Research shows an increase in the number of geriatric diseases in aging populations around the globe. Specifically, there are more older people getting diagnosed with ADS. While scoliosis can be diagnosed as idiopathic, some research suggests that it is also due to hormonal changes during puberty, perimenopause/menopause.

An interesting find from a nurse out of Lurie’s Children’s Hospital in Chicago who went into business for herself specializing in bracing children and infants ~ Research findings at Lurie’s Children’s Hospital are suggesting it’s an autoimmune disorder. That research, however, is still being examined and investigated.

Some facts –

80% of females are affected by scoliosis vs 20% of men. Research also shows that neuromuscular diseases, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia increase the risk of getting adult degenerative scoliosis.

The causes of scoliosis – genetic utero, developed at puberty or menopause, or is secondary to a neuromuscular disease.

If you are starting to see the following:

• Your height changes aggressively in a short period
• You start leaning forward a lot or rounding your shoulder/back
• You notice one hip sticks out further than the other
• Your noticing leg length discrepancies
• Your lung capacity has decreased
• You feel like the bottom of your rib cage is hitting the top of your pelvis when you sit
• You can’t get comfortable and your spinal column hurts (or at least a portion of it)
• Because your shoulders and/or hips are asymmetrical, your clothes stop fitting properly •         You often lose your balance

And if you notice any of this, schedule an Orthopedic doctor’s appointment. Within the Chicago market, Dr. Christopher DeWalk with Rush and Dr. David Manning with Northwestern (Head of Ortho @ Northwestern, will refer you out to the correct specialist within his practice) are highly recommended by my client base ~ I hear their names over and over. If you don’t live within the Chicagoland area, call these two resources, talk to the doctor’s nurse, and ask her who he would recommend in your area. You can also call Mayo Clinic’s Orth Div and ask for a referral.

Pls note: take heed with making sure the Ortho doc’s focused specialty is in fact scoliosis – this is definitely an expertise within itself. POV – don’t go to a shoulder Ortho or a Hip Ortho or even a knee Ortho – go to the big dog within the practice whose specialty is scoliosis. He/she will understand all the nuances involved in the changes going on within your structure.

Once you find an Ortho Specialist for Scoliosis, I highly recommend you insist on scheduling a full spinal scan – from the cervical spine through the tailbone. Often enough my client’s doctor only orders an x-ray of where the curvature seems most prevalent. But here’s the thing – what’s happening with your cervical spine (is your head tipped?) Your pelvis? Is one ASIS higher than the other? Why is one leg shorter (or seems to be) than the other? Does one hip swing out more than the other? When the pelvis is uneven and one femur is setting into the pelvis more securely than the other, the X-ray will give you this information. What about your tailbone? What is its shape?

Be your own advocate and insist on this and now you have a thorough depth of knowledge knowing what’s going on inside your physical structure. Pardon me – I can’t tell you how strongly I suggest a full body x-ray – cervical through the tailbone.

The medical testing diagnosis of scoliosis includes:

• X-ray imaging
• Cobb Angle Measurement: 20 degrees is considered mild; 20-50 degrees is considered; moderate. Above 50 degrees is considered severe scoliosis and fusion surgery is usually recommended.

What exactly is Scoliosis?

A disorder of the spine causing:

• Lateral shifting of the spine
• A rotation of the vertebrae and ribs “s” or “c” shaped curve

There are two types of curves:

• Structural curve: misalignment of the bones (which can be managed and strengthened)

2-3% of the population have Structural Scoliosis, and an estimated 7-9 million in the US, or 1/10 persons are structural. With Structural Scoliosis, 75-85% are idiopathic, 10-15% are congenital scoliosis, and 10% secondary to a neuromuscular disease

• Functional curve: imbalance of the muscles (can be fully corrected permanently) 80-90% of the population have Functional. Functional scoliosis is a muscle imbalance and can be corrected. It is an imbalance of the bilateral muscle functioning of the back, without altering the bony structure. What’s its cause – repetitive habits that cause a lateral shift of the spine
  • Holding a child on one hip, carrying a heavy bag on one side, poor postural habits, etc.
  • Leg length discrepancy
  • Can be reversed with yoga, Pilates, or other modalities

Let’s define vertebrae and the four natural curves

Your vertebrae are the small bones that make up your spinal column. These vertebrae stack on top of each other, separated by intervertebral discs. These bones protect your delicate spinal cord, which sends and receives information from your brain to the rest of your body. Your spine consists of 4 curves (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral/coccyx) and 33 vertebrae – 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 9 sacrum/coccyx – the sacrum/coccyx fuse at about the age of 26 to support the weight and structure of shoulders and hips.

