Featured Pose: Reclined Leg Stretch (Supta Padangusthasana)

by Baxter

This classic stretch  pose is both a hip opener and a leg stretch, as it stretches your hips in several different directions while also stretching the backs of your legs and lengthening your lower back. It releases muscle tension in your legs and hips from sitting, standing, or walking. And because it releases physical stress from your lower body, it can be relaxing during stressful times or if you just tend to store stress in your body. Because the four versions get your hips moving through much of their range of motion, they are excellent for starting a longer practice or even just doing on their own as a mini practice.

Baxter prescribes this for:

• tightness in the backs of the thighs, the hips and the lower back
• chronic back pain
• releases tight muscles pulling on knees, and strengthens those that straighten the knees
• warming up for standing or seated forward bends, or for twists
• stress relief

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, working up to 1-2 minutes over time. Rest for a few breaths afterwards in Relaxation pose before moving on to your next pose. To make the series into a mini practice, do the variations in order on one side, and then repeat on the second side.

Cautions: If you experience low back pain when you practice version 1 or 2, try bending your bottom leg and placing the sole of the feet on the floor. And if low back pain is an ongoing problem for you, we recommend that you skip version 4 entirely. For any version, if the pose causes hip or back pain, try backing off a bit to see if the pain resolves. If not, skip that version.

1. Leg Straight Up

This version stretches the back of your hip and hamstring muscles of your top leg (the back of your thigh) and to a lesser degree your calf, releasing tightness in these areas and providing relief from low back pain.

To come into the pose, start in Constructive Rest position, lying on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. With a strap in hand, bend your right knee into your chest, place the strap over the arch of the right foot and straighten the right knee, stretching your foot towards the ceiling, keeping some tension on the 2 sides of the strap, walking each hand up the sides of the strap until the arms are straight. Slide the bottom leg long on the floor, straightening the left knee and pressing out through the left heel. Adjust the angle of the right leg forward or back until you can easily keep the right knees straight and still have a feeling of stretch in the hamstring and calf of the right leg. Relax your shoulders, and make sure your lower spine is either softly touching the floor or slightly arched away from it (and is not jammed into floor or over-arched). After you have aligned yourself, bring your attention to the sensations in your body or follow your breath.

To come out of the pose, bend your right knee, slip the strap off your foot, and lower your right leg to the floor. Then strap aside and shake out both hands for a moment. Repeat on the second side. When you�ve finished both sides, bend both knees and come into Constructive Rest pose for a few breaths.

2. Leg to the Side  

This version focuses the stretch on the inner thigh muscles of your raised leg, releasing tight hip muscles. It also strengthens your core muscles, which helps relieve low back pain by improving spinal stability.

To come into the pose, start in version 1. Next, take both sides of the strap into your right hand and stretch your left arm out to your left side in a �T� position. Continue stretching out through your left leg as you slowly bring your right leg out to your right side and down towards the floor, stopping when your foot is one to two feet from the floor, according to your flexibility. Your hips will tip slightly to your right.

Bring your right elbow to the floor as you keep tension on the strap and press your right foot into it. To create more stretch around your hip, turn your right leg so your heel spins up and toes spin down. If holding your leg out to the side is painful or too much effort, place a block or folded blanket under your right thigh to support it. When you�re aligned, follow the instructions for the classic pose for finding a focus.

To come out of the pose, return to version 1 by lifting your leg back to vertical. Then follow the instructions for coming out of version 1. Repeat on the second side.  

3. Scissor Legs  

This variation stretches your outer hip and leg, which is particularly helpful walkers, hikers, runners and cyclists, who tend to be tight in these areas. Unlike version 4, this version doesn�t require twisting your spine, so it is safer for some with lower back pain.

To come into the pose, start in version 1. Next, take both sides of the strap into your left hand and extend your right arm out to the side in a �T� position. Keeping your lower back and pelvis on the floor, bring your right leg toward your left, about 6-12 inches across the mid-line of your body. Keep some tension on the strap and press your right foot into it.

To create more stretch around your hip, roll your outer right hip away from your waist so your right heel spins to the left and right toes spin to the right. When you�re aligned, follow the instructions for the classic pose for finding a focus.

To come out of the pose, return to the version 1 by bringing your leg back to vertical. Then follow the instructions for coming out of version 1. Repeat on the second side.

4. Twisting  

Like version 3, this version stretches your outer hip and leg along with your deep buttock muscles. But because this version is also a twist, it also opens your chest and releases tight back muscles.

To come into the pose, start by coming into version 1. Next, take both sides of the strap into your left hand and extend your right arm out to the side in a �T� position. Roll your hips and legs to the left, coming onto your outer left leg so your right hip is stacked on top of the left. Then swing your right leg directly out to the left so it is parallel to the floor, with your toes pointing to the wall behind you.

