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Old 03-26-11, 10:55 PM  
prisma
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Alabama!
Kundalini newbie question

After reading a recent thread on Kundalini yoga, I got out my RaviAna Beginners and Beyond DVD and gave it a try. Right now, I do Iyengar yoga pretty exclusively (through a class) because that's what's available to me. In my previous city, I did Hatha yoga that incorporated a lot of breath work. So...while I have made a lot of progress physically with the Iyengar yoga, I know I'm missing out on a whole other side of things and would like to give Kundalini a try at home.

That said, I had a couple of questions I would like feedback on. The first is my back. Back when I did hatha yoga, my upper back would always begin to ache when we sat in meditation very long. It definitely did this during the RaviAna DVD. I kind of had to clench my teeth to get through it. Does anyone have advice/suggestions on how to handle this?

The other thing I noticed was that in the spinal series I did on the beginner's DVD, I couldn't flex nearly as much back and forth (or side to side) and as fluidly as Ana. I'm imagining that'll come with practice, right?

The fact that I had these problems tells me my body is asking me to work on them...but the aching upper back does give me a little dread factor with doing it again. But I would love to experience the energized feeling that people have talked about. After I did my attempt at the first spinal series, I was kind of drained and wiped out.

If anyone has words of advice, I'd love to hear them!
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Old 03-27-11, 04:18 AM  
CarlaShanti
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Don't worry about keeping up with Ana. Close your eyes (they're meant to be closed anyway) and just go at your own pace. For the backache during meditation, shift, change positions, shake it out, do whatever you need to do to be comfortable. Your practice should challenge but not hurt you. If you are in pain, make adjustments.

Sat nam!
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Old 03-27-11, 09:45 AM  
glavtx
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: texas
I'm not sure what causes your upper back pain, but have you tried sitting on a pillow? It's a suggestion from some other yoga dvds, and could help. Are you in good alignment?
I have some meditation CDs, too, and they even say you can sit upright in a chair, with your feet touching the ground.
The main thing, I think, is to meditate, and not be aware of your body, so if the sitting cross legged makes you hurt, it's interfering with that.
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Old 03-30-11, 02:55 PM  
TuesdayTaylor
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Canada
I"m a big fan of Ravi & Ana workouts and have good results from them. That said, the title you mention - it's my least favourite workout of all of their dvds! Not that it's bad - I think the exercises are great and the music is lovely. I Just find the exercises difficult almost awkward. And the spinning in the Tibetan rites portion - about 60 percent of the time I end up feeling sick to my stomach! I would recommend their Yoga Beauty Body or perhaps their Fat Free yoga; their 2011 releases are wonderful too.

And yes, your spine gets more flexible over time. Definitely don't try to emulate Ana - she's incredibly flexible and has a specific sort of body (rather opposite than mine!).

I'd definitely sit on a pillow or try a couch or straightback chair.
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Old 03-30-11, 07:18 PM  
dianestjohn
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Orange County, CA
I agree with TuesdayTaylor, Beginners and Beyond is my least favorite of all the Ravi/Anas. I sometimes worry that beginners will be put off Ravi/Ana by starting with that one. The spinal exercises go on too long at the expense of leaving out other exercises, IMO, and the 5 Tibetans can be so difficult.

I would also recommend Yoga Beauty Body, my all-time favorite, and also Fat Free Yoga Total Tuneup, Fat Free Yoga Lighten Up and Purify, Fat Free Yoga Lose Weight and Feel Great, Transformer, and Ultimate Stretch. If you like to dance you could try Dance the Chakras, the second part is dancy - I'm not dancy but I trust Ravi/Ana so much that I do it anyway
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Old 03-30-11, 08:56 PM  
toaster
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Western NY
Prisma, from practicing Iyengar, you know that props are acceptable, right? Many yoga teachers of various disciplines encourage the use of a blanket or cushion under the buttocks when seated to tilt the pelvis forward and put the spine into proper alignment. There are also meditation pillows (zafu), and sitting in a chair is a perfectly fine option as well; comfort and proper alignment should be paramount.

Regarding your other question, I can't flex as much as Ana either, but then again, I also can't go as deeply into many hatha yoga poses as instructors do; I just do the best I can.
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