Scoliosis will cause your vertebrae to move against each other more than they should. This can stretch and pinch your surrounding nerves, ligaments, and muscles, causing pain.

Muscles affected by the curvature(s)

• All Bilateral muscles in the body
• Intercostal muscles
• Diaphragm
• Erector Spinae muscles
• Latissimus Dorsi
• Trapezius muscle
• Rhomboid muscles
• Quadratus Lumborum muscles
• Iliopsoas muscles
• Core musculature

The characteristics of Scoliosis that no one probably ever told you (but now this makes sense)…

• Central Nervous system is overactive ~ sympathetic nervous system/fight or flight. Fun fact – the sympathetic nervous system lies in the thoracic spine. If your curvature is anywhere in the thoracic spine, your sympathetic nervous system is impacted. Why? Because the spine is trying to bring your head back to center so that it will sit correctly on the axis of the skull.
• Your balance is off
• Core/leg strength are highly affected
• Lung capacity is greatly affected, and breadth is shallow and uneven in the diaphragm/intercostal muscles
• You don’t know their center
• You tend to spasm easily – the spasming will be in the concavity.
• Prescription eyesight is different

Loren Fishman, MD is the medical director of Manhattan Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in New York City, the author of eight books, and the author or editor of more than 70 academic articles. His research studies prove that yoga for scoliosis is an instrumental aid to those with scoliosis in utilizing the modality of yoga. The Serial Case Reporting Yoga for idiopathic and degenerative scoliosis is a very thorough research article he authored. And of course, I love his research on Yoga poses to reduce the curves in degenerative and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

At Dayton Children’s Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, Pilates for Scoliosis is part of the medical treatment plan for eligible patients with scoliosis.

I talk to new clients all the time who say to me “My doctor told me there is nothing I can do for my scoliosis. That can’t be further from the truth. My mission within this article is to improve, as much as possible, the lives of people living with scoliosis and raise advocacy and awareness.

A daily 10-minute (no less) Shivasan is imperative. My YouTube channel has over 50 free videos for you to refer to as a resource choice and learning of lengthening, derotating, and strengthening your curvatures. No matter what the curve in your back looks like, it’s imperative to focus on building strength and improving your posture through the modalities of Yoga for Scoliosis and Pilates for

Scoliosis. After all, we always feel better when we come move more freely and be out of pain.

What should your overall weekly practice consist of – it has to be this formula to see positive changes:

1. myofascial release – you can’t move the bones into their proper structure unless this is practiced. A massage would do the same thing.
2. joint mobility (the muscle can only strengthen fully if the joint is mobile and in alignment).
3. understanding the learning of hugging the curvature into the midline, lengthening out of the concavities, and derotating the curve pattern(s) thru ScolioYoga and then keeping all of this correction within the structure,
4. to strengthen the muscle group just lengthened thru Pilates for Scoliosis or Reformer for Scoliosis
5. encompass a practice of rewiring the brain in specific pranayams and shivasans.

The challenge is that – you have to do the work. If you don’t have a home discipline, nothing will decrease (or at least halt) your curvature. It could be as simple as 5 minutes daily plus a 10-minute Shivasan daily. Why is the shavasana imperative? It rewires the brain AND calms the sympathetic nervous system. An added bonus to this is from staying in the posture for a 10-minute segment, in a short period of time, you will find your shoulders and pelvis more square. Many of my clients state that this simple posture has totally relieved their lower back pain because their pelvis becomes more symmetric.

About the author ~

Linda Benton is a Certified Yoga Therapist and Certified Scoliosis and Back Care specialist and President of ScolioYoga, LLC. She holds over 20 years of experience in teaching Yoga and Pilates. As a Certified Yoga Therapist for Scoliosis, Advanced Pilates for Scoliosis and Reformer Certified, she customizes 1:1 sessions (virtual or in studio) to teach you a home practice to make you Scoliosis STRONG thru, therapeutic movements and techniques utilizing the modalities of Yoga and Pilates for Scoliosis.

