Hello, I remarked a few weeks ago that my left hip is markedly higher than the right when I am warmed up in [I]downward facing dog[/I]. I used to look down in front of me and not up toward the navel so that I never realised that. I suppose, but it’s strange since I don’t actually see it, that my right hip must be moving toward the back as I seriously don’t think I have a leg taller than the other. I already knew that some unbalance in the leg existed because I had, when warmed up, a tendency to face to the left with my basin in Samasthiti and that I had more difficulty to place the left leg in Lotus but here it is so striking that I have to do something. In my search for an answer I recently remarked when looking at my feet sitting the leg outstretched wide appart in front of me that my left is not capable to laterally (externally) rotate as much as my right; but as in [I]Downward facing dog[/I] there is more of a medial (inward) rotation at the hip, I conclude that my left hip is simply tighter ? Can somebody advice me regain balance ?
Hello Adrien,
The leveling of the hips/pelvis is an adjustment one’s teacher should be making in class. Have you discussed this with your teacher and if so what has the feedback been?
gordon
No, I have none.
I 've done ashtanga alone for two years I learned through good DVDs. I work now toward complementing my practice with long held poses.
Thanks.
I will try to make precisions for my question : Starting from what I said in my initial post: what is the meaning of this so that I could influence my practice to target this problem, what are the conlusions on different levels I can make out of this lack of balance in the hip, what lessons to learn and what kind of exercise could help me ? Every kind of advice or share of personal expierience which could enlighten me will be much appreciated.
I thank you for your answer Gordon and I can still only comply to what you said since I don’t know if will be able to overcome this alone. But I’d rather take this as a chance to learn more about my body.
Thank you.
hi, adrien.
You actually could have one leg taller than the other, you know. There are also injuries that can show up in your hips that would move them up or down from each other. (Two of my bellydancing comrades are dealing with those right now, with their chiropractors.)
This is definitely a chance to learn more about your body whether you bring an observer/expert in on this or not. I encourage you to do so, because so far your body has spoken to you of this subtly. I do not envy the person whose body needs to start shouting.
I thank you very much.
I 'd really rather think those differences right/left are due to the fact that the left leg or hip probably used to content itself with following the right side. It seems I need to pay particular attention to my left buttocks to stay upright comfortably for a long time in dandasana. I also realised how helpful it is to work on this symetricallity right left for many poses but particularly Paschimottanasana.
I am not at all against a teacher. I will probably have the opportunity to be taught the Iyengar style in a few weeks or month but now I am quite alone.
I 'd really rather think
Here is an opportunity to practice yoga off the mat.
Bonne chance.
I don’t understand. Did I make a mistake ? English is not my mother tongue.
[QUOTE=adrienyogi;25015]…what is the meaning of this so that I could influence my practice to target this problem…[/QUOTE]
You seem to be asking for one meaning. To move from the general to the specific takes time and assessment. That assessment can be one you do with yourself, one accomplished by having a teacher, or one using a combination of these two.
It could simply be a misalignment of the pelvis on one or more of the three axes. Which one and why is a simple question often with a complex answer.
With what you’ve shared, in Adho Mukha, the pelvis simply needs to be adjusted. I’d not be too concerned with what exercises to do or the like - until you’ve been assessed mechanically.
To delve into your own body (learn more about your own body) is absolutely part of the process of Yoga and so it is encouraged (of course). So “yes please” do look inside yourself for yourself. That exploration is far more fruitful than a contracted buttock:-)
Can somebody help me. These guys don’t help me at all. They are too professional, really, they are too qualified. I need beginners, yes, that’s what I need, beginners minds.
You’re welcome.
adrienyogi, I understand that English is not your mother tongue so I hope you understand my post.
You have received valuable feedback from two very qualified and talented teachers here. Your disregard of their answers with your post that you need “beginners minds” is rather rude considering that you never thanked them for taking the time to answer your question. If you don’t want to hear the information you are given, you should think carefully about the question first.
Your disregard and “I’d rather think” comment very firmly suggest you need a teacher. Please find one to help you with this issue. When the student is ready the teacher will appear. I hope you are ready to acknowledge the teachers that are available to you.
adrienyogi – when I called attention to your very well formed and expressive assertion, I intended to illustrate for you that you have chosen a particular cause for your symptom without external visual evaluation by someone who knows what they are looking at. As you say, beginner’s mind will be helpful in this: I suggest you start from the assumption that you have not yet discovered the cause of your imbalance.
The 'net just isn’t a good place to solve this particular problem. This is a face-to-face sort of thing.