As you continue to reach your right arm out the side, try to keep both shoulder blades on the floor. If you can�t keep the right one on the floor due to tightness in your chest, allow it to remain a bit lifted. Keep some tension on the strap and press the right foot into it. To create more stretch for your right hip, leg, and buttock muscles, roll your right hip down toward your left foot and away from the right side of your waist. If holding your leg out to the side is painful or too much effort, place a block or folded blanket under your right foot to support it. When you�re aligned, follow the instructions for the classic pose for finding a focus.

To come out of the pose, return to version 1 by bringing your leg back to vertical. Then follow the instructions for coming out of version 1. Repeat on the second side.

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Contentment, Happiness, and My Family

by Nina 

�I know what house my house will be. It will be just right for me. And a house just right for me must have a fireplace inside, daisies in the yard, cows in the pasture, and, most important, a friend near by.� �from Boats Finds a House by Mary Chalmers 

When my brother was a kid, his very favorite book �Boats Finds a House� was about cat that embarks on a search for his perfect home. The cat, Boats, has a very specific list what is needed to make him happy. And it takes a long while for Boats to find his house. He looks at many, many houses and can�t find one that�s just right, which makes him feel discouraged and sad. Of course, in the end, with some help from various friends, he does find the perfect house. 

�It really was just the right house for Boats and he lived happily ever after.� 

I�m not sure whether this book spoke so strongly to brother because of who he already was or whether he was actually inspired by the book, but my brother�s life ended up being a lot like Boat�s life. He, too, had a very specific idea of what the perfect house and life would be for him, and he has spent his whole life searching for it, even traveling to many different parts of the world in his search. But, unlike Boats, though he looked and looked, he still hasn�t found his perfect house and life, and now he�s in his early sixties and at a very low point indeed. 

When I was telling a close friend of our family about this, she said, �He�s so much your father.� And I knew immediately what she was talking about, even though my brother would be quite surprised by this comparison. Because even though my father had a very different kind of list of what it would take to make him happy, he, too, became discouraged and sad when his life didn�t turn out the way he�d hoped.

Later on I was musing to myself about how I�d managed to escape all that. You see, while my life didn�t exactly turn out the way I once dreamed it would�whose does?�I am content with and even grateful for how things have unfolded. Did I manage to escape the curse of being weighed down with a list of what it would take to make me happy because I was a girl and my father didn�t burden me with the ambitions and expectations a father has for a son? (In those days, girls were mainly supposed to just �marry well.�) Or, was it simply because my nature was just more like my mother�s than my dad�s?

All I do know is that when I first encountered yoga philosophy, it spoke powerfully to me. I remember one of the first things I read was Desikachar�s translation of the Yoga Sutras and how struck I was by his definition of santosha (one of the niyamas that a serious yoga practitioner should cultivate) and his translation of sutra 2.42.

�Contentment or the ability to be comfortable with what we have and what we do not have.� �TKV Desikachar 

�2.42 From contentment and benevolence of consciousness come supreme happiness.� �Yoga Sutras, trans. by TKV Desikachar 

In Edwin Bryant�s commentary on sutra 2.42, he explains it this way.  

�This sattvic happiness does not depend on external objects, which are vulnerable and fleeting, but is inherent in the mind when it is tranquil and content.�_Edwin Bryant 

And later on, when I carefully read the Bhagavad Gita, its basic message that it is equanimity that leads to happiness became a guiding light to me ever since.  

�For the pleasures that come from the world bear in them sorrows to come. They come and they go, they are transient: not in them do the wise find joy. 

But he who on this earth, before his departure, can endure the storms of desire and wrath, this man is a Yogi, this man has joy.
 
He has inner joy, he has inner gladness, and he has found inner Light.� �Bhagavad Gita 

How I wish my brother could switch from his �Boats Finds a House� philosophy to this one. But I�m afraid the patterns of his belief system (samskaras?) that only having everything right can make you happy is so strong that there is nothing I can do to make it shift. (Ssshh, I�m going to try, though.)

