Recent Thoughts About Hoarding Disorder and Yoga

by Ram

Taking Out The Garbage by Edith Vonnegut*

I was at an Ayurveda conference last year when one of the participants approached me to discuss her mother, who was diagnosed with HD. Being a neuroscientist, I assumed HD to be Huntington�s disease, a neurological condition that results in the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. In the middle of the conversation I realized that she was referring to another condition: Hoarding disease. I was puzzled because I never thought of hoarding as a disease.

As I kept reading about this condition from various sources, I was amazed to learn that hoarding disorder (HD), as it�s officially known, is a serious condition that is as common as schizophrenia, bipolar illness, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In the latest version of the DSM manual (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), hoarding, which was previously classified under OCD, is now classified independently of OCD suggesting the higher prevalence and seriousness of this disease. A recent review published in the �Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing� found that 2-5% of the population met the criteria for hoarding disorder. According to the Mayo Clinic:

�Hoarding disorder is a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them.�

As a result, any thought of getting rid of the items triggers serious mental stress to the individual. Excessive accumulation of items, regardless of the actual value, often creates cramped living conditions with homes/garages that are filled to capacity and narrow pathways leading through mounds of clutter. The clutter may include but is not limited to household utensils, paper materials (e.g., mail, cards, books newspapers), clothing, containers (e.g., boxes, paper and plastic bags), garbage, rotten food, pet�s stuff, and, of course, wealth. Hoarding disorder ranges from mild to severe, and may not have much impact in some cases, while in other cases it seriously affects the individual�s functioning on a daily basis. Symptoms of hoarding disorder begin relative early (around 30) and worsen with age. People with hoarding disorder often don't see it as a problem, making the diagnosis and treatment challenging. Attempts to �de-hoard� usually fail since the problem may recur, often within a few months. Moreover, hoarders whose homes have been cleared without their consent are known to experience extreme distress and may become further attached to their possessions thus putting them in a downward spiral of the disease.

Medicines alone may help reverse some of the associated symptoms such as depression, fear, worry, and/or anxiety but does not appear to reduce the hoarding behavior. Psychologists and counselors suggest the following:

1. Hoarders need to be sympathized and held with respect
2. Help the person to recognize that hoarding interferes with every aspect of life
3. Find out what will help motivate the person to discard or organize 
4. Encourage the hoarders to come up with suggestions to clear the clutter to make their living environment safer

What does this have to do with yoga? Well, in the yoga philosophy, the first of the eight rungs or limbs is the yamas, and are considered as universal morality (see Yama Drama: Considering the First Branch of Yoga). Yamas serve as moral, ethical, and societal guidelines to lead a healthy, conscious, honest, and ethical life. Of the five yamas that help us to relate to our surroundings and environment and to achieve oneness with it is aparigraha. (see The First Branch of Yoga: The Yamas). The term can be translated to mean noncovetousness/non-possessiveness/non-hoarding. Aparigraha means to limit possessions to what is necessary or important, and having what is truly necessary and no more. The more we accumulate and hoard material possessions, the more we get attached to and worry about losing these possessions. 

According to Patanjali, coveting material wealth increases greed and possessiveness, and distracts an individual from doing a charitable act. But hoarding is not just about accumulating material possessions but also about filling/holding thoughts and emotions that affect our normal mindset and thinking process. We tend to fill our minds with fear, worry, anxiety, grief, anger, rage, jealousy, and judgments, among others ,and we do not let go of these emotions. Over time, these emotions build up and accumulate as unexpressed or suppressed emotions that can trigger mental and/or physical pathological conditions (see Aparigraha (Non-Hoarding) and Healthy Aging for more on this topic). Was Patanjali was referring to acute hoarding or chronic hoarding leading to a neurobehavioral disorder? Whatever be it, the very act of hoarding can be devastating to both mind and body, and need to be seriously addressed. 

