Hi, I am very new to Yoga and do not have a teacher (work, time, money!) and currently use a dvd to learn. I am really finding the practise wonderful, I am much more supple after just a couple of weeks. The only problem I have is pain between my shoulder blades which won’t shift. As I am trying to teach myself, I could do with some advice on a good asana to help alleviate this pain. It is a tightness across the upper back, and occasional burning sensation across the shoulders. Any advice or help would be appreciated.
Hello BD,
You’d have to offer up much more information than you’ve thus far shared if you want a sound, well thought out answer.
In addition to a bit about you (age, fitness level, health issues) I’d also need info regarding your current practice.
Are you having pain in the asana (postures) practice itself? Particular poses? You are obviously doing the same sequence over and over since it’s a dvd, is that correct? How long is the practice? Which DVD are you using? Are you practicing in the morning or evening and just once per day?
Do you have the pain at night or in the morning? Does it feel better when lying down? Does it feel better with a warm shower?
There just aren’t enough clues here.
OK, sorry about that. I’m 38, slim, but not very fit. I work desk bound all day, one of the reasons I felt yoga would be beneficial.
I get no pain when in the asanas, but have suffered frozen shoulder in the past. I have had upper back and shoulder pain for months now, and hoped that some good postures would help. So, I was hoping someone could advise on a good asana to loosen and releive this area. The pain increases throughout the day and is worst at night when I get home. It is releived by warm baths, but feels no better when lying down. I’m using a dvd a friend gave me, Wai Lana, it’s not strenuous and I find the postures pleasant and feel very relaxed at the end. I have also got a book, and have tried some postures in that- strangely, I find a half shoulder stand feels amazing, and I would have expected that to hurt.
Is this enough info for you?
This does not sound muscular to me.
My general position on therapeutic issues is that they warrant therapeutic approaches.
Many mistakenly believe that yoga=wellness. In fact the formula is Appropriate Yoga = Wellness. So while I’m not familiar with the exact DVD program you are following it is probably not therapeutically inclined.
Though I am not a physician (and you may want to see one) I know some experience relief from Chiropractic. If you’ve had upper back and shoulder pain for months AND you’ve had a frozen shoulder, your body is asking you for a dialogue about something you are doing that it does not care for. Perhaps that means an ergonomic review of your workspace, a change in jobs, diet, or lifestyle, or some deeper work.
Or you can rake the topsoil and try seated Garudasana and Gomukhasana.
Thankyou for the suggestions. I have been trying to correct my awful work posture which I think is a major contributing factor, as I am twisted at my desk, with my right arm extended towards my mouse- very bad! I was hoping some good yoga asanas and pracitse would help to correct some of the damage my bad posture has caused over the years. It is having an effect in that I am more and more aware of when I am putting my spine and shoulders into bad positions. However it is hard to break bad habits, especially when they are ingrained. I am aware that yoga doesn’t = wellness, but I have been told by many friends that it is great for alleviating joint and muscular pains and for correcting poor posture.
I will try the asanas you suggested, and try to stay within my bodys’ limits- there’s a terrible drive topush a bit further, like in aerobic excercise, which as far as I can gather is not the idea with yoga!
Well put.
If you work for a company of any value then they would want to go out of their way to assist you ergonomically. That is contrasted with a workman’s compensation suit for which they will have to pay dearly.
Your friend’s comments about yoga and helping comes back to appropriate yoga. this is especially so if you are talking about spine and joint health. Many teachers are merely taught a sequence which they may or may not vary. Few have any idea what to do with those who cannot do. If you were to work with a skilled teacher I am certain you could, over time, develop a yoga protocol for ameliorating the issues with your spine and shoulder. But those things take years to insert into you and a corresponding amount of time (often) to get them back out of you.
Some yoga seems to advocate “pushing” or your “edge”. And that may even be okay however the terms themselves are widely open to interpretation and therefore create vastly different actions in each and every student hearing the instruction. So “no” please do not “do”, “achieve”, or “push”. By the same token if you are like a Sloth please get off your rear and move.
Ha! I walk to work and back every day so that gets my ass moving for at least 1 hour a day! Thanks for all the advice and info, really useful stuff. I will persevere with the yoga, it may help with my problems, and in the meantime I enjoy the feeling of stillness at the end of a session, and the increase in general flexibility that it’s giving me.
If you are “new to Yoga,” you should begin with an understanding of what truly is Real Yoga. “Yoga” is a Sanskrit/Hindu word and means “to yoke Atmana (individual Soul) and Brahmana (Soul Source).” The various (Real)Yogas (and the prefix needs to be used for clarity) are the religious means by which Hindus realize this goal of Spiritual-Realization: Karma Yoga (ethics), Bhakti Yoga (devotion), Raja Yoga (contemplation) Jnana Yoga (enlightenment). These are the FACTS of Real Yoga.