It is too late for my father. But in the last couple of years of his life, after my mother died and he was living in a retirement community, he did seem to reach some measure of peace. One day I drove him by the old house in Berkeley where he had lived with my mother for 15 years after he retired, and said, �I had a pretty good life, didn�t I? I had an interesting career, and a wonderful wife, and I built a beautiful house in Los Angeles�� 

�Yes,� I said. �You did.� 

For more information, see Yoga and the Pursuit of Happiness and Yoga Philosophy: Contentment

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What Really Causes GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) and How Should It Be Treated?

by Ram

Damage by Melina Meza

GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a digestive disorder characterized by recurrent reflux of acid from the stomach into the esophagus triggering heartburn or acid indigestion. The esophagus is a muscular, tube-like structure that connects the throat to the stomach, which is lined by a moist, pink, gel-like tissue called mucosa. The food that you eat moves from your throat down to the esophagus. Two valve-like muscular structures exist in the esophagus to regulate the flow of the nutrients to the correct destination (from the esophagus to stomach to the small intestine). The upper esophageal sphincter (UES) at the top of the esophagus prevents food and other secretions from entering the windpipe by opening or closing at the appropriate time. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) present at the esophagus-stomach junction prevents the stomach acids from traveling into the esophagus through its appropriate open-close function. 

Gastroesophageal refers to the stomach and esophagus. Reflux means return or flow back. Thus, gastroesophageal reflux is the reverse flow of stomach acids back up into the esophagus, either due to weakening of the lower esophageal sphincter muscles or due to inappropriate closure of the lower esophageal sphincter valve. Certain foods, fermented or fizz drinks, acidic fruits, cigarette smoke, and chronic stress can all cause the lower esophageal sphincter valve to relax, resulting in acid reflux into the esophagus. If this situation happens as a one-time event or acutely it is termed as a heartburn/acid reflux. If it is long lasting and a more serious form or a chronic issue, it is termed as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).  

The most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is heartburn. If the condition persists, additional symptoms may also appear, including a sour taste in mouth, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, dry cough, sore throat, and spewing of sour solids or liquids. Most people can manage the discomfort of GERD with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications. Over-the-counter treatments that may help control heartburn include:

1. Antacids that neutralize stomach acid
2. Acid production blockers, also called as H-2-receptor blockers, which provide longer relief and may decrease acid production from the stomach for up to 12 hours
3. Proton pump inhibitors, which are even stronger than H-2-receptor blockers of acid production

However, prolonged use of any of the above-mentioned medications can produce side effects, such as diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, confusion, or bone loss. If the heartburn and other symptoms don�t improve with lifestyle changes and medications, surgery may be the ultimate option. And while the symptoms of the heartburn may temporarily cease through the use of the above-mentioned medications, blocking the acid production is not a good remedy. There is a reason for the presence of acid in the stomach: it is necessary for proper digestion of food. The enzymes that digest the food completely work efficiently in the acidic environment. It is this combination of the acid and the enzymes in the stomach that facilitate efficient digestion of food to a form that can be easily delivered to the small intestine for further digestion and absorption. While the strength of the stomach acid is strong enough to burn a hole through a piece of wood, the stomach itself is well protected from its own acids. However, unlike the stomach, the esophagus does not possess any protective inner lining, resulting in its damage by the acids that shows up as a burning heartburn. This has been the premise so far. 

But now a new research study is changing this long-held paradigm (see Association of Acute Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease With Esophageal Histologic Changes). According to this new study, the stomach acid backing up into the esophagus does not cause chemical burns and damage to the lining of the esophagus as thought earlier. Instead, the researchers from UT Southwestern-Dallas VA hospital suggest that the damage in patients with GERD actually occurs owing to an inflammatory response prompted by the secretion of inflammatory proteins called cytokines. The research work done in mice demonstrates that it takes several weeks for the stomach acid to initiate any damage in the esophagus. So it is unlikely that acids are the cause of the chemical burn since burns develop immediately. In follow-up studies on humans, the researchers followed 12 patients who suffered from chronic GERD. The patients who were taking proton pump inhibitors to control the acid reflux were asked to stop taking the medication. The researchers thought that GERD might redevelop if the medication were to be stopped, providing an opportunity to observe the early changes of GERD. Nearly all of the patients showed damages to the esophagus after stopping the medications. More importantly, the damages that reoccurred were not consistent with acid-triggered burns. Rather, the changes revealed all the tell-tale signs of an inflammatory response, suggesting that the stomach acid in the esophagus actually triggered a pro-inflammatory response by stimulating the production of small molecules called cytokines that trigger�s the body�s own defense system to go awry (see Chronic Inflammation and Yoga: Combating the Fiery Killer).

So what�s in this for the doctors and pharmacists? Since the study challenges a long-held belief about the role of the acid in damaging the esophagus, it is important for medical personnel to have the correct understanding of the mechanisms underlying GERD in order to facilitate novel GERD in order to facilitate novel GERD treatments. 