This pose will elongate the concave side of the ribs and waist and shift a forward hip back toward the midline. Benefits to this pose includes stretching the spine, armpits, shoulders, quadratus lumborum (the QL is the most under stretched muscle in the body and responsible for side tipping) and belly.

Tipping to the concave side is taught differently than to the convexity. When stretching the concave side, really stretch out of that side while plugging the shoulder blade of the convex side in. Watch for rib flare. The left bottom rib will want to roll in. Roll the back of the right ribs forward.

When tipping to the convex side – reach diagonally (don’t tip over to the side) – to where the wall meets the ceiling. Bend the elbow of the convex side to plug the convexity into the back body. While reaching the concave side hand to where the wall meets the ceiling, note to keeping the ribs parallel.

While this posture tips, keep the spine of the neck long – do your best not to let an ear rest on the upper arm you are tipping to. However, if you have a cervical curve (very common) the head is going to want to tip into the cervical curve pattern.

This pic doesn’t show it but I would also recommend putting a vertical yoga block in the inner/upper thigh. This will do two things – keep the pelvis even AND strengthen the legs. Leg muscles are weak, a hip swing is prevalent in scoliosis. I recommend getting the best benefit of strengthening the legs in standing postures, like this by simply using a yoga block – inner/upper thigh. Note: I prefer a yoga block with a vertical line on it – so the student can see if the block is truly vertical or is it tipped? If the block is tipped, so is the pelvis…..

Note: I caution all readers to remain within their limits and adhere to the advice of their doctors. Never go into any posture for more than seven ujjayi breaths (maybe less) as a characteristic of scoliosis is spasming. Up to seven ujjayi breaths is best and highly recommended.

Ardha Uttanasana @ the wall

This version of Ardha Uttanasana stretches and lengthens your hamstrings, calves and front and back body including the full erector spinae and is a great choice for all four curve patterns.

By using traction at the wall like this, it is a back and spine strengthener which in turn improves posture. It improves digestion stimulating abdominal organs and belly. Indigestion and GERD is a common characteristic of scoliosis because the spine isn’t long – the concavity will drop organs together instead of letting them sit in their proper place within the . Lengthen, derotate for up to seven ujjayi breaths (maybe less but never more) and then do your strengthening posture to make this stick. The lengthening and derotating will last maybe 48 hours. By adding strengthening to the muscle group you just lengthened, you will get far great results that will last longer.

Many of my clients are fearful to go into One Rope Adho Mukha Shivasan (copy and paste this url from my Linda Benton YouTube channel for this posture demonstrated https://youtube.com/shorts/o_5CqA3nNeQ?feature=share) – this is a great beginning posture that doesn’t cause anxiety AND a great traveling pose.

This is also a great pose for kyphosis as the curvature from the kyphosis (in the thoracic spine) moves down vs it’s curving out. Cues – widen the width of the arms, spin both flat palms out and keep the spine of the neck long (lift the back of the head) vs allowing the chin to nod in (promoting kyphosis). This will assist in moving the upper and mid thoracic spine into the back.

For a spine with lordosis, the caution would be to allow a further anterior tilt of the pelvis – the pelvis is already forward (also shortening the psoas and weakening of the psoas and hamstrings). Before you move into this posture, I recommend putting a yoga block between the inner/upper thighs (also noted below in the correction of a left lumbar curve pattern), keeping relaxed – shoulders, breath and jaw – zipper the pubic bone up to just below the navel, pull the navel into the back spine and then pull the navel up into the diaphragm (I call this putting on a pair of tight jeans as back in the day when I was a teenager, tight jeans was quite the rage. I had to lay down on my bed to zipper up my jeans – much to the demise of my Irish Catholic mother) and then move into Ardha Uttanasan.

This pose adjusts depending upon your curve pattern which means:

Let’s first talk about convexity – the curve – what does this mean? The curve goes out to the side and then rotates back towards the back body.

The concavity – the side that hallows in – will roll in and down. Here’s what I’d like you to do. Stand in front of a mirror and if your a woman, have a sports bra on (men can be shirtless). Roll your pants to just below your belly button on your hips. Observe – where do you hallow out? I’m going to refer to that as the apex of the concavity – meaning – where do you cave in the most? Now read below to correct your curve pattern.

Note: if you have an opposite curve pattern to what is noted below, you’ll correct in the opposite cueing.

