What to do when you can no longer feel an edge?

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Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

What to do when you can no longer feel an edge?

Post by Bernie »

I was recently asked the following question:
  • Hello Bernie, I have a yoga student who has been practicing yoga for over 40 years. She is very flexible and come into the full expression of a pose. Last night after a workshop on the kidney-bladder meridians she said she would feel her edge (warmth) in the beginning and by the end of the time (5 minutes), nothing. As most of us still feel our edge in a yin posture, I was wondering what this meant. Everything is flowing effortlessly? Thanks for your time. I have used your book a great deal in my teaching as well as Sarah Powers and Paul Grilley. Your book is very comprehensive. Thanks.

Hi Barbara

You may want to read this article on hypermobility and Yin Yoga: as you will read, for very flexible students, the point is not to get more range of motion, and it is not always necessary to go to a final physical edge to get benefits from the practice. If a student is very flexible, naturally their edges are going to be further away than for average students. I often say that these poor, unfortunate students are cursed by being flexible; but do not worry--in their next life they will come back as a normal person. I have had Cirque students in my classes and their intentions is not to become more flexible: they are already flexible enough, but they can still gain from the meditative and energetic benefits of the practice. And, over time even very flexible students get older and stiffer: although to normal people, they will seem still very flexible, they will notice their body changing. Yin Yoga can help them maintain their optimal levels of mobility as they age. So, yes--she may no longer feel a physical edge, and that is okay if she is already very deep in a pose: chill and enjoy the breath and whatever sensations are arising.

Cheers
Bernie
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