And what does it mean for people who have the condition and are desperate to jump off the antacid/PPI bandwagon? Good eating habits and good lifestyle practices that include a regular yoga practice go a long way in strengthening the gut. A balanced yoga practice includes asanas, resting poses, pranayama and meditation, all of which support the best possible digestion via our conscious mind and the autonomic nervous system (see The Digestion System and Yoga). As I mentioned in the beginning, chronic stress�which can over-activate the sympathetic nervous system (your Fight or Flight response)�is the single most common trigger of GERD (Our Hyper-Competitive, Stressful World), so consider meditation and restorative yoga practices when you know you are under lots of stress (see How to Practice If You Have Digestive Problems). All of the above practices together with healthy food choices and timely meals will promote a healthy digestion that is required to maintain a long health-span (Why You Should Care About Your Digestive System). So one alternative to consider working your way to healthy aging is by closely listening to your gut!

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Video of the Week: Dynamic Extended Side Angle Pose Version 3

This version of dynamic of Extended Side Angle pose will improve your whole body strength more than versions 1 and 2, as well as improving your balance more effectively. If it is too challenging, please try versions 1 and 2, and work you way back to this version over time. Special thanks to Melina Meza for introducing this version to Baxter!

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Featured Pose: Hero Pose (Virasana)

by Baxter and Nina

Hero pose is a very stable, centering seated position. Many people prefer this pose to Easy Sitting pose for meditation and breath practices because it is more comfortable for those with back, hip, or knee pain. And, like Easy Sitting Pose, it teaches good sitting posture and strengthens the back muscles needed to support your spine in a healthy position. It also stretches the front of your thighs, shins, and ankles, and is a good antidote legs that are tight or tired from walking, cycling, running, and other sports. The three variations make the pose accessible to almost everyone. 

Baxter prescribes this for:

• Weak spine or poor posture
• Stretching the fronts of your thighs, shins, or ankles
• Breath practice pose
• Meditation pose
• Preparation for Child�s pose and backbends
• Alternative to Easy Sitting pose  

Timing: If you are an experienced practitioner, you can hold the pose as long as you�re reasonably comfortable in it, although many people find that they can only stay comfortable for 10-20 minutes even when using props. If you are new to the practice, start by holding this pose 1-2 minutes, working up to longer holds over time. 

Cautions: This is a generally a safe pose, but do come out if your feet or legs start feeling numb or tingle. If you have knee pain in the pose and you�ve tried all four versions, try sitting on an even higher prop or practice Easy Sitting pose instead. And if you can�t get comfortable sitting on the ground for meditation or breath practice, sit on a chair instead, either with your feet on the floor tucked back under the chair.  

1. Classic Version

This version is for flexible people who can sit in the pose without a prop and maintain the natural curve of their lower spine. 

To set up for the pose, place a folded blanket crosswise on your mat. To come into the pose, kneel on the blanket, with your knees near front of blanket and your ankles and feet hanging off the back edge, the tops of your feet on the floor, and your toes pointing straight back. Position your legs so your knees are hips-distance apart but your shins a bit wider apart in back (wide enough your hips can fit between them). Then slowly lower your pelvis and bring your sitting bones onto the floor between your feet. If there is any pain in your hips, knees, or ankles, come up again and try a supported version instead. 

If needed, adjust your pelvis until your lower back is in its natural curve. Place your fingertips on the floor outside your hips, and press your hands into the floor as you lengthen up from your sitting bones to the crown of your head, creating an �inner lift.� Now, using your back and core muscles to maintain your inner lift, rest your hands on your knees, relax your should blades down, widen your collarbones, and align your head with your spine. Once you have settled in, keep your awareness on maintaining your inner lift. If you are meditating or doing a breath practice, you can start now. If not, bring your awareness to your breath. 

To come out of the pose, lift your hips up out of the pose and reach your hands forward to come into an all-fours position. From there, stretch one leg out behind you to release tension from it, and then repeat with the other leg.

2. On a Block

This version is for those with tight knees and/or front thigh muscles or those who have a rounded lower back in the classic version. It also may be more comfortable for longer sitting sessions. 

To come into the pose, as you kneel on the blanket place a block on its lowest or middle height (or even a stack of two blocks) sideways between your feet, so you�ll be able to rest both sitting bones on it. Then slowly lower your pelvis and bring your sitting bones onto the block. If there is any pain in your hips, thighs, knees, ankles, come up again and try a higher prop. Follow the instructions for the classic pose to find your inner lift. Once you are comfortable, follow the instructions for the classic version for alignment and focus. 

To come out of the pose, lift your hips first, remove the prop between your feet, and then come into an all-fours position. Then follow the instructions for the classic version for stretching your legs. 

3. On a Bolster 

This variation is for those who need (or want) a more comfortable and slightly higher prop than version 2. This is particularly good variation for staying in the pose for longer amounts of time. 