Since yoga can help both the body and mind to function at their best, there is a possibility that yoga can also get rid of compulsive hoarding or hoarding disorder. What is the easiest and effective way to ward off emotional hoarding? Meditation helps to bring the awareness of oneself from moment to moment. While meditation may not cure a person from the act of hoarding, it may help the individual to react to life differently. This reaction and suitable action measures comes from a true awareness to the physical or emotional turbulence. Additionally, yoga asanas may also help, and there are several anecdotal reports about various asana posture for HD. In the scientific literature, there are several published reports about the effectiveness of Kundalini yoga for the treatment of psychiatric disorders including OCD. According to the authors of one such study, the Kundalini OCD protocol includes techniques that are useful for other neurobehavioral conditions, including anxiety disorders, fear and anger management, and reversing mental challenges, and for converting negativity into positive thought. According to the authors of An Introduction to Kundalini Yoga Meditation Techniques That Are Specific for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders, the yoga protocol also successfully addresses phobias, addictive and substance abuse disorders, major depressive disorders, grief, and insomnia. Additionally, the authors also provide information about contraindications and list of dos and don�ts to keep the yoga practice safer. 

Let me also add that while I consider yoga to be a powerful tool for improving neurobehavioral health problems, such as HD or OCD, it is one of the many solutions. One may need to use it as an add-on practice to western medicine, including drugs and/or therapy. You need to do whatever it takes to help you get better and the yoga mat is one of those solutions.

And if you�re a parent, spouse or significant other, or a family member of an individual with HD, kindly encourage the individual to take some form of yoga class as it has been shown to successfully address phobias, addictive and HD. Consider taking these classes yourself so you can provide the most calm and supportive environment possible for the HD individual.

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Video of the Week: Cat in a Tree (Vrksasana Variation)

Well, it has been a few months since Baxter came up a new balance pose, but he was inspired to cone up with this one when a friend of mine suggested a variation of Tree pose to be called "Cat in a Tree."

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Aging and Your Digestive System

by Baxter and Nina

Popcorn Vendor by Melina Meza

While some people have digestive systems that continue to function well as they age, in a given year, close to 40 percent of older adults experience digestive problems that are caused in large part by age-related changes to their digestive systems! In general, you can optimize your digestive health as you age by staying physically active, reducing chronic stress, supporting healthy eating, and maintaining a healthy weight. So a well-rounded yoga practice, including an active asana practice for exercise, mindfulness practices and meditation to support healthy eating and improve awareness of subtle changes in your body, and stress management practices to reduce the effects of chronic stress and allow you to spend more time in the Rest and Digest state�will support your digestive system overall. 

Now let�s take a closer took at how aging affects the individual components of your digestive system so you can help prevent some of the digestive problems from developing!

Mouth, Tongue, Teeth, and Pharynx. Your mouth gradually changes with age, reducing or changing your sense of taste and altering how you �feel� the texture of food, which can affect your food preferences and eating habits. Chewing may also become more difficult, as your mouth produces less saliva, your tongue works less efficiently to move food, and/or your teeth may wear out. You may also have more trouble swallowing. Although you cannot influence these changes with yoga, mindful yoga practices, such as pranayama and meditation can support healthy eating habits and improve self-awareness, allowing you to tune you into these changes so you can address them with your health care team. 

Esophagus. The smooth muscles lining your entire gastrointestinal tract work less efficiently, slowing the downstream movement of food and liquids. In the esophagus this can cause swallowing, in some cases even gagging, choking, or vomiting. Restorative poses where your head and chest are higher than your belly and standing yoga postures can improve the functioning of your esophagus, and stress management practices will help both you and your esophagus relax.

Stomach. As the lining of your stomach becomes less able to fight damage, your risk of developing peptic ulcers increases. In addition, your stomach becomes less elastic and cannot accommodate as much food, and the stomach empties into the small intestine at a slower rate, which may limit the size of your meals. Using yoga�s stress management practice will support stomach�s functioning, as you reduce chronic stress and spend more time in the Rest and Digest state. 

Small Intestines. Although the movement of contents and the absorption of most nutrients in the small intestines do not change much, they may slow down a bit. However, lactase, one of the enzymes in the small intestine, decreases with age, leading to intolerance of dairy products in many older adults. Cultivating mindfulness may alert you to this change and support better food choices.

Large Intestines. Due to age-related changes in its smooth muscles, waste moves more slowly through your large intestines. This, plus weaker rectal contractions can contribute to constipation, a common problem for older adults. Using your yoga practice for exercise, especially including twists and forward bends, can help support healthy functioning of your large intestines.

Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas. As your liver ages, it shrinks, the blood flow in and out is reduced, and repair of liver cells slows, reducing your liver's ability to metabolize many substances. As a result, substances that are toxic to the liver, such as alcohol, can cause more damage in older people than in younger ones, and medication may have a stronger effect or produce more side effects. In the gallbladder, the production and flow of bile decrease with aging, increasing the frequency of gallstones. Age-related changes in the pancreas reduces its ability to deal with sugar levels in your bloodstream, contributing to the increased incidence of type 2 diabetes in older people. Overall, to support three these organs, you can use yoga�s stress management tools to spend more time in in the Rest and Digest state and support a healthy lifestyle. To support the work of your pancreas, use your yoga practice for exercise (but you're already doing that for other reasons, right?).

Gut Microbiome. Older adults have a different microbial profile than younger adults, and, after 65, the number of microbial species decreases and the populations become more similar among individuals. While it is possible these age-related changes might negatively affect the relationship between your gut and your immune system, we don�t yet understand their specific effects. Stay tuned for new research findings! In the meantime, you can use yoga�s stress management tools to support your gut microbiome and foster healthy eating habits.

Enteric Nervous System. Although we still don�t know much about how intestinal nerves age, evidence suggests age-related changes may contribute to the increase in gastrointestinal disorders in older people, such as trouble swallowing, gastrointestinal reflux, and constipation. To support the functioning of your enteric nervous system, use yoga�s stress management tools to reduce chronic stress and spend more time in the Rest and Digest state. 

See Techniques for Cultivating Agility for our recommendations specific techniques you can use to support your digestive system.

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New Thoughts About Agility and Yoga

by Nina

The Football Players by Henri Rousseau

Yes, as Baxter and I continue to learn, our thoughts about some of the topics we've already written about continue to evolve. Sometimes we even realize that what we said before was incorrect. So even though we wrote about agility, aging, and yoga as recently as a year ago in our post Yoga for Agility: An Overview, it's time for a little update because we have some new things to say! First I'll say something about what agility is�and what contributes to your ability to be agile. Then we'll look at how yoga helps you maintain agility as you age.

About Agility

Agility is the ability to move easily through a series of positions while you stay balanced and in control. Some everyday situations that require agility are getting in and out of a car (especially the back seat of a two-door!) and getting up and down from the floor. Often speed is required as well as coordination, such as when you walk down a crowded city sidewalk (have you ever been to New York City?) or scoop up a ball that�s rolling along the ground. 

For those of you who play sports, such as tennis, basketball, and soccer, maintaining agility will enhance your performance. Maintaining agility also helps prevent falls, a serious�sometimes life-threatening�problem for older people.

Being agile and coordinated requires a combination of a number of physical and mental skills. First of all, to move with ease, you need all three of the other essential skills that you�re already working on: strength, flexibility, and balance. And, importantly, to stay upright as you move from one position to another, the same postural reflexes that help you balance upright in static poses also help you stay upright when you�re moving from one position to another. 

Exteroception and Proprioception. The ability to make coordinated, precise movements comes from combining the three essential physical skills with knowing where you are in space. As we discussed in How We Balance, exteroception, the ability to feel what is interacting with the exterior of your body, and proprioception, the ability to tell where one body part is in relation to another, both allow you to maintain your balance in a static position. These same senses allow you to maintain your balance and sense of where your body is in space as you move from one position to another, so both are as important for agility as they are for balance. 

Vision, Hearing, and Touch. Whether you are walking down a crowded sidewalk your during lunch hour, hiking a mountain path, or doing Sun Salutations in a crowded classroom, you also need your eyes, ears, and sense of touch to tell you where you are in space, and to provide you with information about possible obstacles and your relationship to them. Is that someone riding a skateboard behind me? Is that slippery rock in the middle of path over there? Should I step back a bit so I don�t hit that person next to me when I bring my arms out to the sides? Or�oops�did I already do it?

Focus. Unless you�re doing a series of movements that have become automatic, your ability to concentrate as you move from one position to another is a very important aspect of agility. Becoming distracted can throw you off balance or cause you to run into an obstacle. Let�s say you�re at a music festival weaving your way through the obstacle course of other people trying to find good spot, blankets, chairs, and coolers set up by people already dug in, and toddlers bolting off in random directions. If you stopped looking where you�re going or paying attention to where your feet were taking you, just imagine!

And even for a routine set of movements, such as Sun Salutations, some amount of mental focus is needed, as complete distraction causes you to lose track of where you are or suddenly find yourself doing the wrong thing (been there, done that).

