and cold winter finds you well. Spring is coming…the last couple of days are a great reminder!
I am going to take a stab at a composing a periodical newsletter that I will present information on Yoga, mediation, nutrition, and other disciplines that provide information on Wholistic alternative and compliments to conventional lifestyles and wellness modalities. I hope to present information that will stimulate interest and support you and your family’s lifestyle choices.
Posture, pain and performance:
In this day of radical surgery, powerful drugs and other incredible advance modern medicine has definitely changed our view of what disease and aging mean in our lives. It is easy if you are watching this process form afar to believe these modern medical interventions can bring true health to its recipient. These advances are valuable and have given the opportunity to for life and enhanced living in ways we couldn’t have imagined years ago. However much of this advance in medicine is in the area of traumatic medicine and is focused on symptom removal only.. A drawback of this phenomenon is that we abdicate our responsibility to for our health to the medicine or surgical procedure presented us without addressing and changing the root causes. The effects of purely symptom based interventions are that often symptoms are only mitigated slightly, remain as they were or return within a short while because the underlying cause has not been addressed. Disappointment and helplessness often ensue as a consequence.
Yoga is the ultimate and original alternative method to generate the possibility of authentic healing in my view. The intention of classical yoga asana is to bring to allow the body back to optimal physical energetic and mental/emotional well being to further his or her personal evolution. Ethical living, Nutrition and mental hygiene via meditation are the other building blocks to a well lived life. In my search for solutions to support Yoga, meditation and nutritional adjustments as vehicles of health and well-being, I have come across an extraordinary contemporary system of dealing with and resolving chronic pain and systemic conditions at their root cause.
In The
Egoscue Method, developed by Exercise Therapist Peter Egoscue, injury, pain
and other chronic conditions are addresses by therapeutically working with the
body as a unit. Chronic misalignment and dysfunctional movement and posture
are seen to impact health on every level as pain or other chronic symptoms
emerge. For those in chronic musculo-skeletal pain, the interventions of
posture alignment therapy is to asses alignment imbalances and design
movement sequences designed to bring the body back into optimal
postural alignment.
Successful therapy brings about resolution of dysfunctional movement and
posture patterns that develop over time and thereby allowing optimal movement.
The reduced overall imbalance and stress create the ground for the bodies
healing and the resolution of pain and other symptoms. Like Yoga, the
Egoscue Method is a system that allows the individual to take control of their
disorder and begin the road toward health. The therapeutic work consists of
gentle to moderately challenging functional exercises derived from Yoga,
postural alignment modalities, physical therapy and the martial arts. These
are sequenced in a manner designed to realign the body naturally specific to
the individuals dysfunctions (body mechanics or imbalances that generate
misalignment, physical pain, and systemic disorders) to allow effortless ease
and balance in your body and a gradual reduction and elimination of these
issues. This work aims to create and reinforce the design movement and posture
that is behind a pain free body, optimal day to day living, and enhanced
athletic performance, Ultimately, the aim of the method is to restore optimal
physical health which is defined as a life lived without limitations.
According to Egoscue, his clinical experience has demonstrated consistent success with seemingly disparate and confounding issues involving individuals of all ages and backgrounds Condition of non diseased based pain such as longstanding back and other joint pain, tendonitis, other acute and chronic muscle pain, Repetitive Stress injuries, vertigo, chronic sinusitis and much more have been addressed, mitigated and resolved as proper posture and functional movement replace unhealthy core dysfunctional and compensatory alignment and movement patterns.
The foundation of this truly Wholistic approach is the belief that the body can and does repair itself when conditions of trauma and dysfunction are resolved and the proper stimulus for growth and healing replace those conditions.
The following link will take you to Egoscue’s 8 laws of physical health: http://www.egoscue.com/htdocs/therapysynopsis.asp
As with so many valid and valuable modalities I have come across in my years of teaching Yoga, I have introduced this approach in some of my classes and the response has been terrific. I am excited to be formally training to become certified in their techniques. Along with the incredible discipline of Yoga, it is another tool I can offer to support you in quest to live a happy and healthy life. For more information please contact me or check out the website: www.egoscue.com. You can purchase his books to gain more information on the Method. I recommend “Pain Free” for those in pain presently and “The Egoscue Method of Health Through Motion” for anyone who wishes to get an overview on better living through (functional) movement.
Yoga Therapy:
Low back trouble, digestion or elimination problems? Here a simple breathing and imagery exercise to get thing open and moving to support recovery and healing.
Most Yogic breathing emphasizes to upward moving energy(vayu) in the body called prana to energize fuel asana(posture and meditative practices. This breath technique stimulates downward moving vayu called apana that promote healthy digestion, elimination and reproductive function through the corresponding physical organs. Basically it is the reverse of the usual 3 part Yogic breathing techniques taught in Yoga class. When we work with breath and energy very often force is counter productive. Be easy and patient and enjoy the results.