To set up for the pose, place a bolster lengthwise on your mat with your folded blanket in front of it. To come into the pose, kneel in front of the end of the bolster, so the bolster is between your ankles. Then slowly lower your pelvis and bring your sitting bones onto the bolster. If there is any pain in your hips, thighs, knees, ankles, come up again and try placing a block on lowest height under the front of the bolster. Follow the instructions for the classic pose to find your inner lift. Once you are comfortable, follow the instructions for the classic version for alignment and focus.

To come out of the pose, lift your hips first, remove the bolster between your feet, and then come into an all-fours position. Then follow the instructions for the classic version for stretching your legs.

4. With Blanket Stack

This version is for those who have stiff, tight, or painful ankles or can�t get comfortable in versions 2 or 3. 

To set up for the pose, stack 2, 3 or even more blankets on your mat. If you like to (or need to) sit on a block or bolster, place that on top of the blanket stack near its back edge. Then kneel on the blanket stack with your ankles at the very back edge of the blanket and your feet hanging off. Then lower your pelvis either onto the blanket stack or the prop between your ankles. If you have any pain in your ankles, try adding yet another blanket to your stack. Follow the instructions for the classic pose to find your inner lift. Once you are comfortable, follow the instructions for the classic version for alignment and focus.

To come out of the pose, lift your hips up, place your hands on the floor and move off the props and blanket stack onto the floor. Move all your blankets and props asides, and follow the instructions for the classic version for stretching your legs in the all-fours position

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Featured Pose: Easy Sitting Pose

by Baxter and Nina

This extremely versatile pose allows you to sit comfortably on the ground for meditation, breath practices, and between other seated poses, and teaches you how to sit with good posture in your other seated yoga poses and in everyday life. In addition, the pose strengthens the back muscles needed to support your spine in a healthy position and stretches several of your hip muscles. The two variations of Easy Sitting pose with support make the pose accessible to almost everyone.

Baxter prescribes this for:

• Weak spine and poor posture
• Tight hips
• Stress reduction
• Breath practice position
• Meditation position
• Resting position between other seated poses

Timing: If you are an experienced practitioner, you can hold the pose as long as you�re reasonably comfortable in it (meditations sessions can last 20 minutes or much longer). If you are new to the practice, start by holding this pose 1-2 minutes to build up your back strength and stretch your hip muscles, working up to longer holds over time.

Cautions: This is a generally a safe pose. But if you have knee pain or hip pain in the pose and you�ve tried all four versions of it, try Hero pose instead. And if you can�t get comfortable sitting on the ground for meditation or breath practice, sit on a chair instead.

1. Classic Version 

To come into the pose, sit on your mat with your legs stretched out in front of you and fingertips on the floor by your hips. Now, fold your legs into crossed-legs position with your right shin in front of your left, and your shins parallel with the front edge of your mat. Press your hands into the floor as you lengthen up from your sitting bones to the crown of your head, creating an �inner lift, � and tip your hips a bit forward to encourage the normal curve of your lower back. Now, using your back and core muscles to maintain your inner lift, rest your hands on your knees, relax your should blades down, widen your collarbones, and align your head with your spine. Release your knees toward the floor, ideally below your top hipbones.

Once you have settled in, keep your awareness on maintaining your inner lift. If you are meditating or doing a breath practice, you can start now. If not, bring your awareness to your breath.

To come out of the pose, place your fingertips on the floor by your hips for support, lean back slightly, and extend your legs out in front of you. If you have held the pose for 2 minutes or less, repeat the pose on the second side by changing the cross of your legs. Otherwise, alternate the cross of your legs from day to day.

2. Supported Hips and Knees 

This variation is for anyone who cannot sit with good alignment in the classic pose. This includes people who cannot sit flat on the floor with their knees below the waist and/or who cannot maintain good posture with an inner lift without support.

To come into the pose, sit with your sitting bones near the front edge of your prop. (Experiment with with the height of the prop or blanket stack for your hips to find the height that allows you to experience the inner lift and spinal alignment described for classic version). Then place the blocks under your outer thighs so they fully support your thighs, using the height that allows you to relax your hip muscles and avoid any knee or hip pain.

Once you are comfortable, follow the instructions for the classic version for alignment and focus. To come out of the pose, remove the props supporting your thighs, and then follow the instructions for coming out of the classic version.

3. Back to the Wall 

This variation provides support for anyone who has weak back muscles or is generally fatigued, especially newer practitioners, and is also an excellent option for long sessions of seated meditation where you might want extra support. You can either use props as in version 2 or sit flat on the floor.

