Gripitz and Wheel Pose

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#21

[QUOTE=yalgaar;21270]…Now about the Gripitz, which was my orginal question. Your reply kind of implied it is not going to do any good. But based on what I read about it and what I have been advised from other threads, it seems like Gripitz is the right thing for pain in wrist when doing such poses. Do you not agree with that?[/QUOTE]

I’ve intentionally avoided this thread in part because I feel as though the answer around wrist issues has been fully developed in other threads perhaps several times over and in part because these sorts of threads tend to get mucky very quickly.

When the student is properly taught they are taught to discern the difference(s) between discomfort, pain, and injury. Each of these is a valuable communication to the student about the nature of their Self, delivered via the practice. When we do not listen to the feedbacks, when we mask it with Ego, medications et al, then we rob ourselves of getting closer to our true nature. That is asteya. A student who has mastered the yamas and niyamas before entertaining an asana practice is less apt to err in this manner.

The GripItz, like many props, are designed to allow the student to reap the effects of a pose while mitigating risk. Ergo, for some students, modifying their practice WHILE HEALING THEIR WRISTS is completely appropriate. For other students it may be prudent to avoid this or that. It simply depends on the context.

If the student is insistent, as they sometimes are, on continuing that which the teacher feels is “not in their best interest” then off they go and we’ve done our best in that process of their learning. Clearly some students need injury to learn.

I have used the gripitz myself and with students. It can assist in facilitating the continuation of practice but it does not provide a therapeutic component for most wrist issues. Therefore it is not healing but rather modification while healing.

gordon

#22

:([QUOTE=Willem;21387]Your doctor will probably tell you that the normal range of motion for wrist extension is 80 degrees. Attempting poses that require 90 degrees of wrist extension at an early stage can only lead to pain and injury. It is possible to modify some of the poses to avoid excess ROM. E.g. fingers pointing backwards in dandasana (staff pose). E.g. a book under your wrists in downward dog. Wheel pose also moves your wrists beyond normal ROM AND inevitably puts half of your body weight on to them. Is this the cause of your wrist pain? For minor injury, please allow 4 - 6 weeks of rest (no weight bearing) to allow for healing to take place.
[/QUOTE]

Plan to see the doctor soon. Life has just been very hectic to make it. Thank you very much for all the details. Helps me understand things so much better. Yes I believe the pain I get in my wrist are due to having weight on my wrist while they in 90 degrees. I have stopped doing all those poses. My wrists now seem to be fine. I will not be doing any of those poses now until I see the doctor.

[QUOTE=Willem;21387]
I’ve been following your other posts for a while. I like your enthousiasm, and your questions are stimulating, but I get the impression that your need for advancement is somewhat too rajasic. You are certainly exploring your limits with wheel pose and urine neti (which is not even mentioned in hatha yoga texts). Could it be that you desire something very badly, or that you want to get rid of something very badly? Is it sleep apnea?
[/QUOTE]

I just read a little about “Rajassic Desires” after reading your post. I will have to agree that you are right on that. I also think that some of my desires might also me tamsic. It seems that is part of my personality. I am not sure why I am like this or how I can change it. I am yet to understand all this in more depth to make lifestyle changes. But for some reason my desires are alsways so strong. I really am not able to help myself. It could be any desires. For example, even if someday I realize that it is too bad to have rajassic and tamsic desires, I might want to give them up and be 100% sattvic. But if I know me, I would want to be and desire to be sattic also in the same way. I would have desires to be sattvic in a rajasic or tamsic way. Do I make any sense?

What I mean is no matter what, my desires are always strong. Anything and everything I desire in life becomes the center of my world. I know this is interpreted as something not good, or bad or wrong. But I have yet to confirm this. Sometimes strong desire is just a sign of strong determinitation. What is wrong about it? Don’t we always say, if you want something bad enough you will get it. What’s wrong about getting something bad enough? Why is it considered as wrong? or bad? or harmful?

To conclude on the desires, yes I have many many desires that I want to fulfill very badly. I work hard towards it. Yes to get rid of sleep apnea is just 1 of them. To be able to do all advanced asanas with ease is another one. To be in excellent health is another one. Yes I desire all this very very badly. Maybe in a tamsic way. Really don’t know how to change that. Don’t even know if I want to change that. Don’t even know why should I want to change that?

[QUOTE=Willem;21387]
In the end, practicing on your own may cause some harm and thereby delay your progress. Why not seek out an excellent teacher or yoga therapist? Just a few hours of private instruction could allow you to advance more rapidly at lower risk. We all suffer from avidya (lack of knowledge) and a teacher can help to clarify things and show by example what the word sattvic means. Provided that the teacher is a yogi and walks his/her talk, or course. Lacking a teacher, please listen very carefully to your inner teacher. Admittedly, this could be difficult before you develop your listening skills, as you have demonstrated.
[/QUOTE]

I agree with you. But I am actually putting lots and lots of efforts to find a yoga teacher but have not been able to find one that makes sense so far. Maybe I am not looking at the right places. Maybe I have re-think my expectations. Don’t know how come I can’t find a teacher that would make sense to my goals. I just can’t. I do try to listen very carefully to my inner teacher. Like I have mentioned several times before this forum is my best teacher. All you guys have helped me so much. I would have no way known all that I know right now without all you awesome loving people here.

[QUOTE=Willem;21387]
If you really need a teacher, the teacher will appear. And some people will go to great lengths to find one. I have witnessed people flying several hours in one day just to see one of my teachers for one hour. Amazing, isn’t it?[/QUOTE]

I keep readind this so many times, so many places. But the teacher has not appeared to me yet. :(:frowning: Sometimes I wonder don’t I really need a teacher? How come one does not appear yet? I need one so badly.

#23

I was merely asking questions. There is nothing wrong with determination and desire as long as you are aware of them. If you want to be a yogi, there is a question of balance. On the one hand, discipline, and on the other hand, non-attachment, surrender, and letting go. Check out yoga sutras I-12 throught 1-16 if you like.

Nichole and I pointed out some teachers before. Look up Hamsa Stone [http://www.stoneyoga.com/ or](http://www.stoneyoga.com/ or)Bonnie AmarJyothi Pariser at http://www.yoga-loka.com/ for highly skilled and trained Yoga therapists in your area. They may be able to help you or refer you on. I would be very much surprised if you stumbled on a yogic or ayurvedic remedy for sleep apnea on your own. I would also be surprised if you managed “advanced yoga poses” without some more discomfort like painful wrists, or worse. A private lesson could be much less painful then sniffing urine! :smiley: But in the end, it is your choice.