Speed. For those times when you need to respond quickly as well as with coordinated movement, your strength is particularly important. Because the fast-twitch muscle fibers in your muscles affect the speed and explosiveness of your muscle contractions, strong muscles provide you with both power and velocity. But moving with speed on a regular basis will also prepare you for those situations when being agile means responding rapidly. In addition, a healthy somatic nervous system�the part of your nervous system that provides you with voluntary control of your body movements�is important for quick, coordinated responses to your requests for movement (see section x for information). When you think, �step forward right foot,� you want fast results!

How Yoga Helps

A well-rounded yoga practice that cultivates strength, flexibility, and balance will also enhance your agility.  But yoga enables you to work directly on the coordination and speed aspects of agility with the following: 

Dynamic Poses and Flow Sequences. Moving dynamically in and out of poses with your breath or between linked poses in flow sequences allows you to practice quick, precise movements. This improves your overall coordination, and exercises the fast-twitch fibers that assist in quick movements. The wide range of dynamic poses and flow sequences that you can choose from (and the ability to make up new ones!) provides you with enough variability to address virtually all your muscles and to stay challenged. 

Static Poses. Moving in and out of static poses with precision helps improve coordination. And making subtle adjustments to your alignment while you�re in a pose refines your ability to sense where you are in space and improves fine motor control (as you start to use rarely used muscles). The large repertoire of yoga poses plus their many variations means you can use virtually all your muscles�in many different ways�throughout a given week, rather just doing the same basic movements over and over. 

To maintain your fast-twitch fibers, you can focus on strength-building practices in static poses, particularly standing poses and that mimic getting up and down. And practicing all types of balance poses, especially using the  challenge techniques we recommend, such as varying the surface you practice on and practicing standing poses with closed eyes, will also help maintain fast-twitch fibers as well as postural reflexes.

Floor Poses. Getting up and down from the floor on a regular basis helps you maintain agility (and it�s one of the things you need agility for!). So just the act of adding floor poses to your practice is beneficial, even if you have to use support to get up and down.

Mindfulness. For all poses, practicing mindfully engages and refines your senses. For vision, you use your eyes to verify your alignment. Are your feet evenly aligned on the floor or is your foot really turned out? For hearing, you use your ears to note how gracefully or awkwardly you make certain movements�when you step into a new position, are you coming down lightly or heavily? For your sense of touch, you can observe how evenly you are pressing into the floor or onto a prop, and notice when one part of your body is touching another (sometimes that means you�re doing the pose right and other times�oops!).

Nerve Health. To maintain speed, you can use your asana practice to support the health of your somatic nervous system. Practicing a wide variety of poses and movement patterns will activate all those nerves on a regular basis. Active poses will improve blood flow to your special sensory nerve receptors (the nerves that shuttle information back to the brain) and stretching poses will create space around your nerves. Finally, balancing poses and flow sequences will help keep your proprioceptors�the nerves that allow you to sense where you are in space�healthy. 

Mental Focus. Moving through flow sequences trains your mind as you return your focus again and again to making quick, precise movements while maintaining balance. You notice shifting sensations�the feeling of being on or off balance�and when extraneous thoughts take you away from your movements. In addition, breath practices and meditation can improve your mental focus in general, benefitting your balance both inside and outside the yoga room.

Cognitive Distraction. When you�re ready for more advanced challenges, you can prepare for real-world situations by adding cognitive distraction to your agility practices. Although you can�t toss a ball from hand to hand while practice a flow sequence, you can play music or talk radio, or have some pets or small children�watch out!�join you in the yoga room. 

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Featured Pose: Warrior 1 (Virbradrasana 1)

by Baxter

 Warrior pose is an energizing, strengthening standing backbend. It cultivates balance, builds strength in your legs, arms, and upper back, and stretches your hips, upper back, and shoulders. Because the pose improves posture, it helps maintain the health of your lungs and respiratory system.

Baxter prescribes this for:

• Improving balance
• Improving poor posture, especially rounded upper back
• Strengthening weak legs
• Stretching tight hips, spine, and shoulders
• Energizing body and mind
• Helping fatigue and depression
• Preparing for backbends

Timing: For the most improvements in strength and flexibility, hold Warrior 1 pose from 90 seconds to 2 minutes. However, if you are newer to the practice and still building up your strength, you can start by holding the pose for 30 seconds or less, if needed. You can practice this pose dynamically by moving from starting leg position to the full pose on inhalation and returning to the starting position on an exhalation. Repeat 6 times.

