Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)

Hi Cyberry

Well that definitely puts a different spin on your situation.

Congratulations on giving up smoking. Please tell us if you have been a heavy smoker. I have been waiting to find out what your other health challenges were (as referred to in an recent post) so thanks for sharing your news.

It really seems to me that the best ‘detox’ you will get in response to giving up smoking is full deep breathing.

So, how would it be to change your intention to make your breath your primary focus? While what you eat is very important, if your body is crying out for food because you can’t find the energy to go to class and action your yoga and deep breathing, then find something that will fill that hole that fits into your cleanse definition. Maybe it will be raw organic green vegetables. I don’t know. Your body has a lot to do. Two weeks is the beginning of the process because it will take more than that to reverse the years of smoking. So make whatever you do sustain and support you in everything you do. I am looking forward to hearing how it transpires for you mentally and physically if you’re willing to share.

Have fun on your health crusade

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Cyberry

It seems you are committed to your yoga practice and to your short-term cleanse. Your words seem to imply you are either following a plan or getting someone’s professional help or advice.

If you are sticking with your cleanse then my suggestion is to stick with it and then modify your practice to suit your energy levels and ability. You may find yourself feeling more or less energetic, maybe unable to do all the poses in every class, you may find you have to rest in class, or skip a class. Choose your ‘barometer’ and then stick with it. It’s only 2 weeks. Your yoga practice is about mindfulness. You are the one making the choice to eat differently. So don’t get caught up on whether you can or can’t do your yoga. Notice it, adapt and before you know it your 2 weeks will be up.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Wendy

Robert and I were talking today (as we do!) about knees! Sometimes MRIs don’t show everything. It could be a meniscal or ligamental problem that is in there! Robert was saying how his physio also told him this when he went with his knee problem years ago. He also empathized and recognized the parallel with his own leg about too much and too little activity causing the pain.

What I would like to offer is this. I would like to ask if you are willing to change your walking and standing habit to turn your feet in to a parallel position? Try this. Plus also see if you can sit in a regular kneeling position: With hips on heels and knees together, tops of feet flat on floor. This may be difficult for any number of reasons so use whatever padding you need, under your ankles or knees, under your bottom, wherever. Just try that and see if this position can start to restore balance in the muscles and ligaments. Do this whenever you can. If you watch TV do it then.

Let me know how you go with this. When you decide to go back to yoga, come here and we can talk about the modifications for poses so you can approach them with safety instead of the dread that you have in your mind about it.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Shona

Congratulations on getting to where you’re at right now. That shows some great commitment.

You may not like what I have to tell you!!! I think you need some rest. I think that the 30 day challenge has morphed itself into something less user-friendly. Sure many people can do 19 days in a row. But when forced into it by some ‘competition’ that is created outside of yourself it may not always work for every body.

The challenges have always been 60 days long with 6 classes per week with one day off. Recovery and rest are just as important to your yoga routine as the yoga itself.

If you still want to continue with your challenge and not miss a day (because frankly I think at this point you may find missing one, to make it up with 2 in one day, may not be the right choice for you right now), then try going to an early morning class and then go the next day at night time, as late as you can. You will have effectively given your body almost 2 days off.

Do that once a week if you can at least. You don’t have far to go. It is physically possible to do many, many days in a row. There are people who have committed themselves to a practice because of an outcome that is deeply personal such as, when I go everyday I don’t feel pain in my joints from arthritis. I am not saying you don’t have that kind of outcome, but that it is possible that people do commit to these challenges for reasons that could be simply to do 30 classes for the ‘challenge’.

Your body is telling you something! I am glad you have covered the basic nutritional aspects. Now it’s time to rest.

Ah, now I read your message again, you say you want to practice “a strong class”. Hmmm… is it at all possible that you are trying too hard? Using effort and not balancing it with enough ease and surrender? What tensions are you aware of in your body? Please let me know.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Emily

Here’s a suggestion for you: Are you willing to go to class and do the second set of each of the poses? It will be hard standing there for the first set, but it will give you a chance to practice your meditation skills. Please don’t stand anywhere different from normal (ie don’t sneak down the back with the justification that you don’t want to distract anyone). It will be easier if you have eye contact in the mirror.

See how you feel. Try to support yourself with good positive self-talk. In class, your time will be better spent directing your mind to a solution to create vibrant energy and stamina, than concerning yourself with working through or finding a reason for the problem.

If all goes well, then next class try first set only. Don’t push yourself according to teacher’s or your own agenda of what you have been able to do in the past. Work with what is.

