Yin Yoga for lower limb amputee

Check this forum for suggestions on Yin Yoga flows, sequences and postures, as well as HOW to practice Yin Yoga.
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Anita
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:32 am

Yin Yoga for lower limb amputee

Post by Anita »

Hi: I just had occasion to view Bernie Clark demonstrating Yin Yoga on Flow Yoga on TV, and I emailed him to ask if he thought I might be able to do Yin Yoga...or any suggestions he might have.

I'll repleat my question as put to him: I'm a fairly new acupuncturist and have always followed alternate health living in one form or another, but I'm also a right above knee amputee (for 50 years) as the result of a road accident when I was three. I've been good in a healthy lifestyle...except for exercise and/or movement health...have tried yoga a couple of times and tai chi, but haven't stuck with it, I guess largely because there winds up being too many poses, positions I can't do. So I get discouraged and give up.

But lately I'm having some trouble with my good leg,...stiffness, soreness, foot pain...and I know I need to do something to keep moving. Use it or lose it, right??

Again, apart from wearing a right leg prosthesis and being 59, I'm actually in fairly good shape...just need to find something to keep me going! Especially as I'm trying to get my TCM practice up and thriving.

Any suggestions?
Thanks, Anita in Victoria :D
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 69
Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2006 7:41 am

Yoga for amputees

Post by admin »

Hi Anita ... welcome to the Kula.

First, let me address your question on doing Yin Yoga, even without a lower leg. YES YOU CAN! I can understand how doing a yang practice could be a big challenge for you, especially the standing poses, but there are very few Yin Yoga poses that require you to stand. If you check the Asana section of YinSights, you will find most of the postures should be easily accessible to you. So, I definitely feel you can benefit from a Yin Yoga practice.

However, I also believe that even a yang style of Yoga would be healthy and accessible for you: you just need to find a teacher who is creative enough to select the do-able poses. There are many hundreds or even thousands (!) of asanas you can do while lying or sitting on the floor. You are right: you either use it or lose it. But not just your good leg - all your limbs and your core need to be moved, stretched, squeezed and worked. There are many ways Yoga can help you with that.

Fortunately you do have several good Yoga studios in Victoria. And there is even a Yin Yoga teacher listed in our Teacher Directory (see Carly at the Yoga Shala on Broad Street). Since you have not had great experiences so far with Yoga, I would suggest you ask for a couple of "private classes" to begin with. Learn the postures that do work for you. Then you may feel more comfortable in a general Hatha class, with a teacher you know.

Once you have your own experience you can start to ignore certain parts of the class and do your own thing. I often have students spontaneously go into completely different poses than what I am guiding the rest of the class into. And that's great. Each journey is different. But let the teacher know before hand that you may be taking a few private side trips.

Finally, please know that Yoga is not just asanas. You will gain a lot from the other aspects of the practice too: the breathwork and its associated energetic benefits, and the deeper benefits from the meditative aspects of Yoga. As you are an acupuncturist, you don't need convincing about these energetic benefits. All yoga provides that to varying degrees. Yin Yoga is especially beneficial in this regard.

It is never too late to benefit from Yoga. Start now, and by the time you are 69, you will be very glad you did.

Cheers
Bernie
Anita
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:32 am

Post by Anita »

Thanks very much, Bernie. I will follow up on your suggestions and keep you posted!

Anita :D
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