Cautions: Those with knee pain should try standing with their feet 6 to 12 inches closer together and be especially attentive to the alignment of the front knee over the ankle, bending less if necessary. Those with lower back pain should try version 3 first, standing with feet 6 to 12 inches closer together in this version.

1. Classic Version

From Mountain pose, take the starting position by stepping your feet about three feet apart. Turn your right foot and leg out 90 degrees and pivot on your back heel about 4-5 inches to turn your back foot and leg in about 45-60 degrees. Rotate your chest and belly toward your front leg. 

To come into the full pose, inhale and swing your arms forward and up along the sides of your head, with your palms facing each other. Then exhale and bend your right knee directly over your right ankle (an angle of no more 90 degrees). Firm the muscles around your back knee to keep your back leg straight and lengthen from your back heel up through your hips, spine, and arms as you arch your spine into gentle backbend. Balance your head over your shoulders and gaze straight ahead. 

To come out of the pose, inhale and straighten your front leg, exhale and release your arms to your sides, then turn your feet to parallel. Repeat on the second side, and finish by stepping your feet together into Mountain pose. 

2. Bird-Wing Arms

(sorry, no photo)

This version is good for those with shoulders that are tight or painful when arms are overhead, as well as for opening the front chest for those with a collapsed chest or as a preparation for backbends such as Bridge pose and Upward Plank pose.

Begin by taking the starting position for the classic version. Then inhale, bend your elbows, and take your arms out to the sides into bird-wing position, keeping your elbows in line with or slightly below your shoulders and your forearms pointing straight up. Exhale and bend your front knee as in the classic version. Follow the leg, hip, spine, and head instructions for the classic version lengthening up from your back heel to the crown of your head. Widen your front chest and as you relax your shoulders downward. 

To come out of the pose, follow the instructions for the classic version. Repeat on the second side, and finish by stepping your feet together into Mountain pose. 

3. Hands on Hips

This version makes the pose accessible to those with shoulder problems, such as stiffness, rotator cuff injury, or frozen shoulder, who can�t do version 2. For those who have balance problems, this version is easier than versions 1 and 2, allowing you to gradually work toward raising your arms.

Begin by taking the starting position for the classic version. Inhale and bring your hands to your hips, widen your front chest, and move your elbows back a bit. Follow the leg, hip, spine, and head instructions for the classic version, lengthening up from your back heel to the crown of your head. Widen your front chest and as you relax your shoulders slightly downward. 

To come out of the pose, follow the instructions for the classic version, relaxing your arms by your sides on your exhalation. Repeat on the second side and finish by stepping your feet together into Mountain pose. 

4. Hands on Chair Back

(sorry, no photo)

This version makes the pose accessible to those with poor balance or who are too weak to do the classic pose. 

Start by standing a few inches away from the chair in Mountain pose, with your hands resting on the top of the chair. Inhale and step your left foot straight back 2 � to 3 feet, and turn your left foot in about 45-60 degrees. Exhale and bend your right knee over your ankle.  Follow the leg, hip, spine, and head instructions for the classic version, lengthening up from your back heel to the crown of your head. Press your hands down onto the top of the chair, while keeping your arms long and straight.

To come out of the pose, step your left foot forward to match your right foot and straighten both legs. Then come into Mountain pose with your arms at your sides for a breath or two. From there, repeat on the second side by placing your hands on the chair back again and on an inhalation stepping your right foot back into the Warrior 1 position.

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How Mother�s Stress Affects the Fetal Brain

by Ram

Prenatal Yoga by Melina Meza

Chronic stress is a world-wide problem. Irrespective of the country, when you compare the statistics of chronic stress and its adverse effects, the numbers are nearly similar world wide. Within the USA (see Stress a Major Health Problem in The U.S., Warns APA) , nearly 33% of Americans are living with chronic stress and 48 % percent of Americans believe that their stress has increased over the past five years. Seventy two percent of adults report that money is their single cause of stress. And 50% of Americans report that chronic stress has a negative impact on both their personal and professional lives. Chronic stress causes the body to overreact resulting in two main events:

1. overproduction of stress hormones including cortisol and adrenaline
2. an inflammatory response

Both these events in turn disrupt almost all of the body's processes putting the individual at increased risk of numerous health problems, including: anxiety, depression, digestive problems, heart disease, insomnia sleep problems, metabolic disorders, and memory and concentration impairment. 