To do this simply lie down on your back with knees bent and feet flat for comfort. Breathing through the nose, slowly and without force feel the breath move and expand the chest, upper ribcage and upper spine, exhale and release easily and completely. Continue in each stage until the breath is fluid and easy. Don’t force the breath. As you are ready to allow the breath further down into the base of the ribs, middle spine, solar plexus and upper belly, exhale and release the breath slowly and easily upward from the upper belly, through the rib cage and out completely. As you feel open and ready inhale the breath through the first two phases into the lower belly, through the low back and intestines and out the floor of the pelvis. As the movement meets the belly and below there will be resistance to the breath itself continuing downward and outward. At this point it will be the sense and “image” of breath rather than the physical breath moving in this way Create this inner sense of the release and opening of the body and breath downward and outward. Allow a sense of the pelvic floor opening outward at the end of the inhale. The exhale begins with the pelvic floor drawing upward again, the belly ribs and upper chest drawing inward toward the back to release the breath completely. Continue through the layers of holding and tension that may be there until you feel complete, 3-5 minutes or so should do it.
If the exercise makes you teary eyed, anxious or uncomfortable, simply discontinue it.
With patience and over a few breaths the area below the belly and into the low back will respond to the subtle invitation to open and relax. At this point back and belly muscles release, added blood and energy flow can stimulate the essential processes of digestion and elimination.
Yoga News:
Ravi Singh is coming on March 7th to the Yoga Room in Branford. The Workshop is “Kundalini Yoga Cleanse-Lighten Up and Purify”. Please feel confident that no matter what level of practitioner you are this workshop can be a valuable and fun time. Ravi gives great instruction and modifications for those of all levels to get the most out of the experience I do hope to see you there.
Thanks to all those who attended the Enlighten and Enliven Workshop on February 1st. Feedback was positive and helpful and will help me in offering you the future experiences that will give you great tools to improve your Yoga practice and integrate those benefits into your life. Please let me know of any thing you would like to see in the upcoming months.
The Winter session of classes is underway. You can get details of all activities and schedules at my website at: www/creativeedgeyoga.com. The new series will begin on 3/23 but you can drop in anytime! The full schedule will be out soon.
The next Adult Education Class in Branford begins On March 18th. This is a gentle/beginners level class will run for a 5 week series. For detail on dates and costs and to register call the AE office at (203)488-5693
The Kundalini Yoga class at Beyond Care in Branford is up and running on Saturdays, 9:00-10:45am. You can get details from me or by calling (203)315-2936.
Kundalini Yoga class continues in Guilford on Wednesdays at 7:30pm at the Shoreline Center. Many are finding Kundalini Yoga to be a great way to compliment Hatha Yoga and jump start and re-invigorate their Yoga practice. Give it a try!
I am always excited to take the time to delve further into the profound tools of Yoga we have at our disposal to better our day to day experience of living and to accelerate the growth process. These workshops are intended to present a wonderful opportunity for that process to take place. Experiences are structured for all levels of student to enjoy and benefit. Details are below..
Special
Events and opportunities:
Private, semi private and small group Yoga Sessions
Over
the past several years I have worked with several students in private sessions
in both brief and longer term scenarios. The sessions have served different
purposes for each individual depending on specific needs and intentions.
Students have utilized this time to:
Evaluate
and modify postural issues and imbalances that may be at the root of injury as
well as more chronic discomfort and pain .
Enhance
skill, comfort and commitment to Yoga practice in class and at home.
Explore
higher breath work and meditation practices to further grow in yoga.
Support transitions to create healthier, more self supportive lifestyles.
Discover and utilize healing principles and practices designed to support your
ongoing wellness and personal growth.
Serve as a powerful compliment to other recovery and healing
practices…and more!
I am available for private and small group Yoga training, Yoga Therapy, and Yogic balancing and healing techniques. I also can work in individuals and groups in the Egoscue method of movement therapy for Postural alignment for pain relief and athletic enhancement, Sessions can be held in your home or at my teaching studio locations. For details and to answer questions about how you may benefit from one of these modalities please contact me at (203)488-1700.
Workshop
Series-
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
With
Alan Franzi
At: The Shoreline Center for Wholistic Health,
35
Boston St.
Guilford
Saturday, April 3rd, 1-4pm Cost is $40, $35.00 if
pre-registered
(all levels of experience)
Spring
Retreat to Relax and Renew
All
levels of Yoga practitioner can enjoy this mini-retreat designed to blow the
doors off cabin fever and lead you toward a Springtime of renewal and
enjoyment” Tone, stretch and relax with a seamless blend of active and
restorative movement, breath and Yoga posture sequences from the Hatha,
Kundalini and Vinyasa traditions and practices. Release a Winter’s worth of
deep stresses and vitalize your entire being with breath work and movement
experiences designed to cleanse, calm and empower.--Re-connect within as you
explore guided imagery, sound and meditation practices created to support
healing, inner peace and a deep sense of well-being.
This specially designed experience is intended to afford the wonderful
benefits that can come from this unique and balanced synthesis of the “best
of the best” practices from the traditions of Yoga and meditation.
This
workshop is for all levels.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please let me know your suggestions, feedback and questions. Once
again, thanked you for your ongoing support and I hope you continue to find a
way to include Yoga and its related practices to support you in your life.
I
hope to see you soon!
Sat Nam and Namaste!
Alan
**To be placed on an email list for the newsletter and other event info please email me at: ceyoga@att.net.