It’s just a suggestion to see how your body is handling things. We haven’t spoken about the specific conditions in class. What is the temperature? Do you know? Is it just a guess? What about the humidity? Is it in your opinion (although based on subjectivity) too hot?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Wendy

I would like to ask you:

>> Are you still doing hot yoga? And if so, how often?
>> What makes the knee hurt now?
>> Do you happen to be aware of alignment issues? Are your hips even parallel to the ground, are the both facing forward?
>> Do either of your ankles fall in? (pronate?)
>> You say you sometimes get relief from muscle massage. Do you massage because your muscles there are hurting or in response to aches around the knee itself?

Thanks for helping me with this. Hopefully we’ll both be clearer and maybe we’ll find a solution.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Robin

I guess the differences are fairly obvious between the 2 poses in their approaches and what part of the body takes one’s weight. Headstands tend to be easier for the uninitiated to accomplish because many simply don’t have the strength to stay supported by hands, wrists and shoulders. Headstands however introduce potential problems with cervical spine compression. I have a friend who is adamant that his headstand practice at an Iyengar studio years ago is the reason he has sustained some permanent damage to one of his eyes. A handstand will not have this problem (although one really does have to learn how to fall from a handstand!) because the spine is not under any pressure.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Emily

I am guessing you’re feeling rather disconcerted about your recent experiences to say the least. Would you be willing to tell me either here or through the PM (Private Messaging) system how old you are? Perhaps you can also post or PM me with the answer to this: Is it possible that there are hormonal changes going on in your body that could be responsible for this turn of events. Your profession tells me you have probably thought of everything but it doesn’t hurt to ask more. I hope you don’t mind. Is it stress? a deficiency?

Would love to hear what directions of investigation you have discounted, ruled out or are considering.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Jeanne

Don’t get all caught up in the achievement of the perfect pose. I note your use of the word anxiety. In order to be in that state you are not only dreading the pose, but you are dreading that you are going to experience something untoward. This mental set-up (thinking! 😉 ) is not doing you any favors. Perhaps I could suggest a different approach for a while.

Next class squeeze your hips, push them forward with your hands on hips and just drop the head back. Maybe this is all you’ll do for a class or a set. There is no set schedule I can offer without seeing you or knowing your practice. Then just keep your hands in place and go back preserving your hips forward of your knees. You will know how far to go back. I would suggest a small distance to just regain your confidence. Little by little each class you allow your body to go back more and more. Keep focus on where you are looking (ie back and down and never up). Keep your shoulders relaxed to help facilitate a relaxed back. Lower body stays firm. I would do this for a few classes even after you have passed the point where you know you can easily pull on your heels.

Don’t worry about the home practice. Work on being present in class and work on allowing your body to be thoroughly warmed up. You have resistance at the moment and it is not just physical. Let go and at the same time do what needs to be done to be safe.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Jessica

Don’t worry! This pose will feel good to you very soon. Notice in the post just above yours there is a link to a post about hamstrings. Click on that and read it! Then apply the concept.

In a nutshell (still, read the blog post linked above. Promise me! 😉 ) you will step out somewhere around 3 – 3.5 feet. I don’t know your body’s limitations nor how tall you are so you will just have to trust yourself and experiment. You will bend your legs and straighten your back. Get your elbows near your shins by bending your arms and pull as indicated in the blog post. I PROMISE this will feel as if something USEFUL and ecological and efficient is happening in your body that serves to open it up and not just tug at your back and leg muscles.

If you have any trouble in understanding the technique then just come back to me.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Jeanne

There is some truth that the rest of the poses are in preparation or warm-up for your camel pose. You don’t have to do all the poses though if you really want a bit of practice. The idea is that your muscles are warmed through and when they are you are less likely to ‘hold’ on to things. This is in the physical and metaphysical sense.

What is the purpose behind your question? Are you wanting to practice your pose technique? Maybe you just need some suggestions on what to practice first.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Matthew

I know it’s hard to believe, but because this yoga is static (without the jump through movements of say Ashtanga or Vinyasa and maybe Power yoga) it is possible to strengthen your core BUT ONLY IF you know how to activate it first. There may be movements where you routinely keep it engaged and others where you don’t. So it really is worth having it checked out.

If you are still not any better then please find someone who can help you with the spasm! You really shouldn’t exercise around it.

I just located that newsletter and I’m just sending you via your private email! I am truly grateful for your comment and glad you love the forum

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