Learning to Relax.

The pose of the month for December is Savasana.  That does not mean that we will spend the entire class in Savasana.  Just like every other pose of the month, we will spend maybe 10 or 15 minutes working on the featured pose.   (And, if you are lucky, you will get a lovely Savasana assist by yours truly!)

So what do we need to work on in Savasana?  Aren’t we just supposed to relax and do nothing?  Absolutely, but how many of us can do so?  I know many students who cannot stay for Savasana.  They don’t see the value in “doing nothing”.

But relaxation is so important, it breaks the stress cycle.  We all know how stress is bad for our body and immune system. (You can read about how harmful stress is for your body here.)  While we cannot avoid stress in our lives, we can take steps to promote relaxation and Savasana is one of those ways.

We live in a high stress society.  I am amazed at how many people cannot relax.

All during class I am cueing, cajoling and encouraging my students to engage this, or straighten that, or hug towards the midline, or extend out.  When we finally get to the end, it is time to relax and let go.  Often a strong and sweaty practice is conducive to letting go.  But, I am surprised at how much tension some students can still be holding onto in their bodies during Savasana.

Sometimes during final relaxation, I will go around and adjust a few people. I usually let people know I will be doing this so I don’t startle anyone (and I allow people to opt out).   I approach them quietly and touch them gently before lifting their arm up and slowly wiggling it.  If they are relaxed, the arm should move like the empty sleeve of a jacket.  But more often than not, the arm comes up rigidly and the person moves the arm with me, anticipating which way I am going to wiggle it.  Some students are unconsciously helping me, even though I tell them I don’t want them to help.  It is not unusual for the arm to stay up in the air even after I have let go of it.  When I quietly tell the person that if they were relaxed, the arm would not stay up in the air by itself, they often smile and let the arm down.  Then I begin again.  I ask students to “let go”, to “play dead”, “relax”.  Some people simply cannot do it right away.  It takes practice.  We are so used to being on guard, to protecting ourselves from being taken advantage of, of not allowing ourselves to be vulnerable.  The result is that we cannot let go.

I discovered what I need to do is to prepare people for relaxation; to tell them at the beginning of class what they need to do at the end, to describe what I see and feel in people’s bodies when they are tense.  This seems to help a lot.  In a society that values doing over being, we need instructions on how to relax.

Here are some tips on how to relax:

1. Plan a place and time to relax (if this is done outside of your regular yoga class.) Showing up is 80% of the work!

2. Determine the amount of time you have to relax and set a timer. It is easier to relax when you know how much time you are willing to give.

3. Make yourself comfortable. You should be lying down on the floor.  Place a blanket under you if the floor is hard and you are not on carpet.  Use blankets, bolsters or pillows to support your body in away way to insure you stay comfortable.

4. Make sure you are warm. As you lay still you will feel cooler than when you were moving, particularly if you were sweaty.  Put on an extra shirt, socks or even cover yourself with a blanket.

5. Use an eye pillow, if you like, or cover your eyes with something like the sleeve of a shirt or a hand towel. This does two things for you: First, it creates darkness which is more conducive to relaxing.  Second, it weighs the eyes down and helps to keep them from moving around.  (You don’t need something heavy on the eyes, just a gentle suggestion of weight.) Eye movement stimulates the brain and we want the brain to slow down as part of the process of relaxing.

6. Commit to stillness. Sometimes when I lay down for Savasana I may feel as if I am too fidgety to relax and all of a sudden I have these itches and twitches and urges to move.  90% of the time, if I ignore these urges, they will go away.  It seems that they are the mind’s resistance to staying still.  The mind wants to be stimulated.  If I am able to resist movement I begin to relax.  Now, 10% of the time, you may actually have to scratch that itch, move your leg or grab another pillow.  You have to use common sense here, but don’t be fooled by your restless, monkey mind or you will never be able to relax.

If you don't have the time or inclination to relax at home make sure you come to class during the month of December to work on it.  You’ll be glad you did!

Come on!  I know what you really come to class for:

I’ll see you in class!

Karin

Yoga Lifestyle: Self Care Rituals – Abhyanga or oil-massage

As the weather begins to get cooler, I begin my daily practice of Abhyanga.  My skin gets very dry in the winter when the humidity drops and we turn the heat on. I used to get painful cracks in my fingers until I learned this Ayurvedic technique:  Abhyanga is a Sanskrit word that means "oil massage".  It is a form of Ayurvedic medicine that involves massage of the body with warm oil. The oil can be pre-medicated with herbs for specific conditions.