In addition, there�s a very serious issue that is the focus of Stress a Major Health Problem in The U.S., Warns APA: what about a mother who is chronically stressed and who is also pregnant? There is some data to show that chronic stress in pregnant women and poor coping skills to deal with it may be associated with lower birth weight of the baby or delivering pre-maturely. Some women deal with stress by smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, or taking drugs, all of which lead to pregnancy problems. Data also indicates that chronic stress can affect the baby�s brain development or immune system. Chronic stress especially during the first trimester of pregnancy may also contribute to differences in brain development that might lead to behavioral issues as the baby grows.

In a study Impact of Maternal Stress, Depression & Anxiety on Fetal Neurobehavioral Development published in 2011 in The journal of child psychology and psychiatry, researchers followed 116 women throughout their pregnancies, testing their levels of cortisol. Testing took place every month in the second and third trimesters. After the babies were born, the researchers measured each infant's cortisol after a routine blood draw from the foot, and also recorded each baby's response to the blood draw. Researchers found that the greater the exposure to mother�s cortisol in the womb, the larger was the infants' own cortisol spike in response to a blood draw. These cortisol-exposed infants also calmed down less readily after the blood draw ended. Furthermore, researchers also found that the rostral anterior cingulate are of the brain is thinner in the children exposed to high levels of stress hormones in the womb, compared to children of a similar age who were not exposed to the stress hormones. (The rostral anterior cingulate region is associated with emotional regulation, and the children with the thinning were generally more fearful and anxious.) 

According to How the First 9 Months Shape the Rest of Your Life, omen who suffered from severe emotional issues give birth to children who had a higher risk of developing depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety, suggesting that the intrauterine environment is another pathway by which emotional and mental illness is passed down in families.

Soon�to�be mothers need to cultivate good stress management techniques. And, interestingly, all of the literature searches on stress management for pregnant women unanimously describes the positive impact of yoga, meditation, and guided relaxation in alleviating stress. The Mayo Clinic has detailed information for pregnant women on how to deal with stressful situations through yoga (see Prenatal yoga: What you need to know). And even a short session of yoga provides numerous benefits, including the rejuvenation of the body and mind. At the cellular level, yoga, meditation and relaxation techniques destresses the mind and body by:

• releasing brain chemicals that contribute to a feel-good response and ward off anxiety and mental stress, 
• normalizing blood pressure and stabilizing the heart beats
• reducing anxiety and depression
• improving the ability to sleep by de-activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal stimulus (HPA) and lowering the hyperarousal phenomenon 

Thus, when it comes to pregnancy, yoga not only helps to deal with stresses of all kinds, it also enables the mother to move toward equanimity by stabilizing her mind, body, and spirit for motherhood (see Yoga for Pregnancy.). Making the commitment to take care during the nine months through a gentle asana, meditation and relaxation techniques may seem to be a huge undertaking, but remember, not only does it empower the mother�it keeps the baby free from the mercy of stressful forces. And if you�re a future father, grandparent, or family member of a pregnant woman, encourage the future mother to take prenatal yoga classes and consider practicing stress management yourself so you can provide the most calm and supportive environment possible for mom and baby.

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Video of the Week: Dynamic Gate Latch Pose (Parighasana)

Dynamic Gate Latch pose is a great way to stretch your inner thighs and the sides of your body, while  also working on balance and stability. Make sure to providing padding for your knee.

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In Praise of Our Skin (and the Song of Yoga)

by Nina

Melina Meza photographed by Nityia Przewlocki

"Our skin is no neutral envelope; it is a busily sensing organ that situates us in relation to others and the world." �Adam Gopnik

Just a quick post today to let you know about a really interesting article Feel Me by Adam Gopnik, in recent edition of �The New Yorker." It�s all about how underrated our sense of touch is, and includes a long discussion of tactile research.

�We don�t appreciate how much of our behavior is governed by our intense sensitivity to pressure,� Dustin Tyler, the fresh-faced principal investigator on the Cleveland project, says, observing Spetic closely. �We think of hot and cold, or of textures, silk and cotton. But some of the most important sensing we do with our fingers is to register incredibly minute differences in pressure, of the kinds that are necessary to perform tasks, which we grasp in a microsecond from the feel of the outer shell of the thing. We know instantly, just by touching, whether to gently squeeze the toothpaste or crush the can.�

Although the article tends to focus on the hands, in yoga, we use our tactile senses to help us balance on our feet, as well as on our hands, sitting bones, forearms, shins, and so on. As we�re balancing, we respond to texture of the surface on which we�re balancing. And that�s why one technique you can use for improving balance or agility is to vary the surface you practice on.

