Friday Q&A: Baxter, Are Backbends and Flow Sequences Stimulating or Relaxing?

Judi Friedman, Age 52, photographed by Robert SturmanQ: Nina asked me what I thought about the recent conversation that she and Ram had via email (see Are Backbends Stimulating or Relaxing?) and I couldn’t help but chime in! So here is what I, Baxter, have to say about the effect of more intense poses and practices on the response of the Autonomic Nervous System and therefore on vagal tone:A: Nina, I agree with your anecdotal observations as well...

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The Value of Not Doing

by Richard RosenEnso by Torei EnjiI recently discovered in my files an interview I did with Richard Rosen in 2008 for a book I never wrote that was going to be all about Savasana (great idea, right?). As he always does, Richard had some wonderful things to say, so with his permission, I’m going to share them with you today. Because my questions weren’t particularly compelling and what Richard said was so beautiful, I’ve edited and reorganized the...

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Are Backbends Stimulating or Relaxing?

by NinaMargann Green, Age 77Did anyone besides me notice that in his post Yoga Practices to Optimize Vagal Tone, Ram said included both backbends and flow sequences as asanas that trigger the Relaxation Response? Before I published that article, I queried him about that. Because both from my own person experience and from what I’ve learned from various teachers, I’ve always believed that backbends and flow sequences, especially done rapidly,...

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Can Yoga Help Diabetes?

by BaxterMusa paradisiaca by Maria Sibylla MerianAfter reading Nina’s post False Claims Harm Yoga, I got interested in finding the scientifically grounded information about how yoga can assist in the treatment of diabetes. One of the first studies that popped up was a recent study in China called Effects of 1-year yoga on cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged and older adults with metabolic syndrome: a randomized trial. that looked at a one-year...

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Balance Pose of the Week: Baby In & Out of The Tub

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Friday Q&A: Organ Prolapse and Intra-Abdominal Pressure

White Rose by Melina MezaToday’s question was left as a comment on our post Organ Prolapse and Yoga, which was written by guest contributor Shelly Prosko. Rather than just leaving a short answer in the comments section, Shelly decided to write long, more thorough answer that we could share with all our readers. Thank you, Shelly!Q: Thanks for the more nuanced understanding of this issue. Could you help me understand why uddiyana bandha increases...

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What if We Could Weed Out Avidya (Ignorance)?

by BaxterConstellation Awakening at Dawn by Joan MiroIn her post Ignorance About Ignorance, Nina did a lovely job discussing avidya, a key concept in yoga philosophy that has everyday ramifications for us. In a nutshell, the yogis of old noticed that our everyday unrestrained mind was the underlying culprit not only of our present psychological suffering, but also of our ability to reach many desirable goals regarding health, well-being, and...

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Yoga Practices to Optimize Vagal Tone

by RamMaria Schilt, Age 64In my earlier post on vagal tone Vagal Tone and Yoga, I described the vagus nerve and the wide-ranging tasks it regulates, including heart rate, breathing, respiration and digestion, peristalsis of gut, small intestine and colon, sweating, muscle movements in the mouth, speech, and hearing. The vagus nerve, which is the 10th cranial nerve and the largest of the cranial nerves, starts at the base of the skull and extends...

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Take Your Time: Results from Yoga Practice

by NinaUnfurling Squash Blossom by Melina MezaBecause my post yesterday False Claims Harm Yoga discussed how misleading and/or false claims about yoga can cause serious harm, I decided to rerun an old article of mine about how results from yoga practice take time. In addition to making false claims about the power of certain yoga poses and practices, some of the articles we see out there imply that results are quick and easy (for example,...

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False Claims Harm Yoga

by NinaSpectacled Caiman with a False Coral Snake by Maria Sibylla MerianJust a little rant today. Someone who shall remain nameless shared a link on Facebook to an article titled 6 Yoga Asanas for Healing Diabetes Naturally. The comments on the post were all positive. Isn’t this wonderful!Are you kidding me? First of all, they don’t distinguish between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent...

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Balance Pose of the Week: In & Out of the Tub

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Choosing A Gym – 10 Things To Look Out For

Now you’ve built your motivation for you to start a working out program, the next thing is to decide what gymnasium that you feel relaxed. In case this isn’t, then chances are you aren’t gonna keep with any sort of a plan all of which will sooner end up totally. You’ll know if the gymnasium is for you, you must help yourself and think ahead for your goals in realizing your fitness and health.Bear in mind if the gymnasium isn’t for you, you can surely...

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