Wide angle pose causes anxiety?

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I am new to yoga. I’ve been doing a beginners DVD for about a week or so now. I am loving every minute of it! I gave battled generalized anxiety disorder my whole life. I used to Medicate but a few years ago I attended an exposure therapy class and since then I’ve been medication free and haven’t had a panic attack! In my ET course we learned about the breathing techniques and how to relax muscles for meditation. I’ve become very good at just falling into a relaxed state. So that is a little background info.

My question is… When I am in the wide angle pose my legs are extremely tight. Even though the stretch feels good, I have this extremely excitable sensation in my body. Like something wants to get out. I hold the pose because it does feel good but a part of me just wants to jump up and dance around to release that energy. It only happens during this pose. I’ve tried searching for an answer or someone with similar experience but I’ve got nothing which is why I am here. I’m hoping someone can shed some light either physically or spiritually as to why I getting this sensation?

#2

This pose?

#3

Yes that is the pose. Except the more advanced version with hands reaching in front.

The anxious feeling is not necessarily like a scared feeling but more of an excitement. Like when you get a thrill. An energy rush. It is bizarre. It only happens in this pose and one other but I forgot what it is called.

#4

That’s very interesting. I wouldn’t dwell on it. Just merely noting it (for Yoga) is enough at this stage. If it continues perhaps it’s worth looking into further.

I don’t like to prognosticate when there’s not enough information otherwise it tends to place ideas in the mind of the student.

#5

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I’m alone in this experience. :wink: I will keep at it. I have Element’s ‘Hatha and Flow Yoga for Beginners’ with instructor Tamal Dodge. Do you think this is a good program? Are there others that are better?

#6

There are certainly some experience in the practice that we can and do share, and still others that appear to be ours. Sometimes it’s worthwhile getting into the details of something while other times it’s merely distracting minutia. The key is to discern which is which :slight_smile:

As far as the program you cite, I have no idea. In the beginnings of my own practice (ca. 1999) I did use a video periodically. But it was not my preference and it quickly became a dust-gatherer on a nearby shelf. For me the relationship is important and it’s impossible to have a relationship with a video. However I certainly understand that some can only use a video due to logistical choices et al.

If what you have works for you then it is “right” for you. Otherwise it is not. What I think is irrelevant.

#7

Owcarlindar,
I get exactly (I think) that same sensation when I come into lotus pose. It’s like an adrenaline rush, or that overwhelming jittery feeling that accompanies stage fright. I used to try to figure it out. Now I just breathe through it. I still don’t have a logical explanation for it, but as long as I’m not hurting myself, I just try to ignore the distraction and keep myself calm. It seems to be working.

#8

Yoga Dealer, You are exactly right about the sensation. I believe it is the same thing. Thanks.

#9

The lesson I learned from that chaotic energetic sensation is to pay even more attention to my body in that pose and make sure there isn’t any pain and my joints are ok (especially knees in padmasana, but for you, really watch your hamstring connections to the sitbones and your lower back). The jittery sensation might overwhelm any other subtle feedback from the body. So I mostly take note of the adrenaline sensation as “interesting” and then try to ignore it so I can listen to what the rest of my body is saying. I’ve also learned to not let that distraction interrupt my breathing!

Here’s my suspicion on what’s going on, but I’m not sure. It appears that lotus pose, for me, stirs up some latent energy in my pelvic floor/mula dhara region. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it kundalini, but that’s as close as I can guess at this point.