Seven Cases of Yoga Shoulder Creep

Warrior II Pose (Photo credit: lululemon athletica)

In a recent post on her excellent blog "Alignment Matters!" Katy Bowman reminded me why I need to be so careful in my yoga practice not to let my shoulders creep up my neck towards my ears. Yoga asanas provide an opportunity to correct some of the muscular imbalances I've created as I go through my activities of daily living, but only if I don't bring those same movement patterns onto my mat. Stop reading this post for a moment and notice where your shoulders are. Have they crept up your neck? If you have creeping shoulders, here's seven asanas where you'll need to stay aware of them:

1. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) Bring your arms over your head, shoulder width apart, palms facing each other. Could you get your arms up there without your shoulders climbing towards your ears? Drop the tops of your shoulders down so your shoulder blades move onto the back of your ribcage and feel the tension melt out of your neck and jaw.
2. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II) I see shoulder creep in Vira II all the time in my classes, as well as in my own practice. Float your arms out to the sides until they are shoulder height and hold them there. Notice where you start to feel the "burn" of the isometric contraction that's keeping your arms in place. Is it in the tops of your shoulders and the sides of your neck? That's the result of shoulder creep. Drop those babies down and feel the muscles in the tops of the arms take over.
3. Paripurna Matsyendrasana (Seated Spinal Twist) You've got one hand on your knee, the other on the floor behind your back and you've just twisted to the side. Before you even think about turning your head to look over your shoulder, check out where that shoulder is. Are you trying to keep your spine long by lifting up with your shoulders? Untwist, drop the shoulders down and, instead, lift the bottom of your ribcage away from your hips. Now make the twist with your shoulders relaxed and lots of length in your lumbar spine.
4. Bhugangasana (Cobra) You want your heart to move forward through your arms in Cobra, but if you've got a bad case of shoulder creep you may find yourself dragging your heart up by your shoulders then squeezing your shoulder blades together to push the heart through. Not only is that building tension in your neck, but you're limiting the ability of the thoracic spine to lengthen into a beautiful backbend. As you lift into your next Cobra, slide your heart forward as you lift, keep your elbows hugging your sides and let your shoulder blades slide down without moving them towards the spine. Lift your ears away from your shoulders and lift the top of your sternum towards your throat and feel your heart open.
5. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold) What? My shoulders just have to hang there. How can they be creeping up my neck? Watch somebody new to yoga, especially someone who is tight in the hamstrings or in the low back, try to get deeper into a forward fold. The knees lock, the low back rounds and the shoulders pull the upper back towards the legs, tightening around the neck with every breath. Yes, it happens. I've seen it. Worse, I've done it. (Hey, I was a yoga newbie once too.)
6. Trikonasana (Triangle) Sitting right where you are, lift your shoulders up and in towards your ears. Now turn your head to one side. Feel that pinch where your neck meets the top of your shoulder? Bring your head back to center, drop your shoulders back into the relaxed position they were in before I told you to lift them and try the head turn again. Better? Next time you try to look up at your hand in Triangle, remember that.
7. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge) If you can't get your hips very high in Bridge, it might be that shoulder creep again, only this time it's the neck crunching down into the shoulders that's causing the problem. Before you lift your hips, relax your shoulders and drop your chin towards your throat so the bottom of the back of your skull is resting on the floor. You'll feel the back of your neck lengthen out of your shoulders. Once you've lifted, keep your chin tucked and move your shoulders towards your hips as you draw them behind your back. Now the heart can lift too, allowing the hips to lift higher.

Katy's post shows what shoulder creep does to Downward-facing Dog. Next time you're on your mat, notice where else your shoulders start climbing your neck. In which poses do you need to correct shoulder creep?

Still Painting...

...but we're getting closer to the day when we lay our tired paint brushes down and unroll our yoga mats.

One day I'll have a picture of someone doing something besides painting, but today is not that day.

My dad came home from a business trip just in time to pick up a roller.  Then he left again.  Hmmmm....

Annie, the cutting-in queen, is at the top of the ladder, and the top of my gratitude list this week.

All four walls have paint on them now.

Today my husband, Rob, was busy doing some minor repairs, adding trim and building shelves.  He'll be back tomorrow for more of the same.

I've almost got the ceiling painted.  There is just one small corner left.  I've used all my balance and backbending skills standing on a ladder, bending way back and reaching out with the long painting pole for that last little bit of ceiling...

I could have climbed down and moved the ladder, but what good are all those mad yoga skills if you don't use them, right?

Now I'm off to stare at the "supermoon."  Between the big, gorgeous moon and the spring equinox, the energy is crazy.  If you've got something to manifest, catch this wave.  Stuff is going to be busting out all over the the place soon.  Can you feel it?

Sacred Space

February was a set-up month.  I can't say there were any great accomplishments.  I did get my new and improved yoga studio website online, but most of the work had already been done.  I'm not saying I did nothing.  I was busy making space.