Sadly, what is being passed off as “yoga” today is a complete distortion of the facts and actually amounts to religious bigotry against the Hindus. Not only is the egocentric move to divorce Yoga from Hinduism bad enough but also the creation of “the business of yoga” particularly crass. Though there will be responses from the phony yoga crowd, there are no facts to back-up their dogmatism. So, if you are “new to Yoga,” simply do your research, and thus, you can avoid being blind-sided.
If you want to study Real Yoga/Hinduism, simply find a qualified Hindu to teach you. You, of course, do not have to be a Hindu to study the Hindu/Yogic religion, but (true to any religion) the teacher will, of course, be a qualified Hindu.
Hmmm. Nice idea but I have neither the time (I work full time and have 2 children, I commute, I am incredibly stretched!) nor the money for tuition. Also, I have no need of a religious aspect to my practices, and don’t think I need a ‘qualified Hindu’. I will continue with my practise, and as I get better, learn more and understand more I am sure I will see benefits, not only physical but emotional and mental. I have a couple of good books which have given me a lot of info on the various paths in yoga, written by people in the know (i.e. not nice ladies in leotards!) which were recommended to me by a good friend and long time yoga devotee.
I don’t think that people trying out yoga without all the things you suggest are guilty of any bigotry, and I find that a rather blinkered thing to state. I am not a ‘wannabe’ Hindu, I have my own religious beliefs, and see absolutely no reason why I cannot incorporate yoga into my life without a ‘qualified Hindu’ to teach me!
Dear BellaDonna,
You apparently don’t want to go into an indepth study of Yoga/Hinduism which is fine, however, don’t be misled as to the true nature of Yoga. Simply do the least bit of research and you will discover that all of Real Yoga is Hinduism. What is being passed-off as “yoga” today, is very much an insult to the real thing. Our web site classicalyoga.org has all the FACTUAL information about Real Yoga/Hinduism.
Well, I shall be sure to check out your website when I get a moment. I am not sure the that when I asked a question in a therapeutic area of a forum I really need religious information- I also think you do not know how deep I intend to go with my studies and so your assumption that I want to remain ignorant of the ‘FACTUAL’ information on yoga is a little off base. I stated that I didn’t feel Hinduism was for me at present and a Hindu teacher is not practical with my current lifestyle- people do need to accept that some of us do not have the time or money to get this kind of teaching, so we look to dvd’s, books and helpful experienced practioners on sites such as this. We don’t necessarily need to be told that we need ‘FACTS’ that only a Hindu can provide or we are wasting our time.
I enjoy my practise, and I am getting benefit from it- I think these kinds of comments are only likely to put people like me off. If we’re not doing it the ‘FACTUAL’ way we are wasting our time seemes to be the message you are giving me. Which doesn’t help my back at all! However, the advice given by IA has been very helpful and I am continuing to learn and grow.
Bella,
You are obviously choosing to miss the point. There is no Real Yoga without Hinduism. So, no matter where you post the relevant point is that Hatha (the one you mean) Yoga and all forms of Real Yoga is about Hinduism. To deny this fact is really to enter the sorry state of religious bigotry–if one is “put-off” by this fact, so be it.
Hatha Yoga has great physical benefits, indeed, but please do not insult us (Hindus) by unethically divorcing our sacred Hatha Yoga from Hinduism. If, as you say, you “have you own religion,” then, please respect ours. To help you out with your back, Savasana, Paschimottasana, Uttanasana and Matsyendrasana are gentle asanas and great for healing the back.
Remember anyone, who so chooses, can study the various Hindu/Yogas. Of course, this then implys one must find Hindu books and/or Hindu teachers. If one wanted to study Christianity, would they not go to Christian books and/or a Christian teacher?
I am not insulting ‘you’, I am saying that I am not a biogot just because I do not have the time or money to have a Hindu yoga teacher, or because I do not want to study Hinduism.
I think you are deliberately missing my point, and you are making me feel like I should not even be trying to learn about yoga unless i find a Hindu to teach me. This is a ridiculous thing to say, and to say I’m a religious bigot is beyond rude. I am a pagan (my particular path is my own business), I know a little about bigotry, and I deeply resent the insinuation. I am not ‘put off’ by Hinduism, I am put off by [I]your[/I] comments. If you read my posts you will be able to see that.
Now, I have asked for help on Yoga therapy and have ended up a bigot- enough of this I think. My shoulders are now extremely tense!!
Classyoga, pardon my ignorance here, but I hope I understand you correctly. So, if I haven’t got access to a “real” Hindu as a teacher, I must stop yoga immediately, because any other “phony yoga” wouldn’t be correct and therefore useless?
That’s my problem with the postings from Classyoga, but you put it better!