I do this every morning before I take a shower.

• First I take my bottle of oil* and I put it in a sink of hot water to warm it.  While the oil is warming I begin a dry rubbing of my body to increase circulation and remove dead skin cells which helps the oil to soak in.

• Using exfoliating gloves, I rub down my whole body.  I use rather vigorous long back and forth strokes on the arms and legs and gentler circular movements on the face, chest, knees, shoulders, neck and belly.  While I am doing this I pay attention to my body and send it lots of love.  I appreciate all that my body does for me on a daily basis that I usually take for granted.**  Don’t forget your feet!

• Then I pour out a bit of oil on my hands and rub it into my body. If I am washing my hair, I will massage my scalp first, but I often skip this step on days that I don’t wash my hair.  I put oil on all parts of my body using the same strokes that I used for the dry rubbing; long straight strokes on the limbs and circular motions on the other body parts.  I do my face first and work my way down, doing my hands and feet last. (I am careful not to get oil on the bottoms of my feet.  That would make it very slippery and dangerous as I step into the shower.) As I massage each part, I mentally thank each body part for doing its job and for moving me through my world.  If I have any part of my body that is injured or just feels like it needs a little TLC, I send a little extra love to that particular spot.**

• If I have time, I will sit for a few minutes and allow the oil to soak in. This is a good time to nourish my physical self with thoughts of gratitude for all the things mybody does for me.  **  On most work days I practice feeling gratitude for my body while I am dry-rubbing and massaging the oil in.  I usually let the oil soak in while I brush my teeth.

• Then I turn on the shower and get in.  I allow the water to run over my body, but I only use soap on the essential parts.

• When finished I pat myself dry and get dressed.  My body feels warm, well loved and lightly moisturized.

According to the Charaka Samhita Vol. 1, V:88-89 (One of the great texts of Ayurveda):

“The body of one who uses oil massage regularly does not become affected much even if subjected to accidental injuries, or strenuous work. By using oil massage daily, a person is endowed with pleasant touch, trimmed body parts and becomes strong, charming and least affected by old age”

*About the oil

In my early studies of anatomy I remember learning that the skin is the largest organ in the body.  I was taught that it will absorb whatever you put on it.  My teacher told us that if you rub a clove of garlic on your foot it will give you garlic breath!  She suggested that you never put anything on your skin that you would not put into your mouth.  The only moisturizer I use on my skin is oil from my pantry.  I have used extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil and coconut oil.  I like to use coconut oil in the summer time as it feels lighter on my skin.  I often scent my body oil with a  few drops of lavender essential oil.

There are different oils you should use depending on your dosha or constitution: If you are vata use sesame, almond or olive oil;  for pitta coconut, almond or sunflower; for kapha use sesame, safflower or corn.  (To find out your dosha you can take this quiz.)

Besides preventing dry, cracked skin in the winter, there are other benefits of abhyanga:

1. Nourishes the entire body—decreases the effects of aging

2. Imparts muscle tone and vigor to the dhatus (tissues) of the body

3. Imparts a firmness to the limbs

4. Lubricates the joints

5. Increases circulation

6. Stimulates the internal organs of the body

7. Assists in elimination of impurities from the body

8. Moves the lymph, aiding in detoxification

9. Increases stamina

10. Calms the nerves

11. Benefits sleep—better, deeper sleep, especially if you do abhyanga at night right before bed

12. Enhances vision

13. Makes hair (scalp) grow luxuriantly, thick, soft and glossy

14. Softens and smoothens skin; wrinkles are reduced and disappear

15. Pacifies Vata and Pitta and stimulates Kapha.

**The part about appreciating your body is an important step in your daily self-care.  All too often we take our body for granted.  If we get injured, rather than listening to our bodies, we often get impatient and aggravated.  Our bodies have a miraculous ability to heal.  Sometimes, all we need to do for this to happen is to allow it to happen and appreciate it.

Our bodies are always sending us messages.  In her book Healing Consciousness, OB-Gyn and Breast Oncologist Dr. Beth Dupree talks about how our bodies are often communicating with us.  We will often get subtle impressions and inklings or sudden urges or instincts to act on something, or not to act.  If we listen to these urges, they tend to guide us. If we ignore these messages, they will become stronger and more insistent until one day they “hit us upside the head with a 2 x 4”.  These events are usually major health crises.  I recommend that you use abhyanga as a means to love your body and to get in touch with the subtle messages it is sending you.