It came up over and over again during February:  make space in my life for the things I love.  Designate space in my home for creative pursuits.  Schedule time in my day for my yoga practice and triathlon training.  Reevaluate routines to limit the time spent on household chores without letting the house succumb to chaos and the laundry pile up.  Plan, rethink, replan.

The affirmations I wrote at the beginning of the year are hanging over my desk where they constantly remind me how important space is.  If there is no room in my life for the things I'm affirming the universe cannot bring them to me.  I cannot have a daily asana practice if I pack all my waking hours with everything but that or, worse, if the house is so messy that there is no room to lay down my mat.  I can't be strong and healthy if I never have time to eat, much less cook a nutritious meal.

When I create space, the universe brings me what I need.  The opening I make gets filled with a flow of energy and spirit, that same divine spirit that exists in everything, and that space is sacred.  The desk where I store and use my art and knitting supplies is my sacred space for creativity.  The expanse of floor I keep clear so I always have a place for my mat is a sacred space for my yoga practice.  Each block of time in my calendar that I designate for something I love to do becomes sacred space.

As a yoga teacher, having a sacred space to teach and share is a priority.  My hope for 2011 was to grow as a teacher and offer more to the yoga community in my little town.  While the space in the Community Church has worked well for the past two years, I have been finding the facilities and the schedule constrictions too limiting to make space for everything I feel I can offer.  When I was willing to open up to the possibility of teaching without the limits of four walls, my Unstuck ecourse was born.  And when I said I was ready to take the risk, space opened up in a building on Main Street that is just right for a yoga studio.

On April 1st, True North Yoga will be moving into that space.  Between now and then, it is my intention to make the space into a warm, calm, visually soothing, peaceful haven for the practice of yoga and meditation.  And into that sacred space the universe can bring what each of us needs.  There will be plenty of room for all of it.

Unstuck: a 21-day yoga e-course to get you onto your mat

Announcing my very first yoga e-course! the 21-day get yourself onto your yoga mat and start moving e-course   Next session:  March 6 - March 26, 2011   Take this e-course if you want to: ~start (or jump-start) an oh-so-good feeling home yoga practice  ~meditate daily to improve focus and find your inner calm. ~climb out of your exercise rut. ~discover what motivates you to get on your mat. ~get moving! You will receive: +Unstuck emails in your inbox every morning +a new asana practice to try each day +daily meditation instruction and tips +thought-provoking journal prompts and exercises +two 30-minute audio yoga classes each week +yoga, fitness and nutrition information +email access to me throughout the course +an  invitation to our Unstuck online community +support and encouragement while you create a practice that can last a lifetime Sign up now and make a commitment to 21 days of getting on your yoga mat, being good to your body, quieting your mind and getting in touch with the most important person you will ever meet - YOU! Questions?  Contact Debbie at truenorthyoga@gmail.com While the yoga postures presented in this course are suitable for most people, you may need to modify or skip some postures due to certain physical or medical conditions. It is up to you to listen to your body and you will be responsible for your choice to practice or not practice the postures presented. It is recommended that you check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.

Video Yogi

Image by myyogaonline via FlickrThis morning's practice was guided by a DVD. Most days I let my body and my teaching skills guide my home yoga practice, but some days my "teacher mind" needs a rest and I pull out one of the numerous yoga videos I keep on hand for days like this and for reference and inspiration when planning classes.

Not all yoga videos are created equal, and not every video is suitable for every body. Do you have a pile of videos you brought home or received as gifts, tried once, then decided they were no good because you couldn't do all the poses, they moved too fast (or too slow), or you couldn't follow the instruction and found yourself awkwardly twisting your neck trying to see the television screen under your leg so you could figure out if you had the pose correct?

Me too.

But there are a few tips for using yoga videos that might help you rescue some of those videos from the discard pile.

1. Use the remote. DVDs give you lots of flexibility (how very yoga-like of them!) when you learn to use the remote. My favorite button is PAUSE. I have a yoga DVD with very nice sequencing, but the instructor rushes through the asanas so fast I barely have time to take a breath. I keep the remote close at hand, and when she heads into a pose I'd like to hold longer, I hit the pause button and watch my breath for awhile. Didn't catch something she said? Scan back and listen again. Need to take a break in child's pose? The STOP button is handy too.
2. Modify, modify, modify. Very few videos, even the ones called "beginner" videos, offer modifications for the asanas, but you've been to yoga class and you know how to modify or prop some of those poses, so do it. Just because the video instructor isn't sitting on a blanket in her forward fold doesn't mean you can't do it. Tell yourself if she could see you she'd be right there tucking that blanket under your sitting bones.
3. Look it up. A basic book of yoga asanas is a handy video-watching tool, especially when trying something new. If you follow the instructions on the video and the asana doesn't feel right or you just don't get the directions, pause the video, grab your book, find the pose and start reading. Maybe the book will give you the "ah-ha" you didn't get from the video.
4. Listen to your body. Remember that the body on the television screen isn't the one you need to be paying attention to. Just because the video goes on for two hours doesn't mean you can't stop after 20 minutes. If an asana isn't right for you, skip it. Use the time between PAUSE and PLAY to feel your way through your body and learn something about that asana.
   