To set up for the pose, if you are using a prop for your hips, place it against the wall. Now sit down on the floor or prop, with the back of your pelvis and shoulder blades against the wall, your lower back off the wall, and your legs out in front of you. Then follow the instructions for the classic pose for coming into and aligning yourself in the pose. As you create your inner lift, keep your pelvis and shoulder blades against the wall, your lower back slightly away from it, and your head over your spine.

Once you are comfortable, follow the instructions for the classic version for finding your focus. To come out of the pose, follow the instructions for the classic version or version 2, if you�re using props.

4. Forward Bend 

This version stretches the muscles and fascia around your hips and along the sides of your spine. Because it�s a forward bend, this version can be quieting and calming, helping reduce your stress levels. This version, however, is not suitable for meditation or breath practice.

To come into the pose, start in either version 1 or 2. Then, maintaining your straight back and inner lift, tip forward from your hips and place your hands or fingertips on the floor in front of you. When your hips stop rotating forward, you can allow your lower spine to round a bit. Come forward gradually until you feel a good stretch in your hips, along your spine, or both. If you feel any pain in your knees, hips, or lower back, try coming slightly out of the pose until the pain disappears. Once you are comfortable, bring your awareness to your breath.

Stay in the pose for 1-2 minutes or until your muscles begin to shake. To come out of the pose, walk your hands back as you lift your spine back into an upright position. Then change the cross of your legs and repeat the pose on the second side. 

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Never Too Late: Yoga for the Fourth Age

by Beth

The Fourth Age, according to Stephen F. Barnes, Ph.D. of San Diego State University�s Interwork Institute, is a relatively new term coined to reflect the extension of life over the past few decades and generally refers to individuals age 80 and above. Norma Bursack, age 88, is a Fourth Age Yogi.

There are three descriptive principles that relate to the Fourth Age and Norma�s experience is an excellent illustration of all three. Her experience can serve as a guiding light for those of us who have yet to travel that stage of life.  

Principle One: Biological and functional decline becomes more apparent, although research points out important individual differences in both the timing and pattern of decline. 

Norma uses the yoga tool of svadhyaya (self-awareness�see The Power of Svadhyaya (Self Study), Part 1) along with a well-developed sense of humor to deal with this principle. She is a two-time cancer survivor (colon cancer in 1994 and cervical cancer at age 85). It was self-awareness of something �not right� that sent her first to one doctor and then to another when the first doctor�s diagnosis didn�t fit what she felt and knew to be true about her body (anamayakosha). Now self-awareness helps her adjust her lifestyle practices post surgery. Since her bout with colon cancer, she has a long list of foods that her digestive system does not tolerate, and she finds it easier to eat five small meals or snacks a day. In addition, she wears a hearing aid and often needs compression socks for swollen ankles due to water retention. However, the socks are worn with the toes cut out to show off her pedicure. 

Another yoga tool that is helpful with this principle is santosha. Santosha is defined as contentment (see Yoga Philosophy: Contentment). When we practice santosha we learn to accept ourselves as we are. This is especially important to practice as our bodies change with age. Norma�s practice of santosha is clear in the following poem that popped into her head at 3:00 a.m. one morning at age 80.  

What Do You Expect, I�m 80
By Norma J. Bursack

I once had a waist and perky boobs
And hips that didn�t resemble tubes
A neck that turned painlessly left or right
To allow for safe oncoming traffic sight
Everything seems to be headed south
Wonder what became of my mouth
I�m a couple of inches closer to the ground
But grateful and happy to still be around  

Principle Two: The need arises for social and cultural support in order maintain high levels of functioning. 

Norma currently lives in a supportive, independent living community for older adults. The recreation department addresses the need for social and cultural support by planning a wide variety of activities to foster social interaction and community building. These activities include exercise classes, yoga classes, arts and cultural activities and field trips, all focused on encouraging the all-important positive mental attitude toward the aging process.  

�Scientists are discovering something very peculiar about aging: How we feel about getting old matters. A lot. In test after test, researchers are finding that if we think about getting older in terms of decline or disability, our health likely will suffer. If, on the other hand, we see aging in terms of opportunity and growth, our bodies respond in kind.� �Anne Tergesen from �To Age Well, Change How You Feel About Aging.�(see How You Feel About Aging)

One yoga tool that Norma has learned in her yoga class is Hansi mudra, gesture of the Inner Smile. It can be helpful in developing and sustaining a positive attitude. The word �Hansi� refers to smiling and laughter and is thought to direct the breath into the upper chest, neck and head, cultivating an experience of joy, lightness and the unfolding of positive qualities. Norma regularly practices this. 