A right thoracic curve pattern would turn the right hand out, draw the shoulder blade onto the back body which in turn pulls the curve into the spine. Lengthen out of the left thoracic spine concavity (lengthen out of the concavity) AND now let’s address that left bottom rib. The left bottom rib is going to want to roll in – draw it up into the body.

A left lumbar curve pattern would put a washcloth under the right foot, lengthen out of the right pelvis AND with a focus of keeping both pelvis’ parallel. This pic also doesn’t show it but I would also recommend putting a vertical yoga block in the inner/upper thigh. Again, this will do two things – keep the pelvis even AND strengthen the legs. Leg muscles are weak, a hip swing is prevalent in scoliosis. I recommend getting the best benefit of strengthening the legs in standing postures, like this by simply using a yoga block – inner/upper thigh. Note: I prefer a yoga block with a vertical line on it – so the student can see if the block is truly vertical or is it tipped? If the block is tipped, so is the pelvis…..

A right thoraco lumbar curve pattern would follow most of the same cueing as a right thoracic curve pattern mentioned above in turning the right hand out, drawing the right shoulder blade onto the back body which in turn pulls the curve into the spine. The lengthening will be from the apex of the concavity – lengthen this. From the apex of this concavity, what is rolling in – draw what is rolling in up into the body.

A right thoracic/left lumbar curve pattern will, combine cues from right thoracic and left lumbar curves.

Note: I caution all readers to remain within their limits and adhere to the advice of their doctors. Never go into any posture for more than seven ujjayi breaths (maybe less) as a characteristic of scoliosis is spasming. Up to seven ujjayi breaths is best and highly recommended.

When I was 15 years old, I found out that I had scoliosis. My pediatrician examined me one day and saw that when he had me bend forward at the waist, my right back ribs were protruding. He told me I had scoliosis, a lateral curve of the spine with vertebrae that rotated. I was sent to an orthopedic surgeon specializing in scoliosis. He took X-rays of my back that revealed a right thoracic 49-degree curvature with a compensating left lumbar curve. He recommended surgery immediately. If I had surgery, I would be in the hospital for a long period of time and could plan on at least a year’s recovery.

I got a second opinion from a well-known orthopedic surgeon who specialized in scoliosis, Dr. Harris. After Dr. Harris, who was in his sixties, examined me, he told me that my growth spurt had ended and he felt sure that the increase in my curve would subside. He said that too many young surgeons were recommending surgery for too little a degree of curvature and that there was much I could do to stabilize my curve. He recommended that I wait a year, continue to be active in sports, and start swimming regularly with a focus on the backstroke.

But it was the next thing he said to me that changed my life. He told me he had recently read a book on yoga and he believed that its breathing, stretching, and strengthening could be good for those with scoliosis. He was going to research it further, and would examine me again in a year to see if my curve had stabilized.
I look back at that meeting with the late Dr. Harris in 1964 and realize how far ahead of his time he was. This was the diagnosis I wanted to hear, and that small mention of yoga had left an impression that would bring me to yoga years later.

A body with scoliosis develops a highly sophisticated compensating “act” but, with proper instruction, it can also learn a more refined symmetrical “act.” By combining yoga postures with awareness of breath, you can redevelop structural alignment and create more symmetry in the body. By stretching the muscles that have tightened and strengthening the muscles that have become weak from the asymmetrical imbalance of scoliosis, realignment of the body is accomplished. When asymmetry is reduced in spinal alignment, the body can rely more on its bone structure to hold itself up, rather than overworking the muscles, and the effect is a more effortless posture. By developing a regular yoga practice, corrected proprioception and muscle memory come into play, and the muscles begin to move the bones into a more symmetrical, aligned position. In turn, once the bone alignment is improved, the muscles become more efficient and require less effort to maintain that alignment. A regular yoga practice can help you find that balance point that allows the scoliosis curve to coexist with gravity and activates the body’s natural plumb line. The result for most people with scoliosis who commit to a regular yoga practice is better posture and less pain. ~ Elise Browning Miller

Scoliosis facts:

• 80-90% of the population have Functional Scoliosis
• 2-3% of the population have Structural Scoliosis, an estimated 7 – 9 million in the US, or 1/10 persons are structional
• 80% of females get scoliosis vs 20% men
• Females are 8X more likely to progress to a magnitude that needs treatment
• there is no cure for structural scoliosis
• 600,000+ doctor visits/yr for scoliosis
• 30,000+ children/yr are braced
• 38,000+ undergo spinal fusion surgery annually