5. Don't skip Savasana. Savasana is the hardest pose for me to do at home. Many videos end by putting your on your mat and then rolling the credits, leaving the viewer to decide when Savasana is over. Unless the video has a solid final relaxation segment, as soon as I settle down I start wondering how long it's been and thinking about what else I need to be doing. I find that setting a meditation timer or just the timer on my watch helps me let go of keeping track of the time so I can really relax. Savasana is the most important pose of your practice, so don't cheat yourself and take 5 minutes for bliss.

Some videos will never float your boat, even with these tips. Make space for new ones by donating those to your local library. Who knows? The video that you never liked may be just the thing to inspire someone else's practice. Share the yoga love.

Acceptance

Image by tarnalberry via Flickr

The focus of my yoga classes this week has been acceptance. We've been practicing being present with the body we have today and accepting whatever our limitations are. We've been embracing our imperfection and approaching our practice without expectations, just letting it be what it is going to be. I've been reminding my yoga students that who we are changes every day, as another 24 hours of experiences get woven into the tapestry of our lives.

Letting go of our egos and accepting everything about ourselves, even the things we don't particularly like, is challenging. I'm guilty of sneaking a look at the person on the mat next to me and comparing my form to hers. Sometimes I have to rein in my ego when I guide a student into an asana deeper than my body will ever experience. My tight hamstrings and crooked hips have been berated and cursed - in the privacy of my own practice, of course.

The safest asana practice is one that starts with acceptance. When we approach our mat with expections for ourselves, telling our body that it is going to comply or else, we set ourselves up for failure and a potential injury as we try to force our bodies beyond our physical limitations. A practice begun with awareness and acceptance of our bodies, without judgement, can be very freeing. As we move to today's edge we can explore our limitations and discover little openings that allow us to gently ease deeper into the pose.

One asana that really tests my ability to accept my own limitations is Paschimottanasana (seated forward fold). My cursed hamstrings and a tilted pelvis limit my forward movement. My ego screams in my head as I glance around at a room full of yoginis resting on their legs without strain while I struggle just to reach my toes. For many years I hated Paschimottanasana, gritting my teeth and enduring the pose whenever it was included in a class.

It wasn't until I started working with some students with lower back issues that I found my peace with Paschimottanasana. Working with straps around our feet and blankets under our sitting bones, we moved forward tiny amounts, creating just a bit of stretch in the hamstrings without forcing the low back into an uncomfortable position.

And, slowly, my hamstrings are starting to open.

I'm not expecting that one day I'll be able to fold in half. (I'm trying not to have any expectations at all.) I'm just enjoying exploring my new edge in my practice, rather than worrying about what comes after it. For me, being able to hold the pose for peaceful minutes instead of painful seconds is better than being able to lay on my legs.



Note: my seeds are still hanging out in the soil. Stay tuned...

Being Present

Image via Wikipedia

I'm one of those people who multi-tasks. When my hands are set to one job, my mind gets busy on other things. Back when I was an accountant (last month) I would routinely put numbers into spreadsheets while listening to an audiobook, occasionally adding something to my shopping list. I was never totally focused on anything, and I didn't need to be to get everything done.

It took me years of yoga classes before I stopped multi-tasking on my mat. My body would be in an asana, but my mind would be critiquing my position or checking out the lady next to me or working on some problem. I'd be trying to figure out how to get my kids to the places they needed to be later or worrying about what time my husband would be home for dinner.

My breakthrough finally came at a time when stress had driven me into a deep depression and, after not having time for yoga, I returned to my practice seeking some relief from the stress. Desperate to escape my life for awhile, I started paying more attention when my teacher told me to quiet my mind. My mind still chatters every now and then, but even just moments of stillness have made a huge difference in my stress level.

When I started teaching yoga, my mind started chattering again. When I practiced on my own, I went over the poses in my head, memorizing how to instruct them. When I took a class, I was more focused on learning from the teacher's example, listening for nice phrases and good instructions to mimic when I taught. My practice fell apart, because I wasn't doing yoga for myself anymore. After awhile, teaching came easier and I found my way back to my own practice.

Lately I have noticed that, while teaching, I have to stay present to what I am doing with the class. As long as I am totally focused, the class flows effortlessly. It's as if some higher power is speaking through me, and I am just delivering his message. If my mind wanders, I lose my connection with the divine guru and I start to stumble over words, lose track of my lefts and rights, and can't think of what to do next. So I try to stay present. That means no worrying about what the kids are doing, no thinking about the next tweet or Facebook status update, no planning ahead to the next class. Just like I do in my own practice, if my mind starts to chatter, I have to take a deep breath and let it go.