Instructions:

1. In your favorite seated position, with both hands, curl your index, middle, and ring fingers in so the tips of the fingers touch the tips of the thumbs.
2. Extend your little fingers straight out.
3. Rest the backs of your hands on the thighs or knees, or hold your hands by the sides of the body with the little fingers pointing upward (this option works well if you choose to do the mudra in a standing position).
4. Relax your shoulders back and down, and maintain your spine in its natural curves.
5. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths, or as long as you�re comfortable.  

Principle Three: Interventions such as fitness programs combining strength and flexibility along with an engaged lifestyle can apparently reduce and even reverse cognitive and neural decline. 

Norma�s relationship to the third principle of the Forth Age demonstrates that it�s never too late to begin a yoga practice. Some years ago, yoga was offered to residents of her community but she didn�t pursue it because it conflicted with her water aerobics class. That changed about two years ago, and she now attends yoga classes twice a week. She says she committed to attending the yoga classes after the first one: 

�Classes are like a relief or escape from everyday worries. Eyes closed, soft music and pleasant vocal instructions are most welcome and soothing. I feel my benefits from yoga fall into a spiritual category. It�s hard to explain the feeling. I somehow relate it to the release of an anchor freeing a vessel to be seaborne.� 

That last line, �I somehow relate it to the release of an anchor freeing a vessel to be seaborne� is an insightful metaphor, and it would not be surprising to see it pop up in one of her new poems!

She finds the yoga stretches rewarding and says, "I feel I can credit yoga classes to my new-found ability to easily bend down and touch the floor."

In addition to her twice-weekly yoga classes, Norma is creative and engaged with life, her family, and her community. She concentrates on keeping her mind active and her attitude positive. She writes poetry, stories, and plays. Her apartment is filled with books, family photos, and binders of her writing. Her attitude is also apparent in how she dresses and carries herself. Her hair, clothes, and jewelry all give the impression of someone who practices self-care and expresses herself in ways to positively influence her aging process. She is a shining example of an active Fourth Age Yogi.

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Easy Peasy Way to Keep Your Back Happy and Healthy

by Nina

The last few days I've been staying with a friend (a man in his sixties) who doesn�t do yoga, but who is very physically active (hiking, tennis, cycling, etc.) and who also sits at a desk. While we were hiking together  we talked about his back, and what he could do to keep it healthy. I said, I do have one simple suggestion, and I told him about the passive backbend that Timothy recommended in his post Cultivating Healthy Posture with a Simple Restorative Pose. When he asked about buying a prop, I said that I was sure I could find some things in the house we could use. And as soon as we got home, he brought out a rolled up blanket to support his chest and I got a towel from the bathroom to put under his head, and I set him up in the pose for 5 minutes. He loved it! So now he�s going to try to do it on a regular basis, especially on days when he spends a lot of time in front of the computer (he works mostly from home these days). And I asked him to keep me updated on his practice ad the results he sees from it. In the meantime, for all of you out there who may not have read Timothy�s original post (see Cultivating Healthy Posture with a Simple Restorative Pose)  and our post with four different versions of passive backbend (see Featured Pose: Supported Backbend), I thought today I�d remind you about this very simple, very pleasant way of maintaining back health and/or finding relief from mild low back pain. I myself practice it about five days a week, cause, yeah, I�m a writer.

Happy practicing, Bob!

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Video of the Week: Dynamic Triangle Pose, Version 2

Compared to last week's Dynamic Triangle pose, this version increases the strengthening of your legs and the sides of your waist, and mobilizes and stretches your arms and shoulders differently. This is an advanced version of Dynamic Triangle pose, so please watch the video for version 1 before trying this one.

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What to Do When You're Stressed or Angry (or Both)

by Nina

On Peralta Avenue by Nina Zolotow

I have been kind of stressed out lately. Not sleeping well and that kind of stuff. That�s pretty normal for me when I�m worrying about things�personal stuff, family, stuff, the recent tragedy in Orlando, and don�t even get me started on politics. But I�ve also been angry, which is quite unusual for me, and, wow, that�s a really unpleasant feeling, I have to say. Of course, I�ve been doing my go-to 20-minute Legs Up the Wall pose at the end of every practice to try to manage my stress levels. Then on Wednesday I decided I needed more serious treatment, so I took my own advice and did a full-length supported inversion practice, just like the one I wrote about in All About Supported Inversions. And you know what? It was amazing. There was a gradually building up of the effects of the poses so that by the time I got the ending Legs Up the Wall pose, I felt completely different than after just doing that pose solo.

The post All About Supported Inversions that I did on that practice (and those poses) was some time ago, so I just wanted to take a moment to recommend it to you in case you missed it (or forgot about it). So if you're feeling stressed or angry or both, give the practice (or part of it) a try.

