• cracking, popping, noisy joints in yoga

    by mariette tahcdjian

    Cracking joints, popping, clicking, noisy, snapping. Sound familiar? For many of us, these are the sounds our joints make when we ease our way into certain asanas, or just simply as we move about during the day. For a few of us, the voices that are unique to our physiology can also be alarming , or even annoying, but for most, it is a habitual thing we get used to at some point in our lives.

    We all have, or will sooner or later experience various degrees of stiffness in our joints, resulting in cracking, noisy joints or popping sounds when mobilized. Unless you are a newborn baby (and how lucky if you are), muscle and joint stiffness is an inevitable part of the aging process. It is not uncommon for stiff joints to crack during morning yoga practice when the overnight buildup of interstitial fluids (fluids which accumulate between tissue spaces) and dormant muscular energy can still be felt.

    Elbows, knees, vertebrae, fingers and toes are all subject to an unexpected “snap”, “pop” or “crack,” unless of course we go into our asanas in a very gentle and purposeful way. Even then, for some yogis, crouching down to a delicious sacrum-opening squat (like Malasana) almost always results in a sharp crack shooting right out from the knees.

    However some yogis may intentionally produce these mysterious noises. For example, by standing in tadasana and placing both hands on your sacrum while taking a slight back bend, one can easily create a single crack or series of cracks all along the spine as you bend deeper. This is likened to the spinal adjustment your chiropractic delivers, which for some is tied to a sense of relief and release. Of course, this kind of adjustment would not be recommended for everyone.

    So what causes these crazy sounds (cracking joints) to emanate from our physical bodies? Well, according to orthopedic surgeons, one theory is that the ligaments that connect bone to bone make these noises as they cross over the joints every time you move. Another theory is that tiny bubbles of gas accumulate around a joint, and when these gases are released, joint cracking occurs. Whatever the real cause is, it seems that we are reminded of the divinity of our physical bodies, and of our fascinating human anatomy, whenever these sounds arise from inside of us.

    Since we don’t completely understand this phenomenon, at least in the sense of allopathic or “Western medicine,” does it mean we can go on cracking forever? In other words, is it harmful to continuously engage in this symphony of snaps, crackles and pops (cracking joints)? After all, some people will habitually do the old knuckle cracking, toe cracking or whatever maneuver that feels good to them.

    Well, medical research has yet to discover the long-term negative effects of cracking joints. Even the popular notion that joint cracking may lead to arthritis in the long run has no scientific basis. The only time you should be worried is if you experience pain, swelling or decreased function, or if the joint gets stuck or locked when it pops or cracks. These signs could mean that there is a more serious underlying issue that necessitates immediate medical attention.

    Otherwise, there is not much to worry or ponder over. As common sense would dictate, you should seek medical attention if something does not feel right or feels different than usual.

    So go ahead fellow yogi, go deep with your ustrasana, malasana; and don’t be afraid to work your edge, even if it means you gotta pop it, crack it, click it or snap it. After all, you are not dislocating a joint or anything…?

  • 孕婦瑜伽

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    瑜伽強調身心靈的連結,一般人要真正感受到身心靈的連結需要花一些工夫與時間,但是孕婦卻是得天獨厚的,能立即透過身心靈的具體變化,來感受到連結的喜悅。一個生命從無到有的完整過程,一個身體變成兩個身體的奇妙連結。

    孕婦瑜珈所強調的不是體位法的變化與調整,最重要的是提昇感性與靈性的成份,媽媽要先知道什麼叫做愛,學會感受身體、擁抱身體,學會親近自己、接納自己,因為媽媽的心情是直接影響到孩子。

    透過孕婦瑜珈,可以讓媽媽的身體擁有適度而和緩的運動,也能讓媽媽的心充滿愛的能量,進而讓寶寶感受愛的喜悅,不只媽媽的身心靈獲得連結,連寶寶的身心靈也獲得了連結,更重要的是讓母與子之間的愛更加流暢無阻。母子之間從身心靈的連結,到人我的連結,正是慈悲(愛)、平等(和平)、全然接受(喜悅)的具體展現。

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  • 用正念來聽從身體

    以舒適的姿勢坐下或躺下,花點時間讓自己靜下來,跟著自然的呼吸放輕鬆,輕柔地掃描你的全身,放鬆眉毛和下巴,肩膀自然下垂,繼續往下放鬆雙手,試著不要在身體中引發任何不必要的壓力。

    哪一各部位最難受或最痛,讓你不得不多加注意?將充滿接納性的覺照放在難受的部位上,注意一下,當你與這痛苦同在時,發生了甚麼變化?你有沒有發現一種微妙的、想要排拒它的企圖?想要斬斷它、抵擋它、遠離它?你感到恐懼害怕嗎?你也許會發現,當你想要抗拒痛苦時,身心就像拳頭一般緊縮?心裡保持活在當下,讓不愉快的覺受如實呈現。

    將排拒痛苦的反應緩和下來,鬆開抗拒的拳頭,保持開放接納。你越能跟開闊寬廣的覺性連結,就愈能與掘受同在、愈能讓它們自然呈現。試著把你的覺性當成環繞在痛苦四周的柔緩虛空,讓不愉快的覺受漂浮在這覺性中。

    安住在這開闊性中,接下來更精準地將覺照放在覺受不停轉換的疼痛處,你究竟感覺到甚麼?覺得灼熱、疼痛、扭曲、記凍、撕裂或刺痛?這痛楚是否像是個死結,或是帶狀般緊縮著?這個部位是否有被重物壓迫或是碾碎的感覺?這些不愉快的覺受到達最強食,是擴散開或集中在某一處?你的觀察是否令它們起了甚麼變化?繼續保持無慣性反應及柔緩的觀照來進行探索,讓所有痛苦覺受漂浮在一種開放接納的狀態中。

    當痛苦多到讓你感到”受不了”時,別批判自己的慣性反應,用任何能讓你舒適自在的方式照顧自己。即使每次你只練習一會兒,假以時日,這正念痛苦的練習就會讓你越來越平靜,你會越來越容易放下對苦受的抗拒,並開放地接納。

  • 瑜伽與運動傷害

    練習瑜伽時,追求的不是體位的完美展現,而是當下身與心的最美妙平衡,一定要仔細注意過程中的體驗與感受,在可能的範圍內盡量的伸展,但是要保持讓自己的心與身體同在,這樣才能在超出極限之前適時停止,這中間微妙的平衡點,要靠心的覺知去探索。

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  • 愛自己的療癒瑜伽

    在你們的身上,我看到深度放鬆的成效;
    在你們的臉上,我見到愉悅舒暢的面容;
    在你們的班上,我感到專注投入的氣氛;
    在療癒瑜伽中,一起釋放愛自己的能量。

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