Muscles affected by scoliosis

• All bilateral muscles in the body
• Intercostal muscles
• Diaphragm
• Erector Spinae muscles
• Latissimus Dorsi
• Trapezius muscle
• Rhomboid muscle
• Quadratus Lumborum muscles
• Iliopsoas muscles
• Full core musculature

The four most common curve patterns are:

• Right thoracic: major curve is in the thoracic spine, the ribs
• Left lumbar: major curve is in the lumbar spine, below the ribcage and above the sacrum
• Right thoracic/left lumbar: combined curve in both regions with opposite sides, “S” curve
• Right thoraco lumbar: one long curve from the lumbar region up into the thoracic region, “C” curve

• Scoliosis
• Slipped Disk
• Herniated Disk
• Kyphosis
• Hyper Lordosis
• Cervical Spondylosis
• Osteoarthritis
• Spinal Stenosis
• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Osteoporosis
• Osteopenia
• Sciatica

When you are in pain the “fight or flight” of your central nervous system is heightened. By this being heightened, your pain is that much worse. Pain will cause high blood pressure, it affects your posture which in turn affects the health of your organs and the entire digestive track. Often in pain it even hurts to breath. Shallow breathing will lessen the health of organs and slow the digestive track.

The human skeleton is the internal framework of the human body. It is composed of around 270 bones at birth – this total decreases to around 206 bones by adulthood after some bones get fused together. The bone mass in the skeleton reaches maximum density around age 26.

The spine is only happy when it’s four natural curves are present (and not over or under developed) in our body in standing, sitting and supine positions for the spine to remain healthy. There are 33 vertebrae in the spine – 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar and 9 sacrum/coccyx (which fuse about the age of 26).

Back pain ensues when there is compression on vertebrae or twisting of the vertebrae. Where the transverse process of the vertebrae start to rotate is the most common pain point (even if it’s a minimal rotation) – so please don’t think you’re being a baby if you have pain. It’s real and substantiated!

Fun facts on spinal development:

• Babies are born with a C-shaped spine
• The spine first develops a “S” shape when the baby starts to raise their head – the cervical spine is now being formed
• The lumbar curve develops last and develops during crawling when the weight of the baby’s belly pulls the lumbar curve down
• Spinal development curves finish between 12 – 18 months when baby starts walking upright
• The sacrum and coccyx fuse at about 26 yrs of age. They fuse to securely hold the weight of the shoulders and pelvis on a mature adult body.

Let me add, it is important for the young people (under the age of 26) to understand that the spine is not fully solid until the age of 26. I caution you to this important information for those of you that are weight lifters – the heavy squats using sizeable weight, the dead lifts with heavy weights…. be aware the result of this (if under the age of 26) is compression of the disks and after a while they just give out = bulged disks in the lumbar spine or worse yet herniation.

To understand the anatomy of a rib in a spine with scoliosis means this –

• the rib push laterally and anteriorly on the concave side.
• The lamina is thinner and vertebral canal narrower on the convex side.
• The spinous process deviates to the concave side.
• The vertebral body is distorted toward the convex side.
• On the convex side (curve side) the rib is pushed posteriorly and the thoracic cage is narrowed.

Pinched nerves and compressed disks are looking for relief. Are you safely tractioning your spine for relief of compression of nerves and disks? ScolioYoga utilizes traction to help relieve the pain of these compressions and bring alignment back to center.

Note: It is important to see a doctor if your back pain is severe (5-10 on a scale of 10), has not lessened over several weeks, you have a fever, become incontinent, pain radiates out to the fingers or toes, you cannot move, or you have a severe injury or fracture. A diagnosis is helpful for treatment, and also points you in a specific direction for that treatment. It is also important to get clearance from a doctor to take a ScolioYoga or ScolioPilates class after seeking a diagnosis, in order to begin or return to these modalities.

This is a version of One Rope Adho Mukha Svanasan aka Downward Facing Dog Pose when done under close supervision, that can relieve back pain. When this posture is done correctly with traction (as seen here using one low rope from a rope wall), it aligns the pelvis which is important if you have a lumbar curve or a thoraco lumbar curve. The concavity of your lumbar curve will role in. The concavity of your thoraco lumbar curve and concavity of your thoracic curve will roll in – do you homework. Take time and patience to understand the concavities and convexities of your curve pattern(s).

