One day when I practiced at home on a carpeted floor, within a split second of distraction, I lost my footing in a standing pose and twisted my hamstrings.
If you are familiar with Ashtanga primary series, you know that flexible hamstrings is a 'prerequisite' for almost every asana. Now with this injury, forward folds hurt, especially in Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana and Janu Sirsasana B. Kurmasana is completely out of the question.
I had been 'coming up to speed' so to speak, in my primary series practice lately and I was ecstatic about my recent progress. Now I feel like I am back to square one. This is frustrating and disappointing. I am even little angry at myself.
I assessed my injuries and determined that while the hamstrings hurt 'a little', I could endure them. After all, I gave birth to my son without pain medication. What is a little pain with the hamstrings? I continued the way I practiced, but after a week or so, the pain got worse and I knew I could not keep going like this. So I asked some of my teachers for advice. I realized I was not alone. Many teachers had injuries. Some told me that their hamstring injuries took a few years to heal completely. Regardless of the injuries I should keep daily practice as the heat generated in the practice is part of the healing process and I should back off from going too deep if it hurts. It is Okay.
Accepting the fact that healing will take time and knowing I am in the practice for the long haul, I let go of the frustration and decide to approach my practice differently. First of all, I apply "ahimsa" to myself. How I do the asana is nobody's business but mine. I won't let the ego talking me into doing the asana in pain just to look impressive. I accept that I cannot come to Utthita Hasta Padangustasana like before, and that's ok. Meanwhile, in forward folds, I am paying more attention to the bandhas and I realize by engaging the bandhas, I move deeper without relying solely on the flexibility and strength of the muscles. I allow myself to soften up. I also changed my attitude towards backends. I always favored forward folds and told myself I was not a backbender. Now I am not good at forward fold either, why not give backends a trial? While I deepen my practice in many fronts, my hamstrings are feeling better every day and are on their path to recovery.
These injuries turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
I have been attending Peter Sanson's Mysore classes in the last few days at Yoga is Youthfulness in Mountain View. His message at the confluence yesterday really resonated in my heart. The message to the crowd was clear and strong. Guruji had taught him every asana step by step, never let him get in front of himself. And Guruji never cared about the external stuff. Instead, he emphasized on tristana: breath, dristhi and bandhas. Let the breath and dristhi lead the energy, and with mula bandha and uddiyana bandha engaged in every asana, energy is lifted and maintained throughout the practice. Senses are drawn inward. Pay attention to Atman sitting inside the little box within the Heart. You will come to the natural state of being -- the joyous inner state that is not disturbed by the external. That is yoga.
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom, Peter Sanson. And thank you for your encouragement "let the hamstrings heal". Namaste.
If you are familiar with Ashtanga primary series, you know that flexible hamstrings is a 'prerequisite' for almost every asana. Now with this injury, forward folds hurt, especially in Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana and Janu Sirsasana B. Kurmasana is completely out of the question.
I had been 'coming up to speed' so to speak, in my primary series practice lately and I was ecstatic about my recent progress. Now I feel like I am back to square one. This is frustrating and disappointing. I am even little angry at myself.
I assessed my injuries and determined that while the hamstrings hurt 'a little', I could endure them. After all, I gave birth to my son without pain medication. What is a little pain with the hamstrings? I continued the way I practiced, but after a week or so, the pain got worse and I knew I could not keep going like this. So I asked some of my teachers for advice. I realized I was not alone. Many teachers had injuries. Some told me that their hamstring injuries took a few years to heal completely. Regardless of the injuries I should keep daily practice as the heat generated in the practice is part of the healing process and I should back off from going too deep if it hurts. It is Okay.
Accepting the fact that healing will take time and knowing I am in the practice for the long haul, I let go of the frustration and decide to approach my practice differently. First of all, I apply "ahimsa" to myself. How I do the asana is nobody's business but mine. I won't let the ego talking me into doing the asana in pain just to look impressive. I accept that I cannot come to Utthita Hasta Padangustasana like before, and that's ok. Meanwhile, in forward folds, I am paying more attention to the bandhas and I realize by engaging the bandhas, I move deeper without relying solely on the flexibility and strength of the muscles. I allow myself to soften up. I also changed my attitude towards backends. I always favored forward folds and told myself I was not a backbender. Now I am not good at forward fold either, why not give backends a trial? While I deepen my practice in many fronts, my hamstrings are feeling better every day and are on their path to recovery.
These injuries turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
I have been attending Peter Sanson's Mysore classes in the last few days at Yoga is Youthfulness in Mountain View. His message at the confluence yesterday really resonated in my heart. The message to the crowd was clear and strong. Guruji had taught him every asana step by step, never let him get in front of himself. And Guruji never cared about the external stuff. Instead, he emphasized on tristana: breath, dristhi and bandhas. Let the breath and dristhi lead the energy, and with mula bandha and uddiyana bandha engaged in every asana, energy is lifted and maintained throughout the practice. Senses are drawn inward. Pay attention to Atman sitting inside the little box within the Heart. You will come to the natural state of being -- the joyous inner state that is not disturbed by the external. That is yoga.
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom, Peter Sanson. And thank you for your encouragement "let the hamstrings heal". Namaste.