But keep in mind, the purpose of using your yoga practice to find equanimity during difficult times isn�t just to make yourself feel better so you can ignore the bad feelings or avoiding taking unpleasant actions. The purpose of equanimity for us householders is to bring yourself to a point where you can think more clearly and not be so reactive. Then you have the opportunity to act in line with your values and ethics. 

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Featured Pose: Half Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Arda Adho Mukha Svanasana)

by Baxter and Nina

Half Downward-Facing Dog pose is a fantastic allover stretch, opening your shoulders and stretching your arms, back, chest, spine, and legs (in versions 1 and 3). So this is a wonderful warm-up pose, and an excellent way to start a practice. The pose accessible to almost everyone, so it�s perfect for those who are new to yoga, who are recovering from an injury, who can�t get up and down from the floor, who have high blood pressure, or who have trouble with inversions causing dizziness. (If you don�t have wall available, you can do the pose with your hands resting on a desktop or counter, or on the seat of a chair.)

Baxter prescribes this for:

• Improving shoulder and arm flexibility and strength
• Opening the upper chest and improving breathing
• Lengthening the spine 
• Low back pain
• Stretching the hips and hamstrings
• Releasing muscle tension due to stress
• Alternative to Downward-Facing Dog for those with cardiovascular or neurologic conditions, such as hypertension or vertigo, with wrist pain, or with limited shoulder mobility
• Antidote stretch for working at a desk, driving, or traveling

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, working up to 1-2 minutes over time. Rest afterwards in Mountain pose and repeat one more time if desired. You can do the versions 1 and 3 of the pose dynamically. Starting in the full pose, inhale and bend your knees a few inches, then exhale and straighten your knees. Repeat for 6 rounds.  

Cautions: People who tend to over-arch their lower backs should relax their front ribs up towards the spine to avoid excessive sway back. People with wrist pain or stiffness may need place fingertips or fists on the wall, instead of having flat palms.

1. Classic Version

To come into the pose, stand facing a wall, about one foot away. With your arms at your sides, bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle. Then place your palms flat on the wall directly in front of your elbows, with your forearms parallel to floor. Bend your knees and push your sitting bones away from the wall. Then, push your hands firmly into the wall and slowly walk away from the wall, keeping your hips directly above your heels as you do so. Stop when your arms and torso make one long line, parallel to floor, with your legs straight, feet hips-distance apart, and head floating evenly between your ears.

Press your hands into wall as you lengthen back through your sitting bones toward center of the room. To stay mindful in the pose, focus either on your breath or on your physical sensations of stretching.

To come out of the pose, bend your knees and slowly walk forward to standing upright, about one foot from the wall. Release your hands from the wall, shake out your wrists and rest in Mountain pose for about 30 seconds. You can repeat the pose a second time.

2. Bent Knees

This version is a good alternative for those who are flexible in the shoulders but who have stiffer legs or who experience lower back pain in the classic version.

To come into the pose, follow the instructions for the classic version, but when your pelvis is over your feet, keep your knees slightly bent, so you feel a bit of stretching in the back of your legs, but no pain in your lower back. (If you do feel pain, try bending your knees a bit more or practice version 4.) Keep your leg muscles strong, and follow the instructions for the classic pose for aligning your feet and head, for lengthening away from the wall, and maintaining mindfulness in the pose.

To come out of the pose, following the instructions for the classic version.

3. Higher Hands

If you can easily do version 2 but cannot do the classic version without shoulder discomfort or pain, this version may be the right one for you. It�s also a good alternative if the classic version is too intense for your legs.

 To come into the pose, stand facing a wall, about one foot away. Place your hands on the wall in front of your shoulders, about shoulder-width apart (they will be higher on the wall than in the classic pose). Then walk back toward the center of the room, stopping when your pelvis is directly over your feet and your arms and torso are slightly angled, forming a long, even line. Straighten your legs, and follow the instructions for the classic pose for aligning your feet and head, for lengthening away from the wall, and maintaining mindfulness in the pose.

To come out of the pose, following the instructions for the classic version. 

4. Higher Hands with Bent Knees

(sorry no photo)

This version is appropriate for people who have tight shoulders, very tight legs, or low back pain, and who cannot comfortably practice any of the other versions.

To come into the pose, place your hands on the wall in front of your shoulders, about shoulder-width apart (they will be higher on the wall than in the classic pose). Bend your knees and push your sitting bones away from the wall. Then, push your hands firmly into the wall and slowly walk away from the wall, stopping as soon as you feel your shoulders tighten or notice any pain. Maintain a slight bend in your knees while keeping your leg muscles strong, and follow the instructions for the classic pose for aligning your feet and head, for lengthening away from the wall, and maintaining mindfulness in the pose.

To come out of the pose, following the instructions for the classic version.

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