I was searching for some person who when reading what I said was willing to share his experience. You know sometimes “experienced teacher” are simply sticking to some status. I never acknowledge anybody as a teacher, guru or what ever before I actually make him my teacher. That is not pretention, if you all think that is, so tell it to me right away, I will be happy to go away. I don’t need to hear a good teacher is helpful I allready know that and that is not what I asked for on that forum off course. I really think that is a rather heavy commentary accompagnying an answer, not an answer. I was and am still searching for truth, that is truth of experience of a person who for some reason when reading that would rightaway understand what I am talking about and want to share and evolve : a talk peer to peer not a false talk of teacher to student. I don’t know how you work here, I only happen to found this site and open a thread just to see. The answer I want to find it by myself because it is the only true way. Finding “what is this body ?” is yoga (also) and you don’t find that answer in book of anatomy. Knowing that you have a spine and how vertabrae are made is one thing, feeling it is another. And even energies and bandhas are much more interesting for me.I know how a basin and the hip joints are made, etc. just to say no I haven’t one leg bigger than the other (at least to this degree) and other things. I am not the fool you seem to expect. I have a very careful practice. And I know many things you don’t know and that is what you should expect from me. I don’t expect somebody who out of pure generosity would advise me for my own good because it doesn’t exist and I don’t want it either, I expect somebody who want to discuss about that issue because he is simply an truly interested and for no other reason.
adrienyogi, you need not acknowledge anyone as your teacher to acknowledge their wisdom and their kindness in attempting to help a stranger.
Both the people who answered you gave you valid points to consider. If you are not open to those I doubt anyone else will venture an opinion.
Good luck, I hope you find what you seek.
You are asking one blind to lead another blind. I do not understand this as so many who do see have already offer so much.
Perhaps the language is a huge barrier and in that case I would like to request that you ask a friend who understands English perhaps better to help you to comprehend the answers already supplied as they all contain valuable insights and guidance.
Alix, thank you for your attempts to mitigate relationships. However I respectfully, yet strongly, disagree with what you said.
I make a last attempt and I complement. I am hoping for somebody who has heard about that or has experienced something like that : I have a hip (joint) tighter than the other. It is a few words but it says much because my left side is something like feebler than the right. For example my right rib cage is slightly but significantly more protruding than the left (I see it in halasana, the plow pose). So I need exercises to play on the sides of the body to wake up the left, I suppose. I can already do that but if sombody had something to share about this it would be appreciated.
What a drama we’ve allowed this to become. And we’re all feeding it, myself included.
We ALL have what you describe Adrien - a tipped pelvis, a tight hip, a greater mobility to twist right than left, a structural issue here and there, a distracted mind…we all have those things. And we ARE discussing them with you.
Further, it seems, we’re all pouring quite a bit into your situation and not a one of us doing it for our own purposes, not for a payment, not for a complement, not for a gratitude. Just from our love of the practice and willingness to share it day after day after day.
No one here has the pretense of guru. We are all equals standing right beside each other. We share what we have as that is all we can share. Sometimes is it exactly what the person on the other end wants. Other times it is not.
If you had a perfectly symmetrical body my dear you would be the first person I’ve come across in 40 + years. We all have imbalances. If we did not there’d likely be no reason for asana at all.
If you are trying to work through an IDENTIFIED imbalance then it is appropriate to work the weaker side for 9 breaths and the stronger for 3. It is also prudent to work down to the level of the weaker side so as to not increase imbalance by doing a lot on the mobile side and only a bit on the immobile (this irrespective of the duration of the pose I just mentioned).
That is what I do in my own body with the imbalances I discover. It is also how I approach teaching my students, when such a thing is warranted. Anything more than this mandates I see your physical practice to draw a complete assessment. Just as you would not go to an auto mechanic and have him guess what is sputtering in your engine.
If you are trying to work through an IDENTIFIED imbalance then it is appropriate to work the weaker side for 9 breaths and the stronger for 3. It is also prudent to work down to the level of the weaker side so as to not increase imbalance by doing a lot on the mobile side and only a bit on the immobile (this irrespective of the duration of the pose I just mentioned).
I will think about this.
When you joked about the buttocks, i think you shouldn’t because they are reallly important. They are the foundation of the sitting postures and much more. I don’t know what school of Yoga you belong to but in what i learned and adhered to in between is situated the mula or root of the nevous system. And I think very subtle adjustment must be found to awaken, by balance, this area. If one doesn’t believe in chakras it doesn’t matter they are just tools, devices to represent what happens the peace arising when the spine is perfectly straight and rising. I suppose without a balance buttocks that is the same effort, the same awakening of the two it is then impossible to “sit” really. I love sitting, I did it only a few times. I am still in the very beginnig of my practice. I think lotus is only a mean to forget (in a way) the legs and all the effort is on/ near the butt. But not effort really. It doesn’t require any it is just sensitivity.