When practiced precisely, this version of Adho Mukha Svanasan will allow for length in the spine – both from the back body of the full erector spinae and lengthen out of the diaphragm and the pelvis in the front body. Lots of lengthening benefits to this posture including – full erector spinae, shoulders, lats, chest and rib cage, legs/hamstrings/gluts, core. Another added benefit is it will give you more lung capacity….. ahhhhh….

If there is any ONE posture you should do daily, this is it! And, it strengthens the core, the pelvis and the lower back.

Once in the posture, to align the pelvis further, get the hips as high as possible and pull the inner thighs back while tractioning. Ensure both PSIS’s are even in the hips in the posterior chain.

In a spine with scoliosis, correction of the curve pattern would also be offered in One Rope Adho Mukha Shivasan.

What does that mean?

• Right thoracic, take the right hand off the block to the matt and rotate the fingers outward.
• Higher hip – you may want to bend that knee slightly. A Certified Scoliosis Specialist will understand the anatomy and be able to cue you on this if this is needed.
• Right thoraco lumbar – take the right hand off the block to the matt and rotate the fingers outward AND lengthen thru the left waist.
• Left lumbar – pelvis has been squared. Ensure that both PSIS’s are even in the hips in the posterior chain.
• Double curve of right thoracic/left lumbar curve pattern, use cueing of each curve pattern from above.
• Opposite to the curve pattern offered, you will do the opposite cueing offered.
• Note: no more (maybe less) than 7 ujjayi breaths. Access your form – is your form perfect AND recall you still have to come out of this posture in perfect form.

Note: any discomfort or pain connotates that you are potentially reinjuring an injury AND heightening the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight). Remember, the sympathetic is a heightened characteristic in scoliosis. You need to bring that down and increase the parasympathetic nervous system (rest or digest).

Immediately come out of the posture if uncomfortable in any way – safely, emphatically in form and and posture.

This posture can be practice for up to 7 ujjayi breaths (maybe less – never more due to the characteristic of spasming for someone with scoliosis). Even if you practice this posture daily it is highly recommended to never go into any posture (including this) for more than 7 ujjayi breaths – again maybe less. Access how you feel in the posture, keeping in mind, that in perfect form you still have to come out of this posture, in perfect form. I’m kinda a nut about perfect form – especially in a scoliotic spine.

Let me chat a bit about form pls – if you lose your form, you are prone to injury because the body just isn’t strong enough (YET….. let me add!!!) for you to continue the posture. FORM IS ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE GOING INTO A POSTURE AND COMING OUT OF THE POSTURE.

Note: It is important to see a doctor if your back pain is severe (5-10 on a scale of 10), has not lessened over several weeks, you have a fever, become incontinent, pain radiates out to the fingers or toes, you cannot move, or you have a severe injury or fracture. A diagnosis is helpful for treatment, and also points you in a specific direction for that treatment. It is also important to get clearance from a doctor to take a ScolioYoga or ScolioPilates class after seeking a diagnosis, in order to begin or return to these modalities.

Note: I would not recommend this particular twist for a spine with scoliosis without the student understanding how to twist in a posture. Those with fusions should not twist. There is definitely a certain formula to follow in twisting within a spine with scoliosis. Additionally, I caution all readers to remain within their limits and adhere to the advice of their doctors. Never go into any posture for more than seven ujjayi breaths (maybe less) as a characteristic of scoliosis is spasming. Up to seven ujjayi breaths is best and highly recommended.

Aids in congestion, directs blood flow in the abdominal and spinal region, stretches/strengthens knees, ankles, and thighs. Stretches lungs, groin, spine, shoulders, and abdomen.

Twisting helps digestion by moving stool through the colon’s four main parts: the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon and sigmoid colon. While twisting is not going to cleanse the colon, it can help with digestive discomfort or constipation.

To keep the spine safe in twisting (both going into a twist and coming out of a twist), lengthen the spine on both side bodies and keep this lengthening active. It’s imperative not to relax in the twist – again, rather to keep both side bodies long. This will ensure that disks aren’t being compressed in the twisting action.

I personally love twists, all it’s benefits and how much of the anatomy and organs it stretches and makes more healthy – it’s one of those postures that make me feel more alive in the physical body and I realize this at the end of the class. However (sorry for being repetitive but this is really important), twists can be VERY injurious to the spine if not done lengthening both in, during and coming out of the posture.