But we also use our tactile senses to feel our alignment in our poses. Although some of the ability to feel our alignment comes from prioprioception, our internal sense of where we are in space, you use your skin to sense whether your weight is evenly distributed on your feet or hands, whether your top foot is in the right place in Tree pose or Eagle pose, whether your palms are pressing together completely in Reverse Prayer pose, or if you�ve actually grabbed your elbows or just your forearms when you take both arms behind your back. And, OMG, you finally made the clasp in Cow-Face pose (Gomukasana)!

In "Feel Me," Gopnik observes:

�One strange thing about the unsung sense is that it has no songs. Every other sense has an art to go with it: the eyes have art, the ears have music, even the nose and the tongue have perfume and gastronomy. But we don�t train our hands to touch as we train our eyes to look or our ears to listen.�

But I beg to differ. Practicing yoga mindfully partly means training your skin to be more sensitive as you tune into subtle all-over body sensations. And I'm thinking that this might be one reason why practicing asanas can be such a beautiful experience, you know, like music or art.

�Our bodies are membranes in the world, with sensation and meaning passing seamlessly through them. Our experience of our bodies�the things they feel, the moves they make, and the textures and the people they touch�is our primary experience of our minds.�

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How We Age

by Baxter and Nina

"And you may find yourself

Behind the wheel of a large automobile

And you may find yourself in a beautiful house

With a beautiful wife

And you may ask yourself, well

How did I get here?" � from �Once in a Lifetime� by the Talking Heads

All living things age, and every species has a natural, built-in life span. Although a giant tortoise and koi carp can live up to 200 years, the average life span of a human being is around 79 years, a cat lives to around 20, a dog to around 10, a mouse to around 2 years, a worm to only 10-30 days, and the legendary mayfly only a single day. But, no matter how brief, all these living things go through a natural aging process during their life spans (yes, even worms get all wrinkly in their old age), similar to the ones that we ourselves go through.

Life Span of a Worm by Arvind Ramanathan

So what exactly is this natural aging process? Many of us have been able to observe the entire arc of the process as we raised our family dogs. Do you remember something about how it went for Fido?

At the age of two, Fido was a young, healthy adult, with tons of energy, good eyesight, keen senses of smell and hearing, and a shiny coat. He was able to learn and remember quite a few commands, like �sit,� �down,� �fetch,� and �off.� His mind was alert and attentive to you and his environment, and there was an obvious delight in new discoveries and exploration. 

But by the age of five, Fido was already entering middle age, and his energy and vitality were probably noticeably slower. Although he still loved to go on those long hikes with you, you may have noticed that he was bounding less and just focused on maintaining a steady pace. And when he jumped up onto the couch or bed, he wasn�t quite as spry. There were other changes, too, like maybe his digestion wasn�t what it once was or he started having trouble with bladder control. And with his immune system beginning to age, maybe your once super healthy dog started experiencing more illness or infections.

By the age of eight to ten�depending on his size�Fido had become an old dog with a gray muzzle, heading into his final years. His energy and vitality were reduced even more, and though he still loved to go out and sniff things, those long hikes were a thing of the past. And he walked more slowly and stiffly, too, as his strength, flexibility, balance, and agility began to wane, and perhaps arthritis set in. His respiratory functioning diminished, so when he was very active, he became short of breath. And his keen hearing and eyesight also began to worsen (dogs even get cataracts, as do we). 

You might have needed to take Fido to the vet more often at this stage, as he developed more frequent infections or chronic illness, or any number of age-related conditions, such as heart problems, diabetes, digestive issues, obesity, or cancer. Perhaps even Fido�s mind wasn�t what it once was. He may have developed symptoms of cognitive dysfunction, such as confusion or disorientation, restlessness at night, loss of house training, decreased attentiveness, or not recognizing friends or family members.

Eventually the really sad part came, when you had to say goodbye. Fido died while you were still young, probably of a fatal illness, such as cancer, an overwhelming infection, or just heart failure due to old age. Yes, we know, it was a bit difficult to witness, wasn�t it? After Nina�s family dog died, her mother said there would be no more family dogs because the thought of going through that whole thing again was just too painful. But remembering it now will help you understand quite a lot about how humans age, something we�ve been getting into a lot lately on the blog (Your Immune System and Aging, Balance and Aging, Flexibility and Aging, and Aging Changes to Your Brain and Nervous System, among others).

As for why this happens, well, that�s a whole different story. See What is Aging, Anyway?

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Featured Pose: Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

by Baxter

Many yoga traditions consider Mountain pose to be the original standing pose, from which all the other standing poses emerge. So mastering this pose helps you perform all the other poses. This pose is also an ideal, active standing position that supports healthy overall posture, teaching you healthy alignment of your pelvis and spine over your feet, and your head over your torso. It also cultivates strong legs, an even balance between your feet, and an even opening in your chest and your upper back.

Baxter prescribes this for:

• Improving posture 
• Low back pain
• Improving balance 
• Text neck or head forward syndrome
• Weakness in the legs or spine
• Resting between standing poses
• Standing meditation pose

Timing: If you are an experienced practitioner, hold the pose for 1-2 minutes. If you are new to the practice, start by holding this pose for 30 seconds at a time, working up to 1-2 minutes over time.

Cautions: This pose is generally very safe and accessible. If you have trouble with balance, step your feet wider apart and/or practice with your back near a wall. 

1. Classic Version

Stand with your feet hips-distance apart and parallel to each other. Distribute your weight evenly on your feet and actively firm your upper thigh muscles evenly toward your thighbones. From your tailbone, lengthen upward through your spine to the crown of your head, as if you were growing taller. Without squeezing your shoulder blades together, widen the front of your chest so your chest and your upper back are both broadening. Position your head directly over your shoulders, with your chin parallel to the floor. Either relax your arms at your sides or actively reach down from your shoulders into your fingers, with your palms facing your thighs. 

As you maintain these internal actions, gently lengthen your inhalations and exhalations, while remaining active and alert. To come out of the pose, simply relax the physical effort of Mountain pose and notice the posture your body returns to. If desired, repeat the pose one more time.

2. Block between Thighs

This variation strengthens and brings awareness to your legs, especially your inner thigh muscles, which are often weaker than your other leg muscles. 

Start by taking the classic version of Mountain pose. Next, place a block on its narrowest width between your thighs, half way between your pelvis and inner knees. Step your feet a bit closer together. Then firm your legs into the block while lengthening down into your feet. If you tend flatten your lower back, roll your thighs in and push the block back slightly to encourage a normal lumbar curve. If you have a sway back that is painful, squeeze the block and draw your tailbone down slightly towards the block. 

Follow the leg, spine, chest, and head instructions for the classic version, and use the same breathing technique. To come out of the pose, remove the block and relax your physical effort, especially your legs. 

3. Reverse Prayer Position

This version opens your front chest, opens your shoulder joints for taking your arms behind your back, strengthens the muscles between your shoulder blades, and stretches your forearms and wrists.

Start by taking the classic version of Mountain pose. Bring your palms together into Prayer position (Namaste) in front of your chest and firmly press your palms together. Next, keeping your elbows bent, bring your hands together behind your back, with your fingertips pointing down. Move your hands a few inches out away from your lower back, and spin your fingertips up toward the your head. With the sides of your hands lightly touching your lower back, wriggle your hands up the line of your spine as high as you can comfortably go or until your palms come completely together. If your palms come together, bring your thumbs together as well. 

Follow the leg, spine, chest, and head instructions for the classic version, and use the same breathing technique. 

Hold your arm position for approximately 30 seconds, gradually working up to 1-2 minutes over time. To come out of the pose, carefully wiggle your hands down your back at least six inches and then release your hands down by your sides. Shake out your hands and arms before moving on.

4. Elbows Clasped Behind Back

 Like version 3, this version opens your front chest, opens your shoulder joints for taking your arms behind your back, and strengthens the muscles between your shoulder blades, but this version more accessible for most people.

Enter the pose like version 3, but instead of bringing your palms together behind your back, bring your just your right arm behind your back. Then bring your left arm back and, depending on your flexibility, clasp opposite elbows or forearms. Follow the leg, spine, chest, and head instructions for the classic version, and use the same breathing technique. 

Hold the arm position for 30-60 seconds and then release your arms. Repeat the arm position on the left side by taking your left arm back first. After finishing both sides, shake out your arms before moving on. 

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