Poor posture is oh so prevalent within society but especially becomes even more prevalent as we age. Shoulders tend to roll forward and walking in a slight hinged at the hips position is too common. All this affects the health of organs, the spine, digestion and lung capacity. The abdominals become toneless and irresilient (resulting in back pain may I add). This posture stretches the lungs (gaining more lung capacity), groin, spine, shoulder and abdomen (giving more abdominal tone).

Twisting to the right aids in constipation as it opens the ascending colon to get stool moving up and across the transverse colon. Twisting to the left aids in halting diarrhea and compresses the descending colon (descends down the left side) and gets things moving towards the sigmoid colon and on to elimination.

To keep your balance in this posture, hug both hips into the midline. The leg that’s back is always your “powerhouse” leg. Engage the inner upper thigh by drawing it up.

The front knee – pull the inner front knee forward (that will avoid the knee falling in which will make the knee cranky and also make the alignment of the tibia into the patella and femur into the patella be off. Instead of these two bones lining up properly within the joint of the knee, they will shift to opposite sides causing injury and pain to the joint, cartilage and tendons of the knee. Keeping this simple cueing in mind when in a bent knee posture such as this, will aid in knee health.

Hips are squared forward – the twist is at the waist. The shoulders are squared one on top of the other. I like to take the option of the top hand on the back body thoracic spine, to rotate that top shoulder back (aiding in squaring the shoulders upon each other). BUT DON’T FORCE THE TWIST!!! Keep the spine of the neck long while staring at the horizon.

Note: I would not recommend this particular twist for a spine with scoliosis without the student understanding how to twist in a posture. Those with fusions should not twist. There is definitely a certain formula to follow in twisting within a spine with scoliosis. Additionally, I caution all readers to remain within their limits and adhere to the advice of their doctors. Never go into any posture for more than seven ujjayi breaths (maybe less) as a characteristic of scoliosis is spasming. Up to seven ujjayi breaths is best and highly recommended.

“Even if you could take a simple three minutes of self care every a.m. – to start your day, to nourish your soul…”

Here’s what Day 291 in our calendar year… on our matt looks like for me

Candle lighting, setting sankalpa

Spiritual reading – The Book of Awakening, The Bhagavad Gita, Earth Medicine, Yoga Sutras

3 1/2 Cycle Laya Yoga Chant

Breath of Fire

Surya Namaskar A (twice).

Surya Namaskar B (twice)

Surya Namaskar C (once)

Surya Namaskar C with free flow interpretation

The Bodhisattva Prayer for Humanity

Resurrection breath

Bhu mudra

Namaste

Peace, love & dogs,

Linda Benton

Do you even have a lunar self-care? What does lunar self-care mean?

Lunar care is not only important to aid in protection and nourishment of the body and a good nights sleep but also aids to support a strong immune system. Washing your hands, feet and face right before bed will rinse off samskaras in nerve endings. This has such a therapeutic impact on our nervous system. In summer use cool or cold tap water; in winter, warm water.

Pandit Rajmani Tigunait gives a great understanding of samskara’s – https://yogainternational.com/article/view/what-are-samskaras-and-how-do-they-affect-us

In today’s busy world, it can be almost impossible to find even five minutes for yourself. But could you take even three minutes every day to renourish your soul just before bed?

Just three minutes ~

~ seated in the moonlight or perhaps as the sun sets, in a comfortable position with left hand spread across your heart, right hand across your lower abdomen, gaze at low lids or eyes closed.

Invite a pause.

And for just three minutes, soak in the rays of the moon….. there may be no moon, but a sky sparkling with brilliant stars. Bring every inhale into your soul and every exhale dispersing this peace throughout mind, body and soul.

and then

repeating this mantra silently to yourself……

“My soul in not in my body, my body is in your soul. I am beautiful ~ from the inside out”

And if the mind is racing with too much chitta (aka chatter), practice this version of nadi shodhana pranayama. This version of alternate nose breathing will inhale thru the left nostril and exhale through the right nostril.

~ fold the index and middle fingers inward until they touch the palm at the base of the right thumb (Vishnu mudra). You will alternately use the right thumb to close the right nostril and the right ring and pinky fingers (together) to close the left nostril.

~ start with taking two to five normal breath cycles

~ on your next inhalation, use the right thumb to close the right nostril and inhale through the left nostril, deep into the belly allowing the breath to travel upward along the left side of the body. Pause briefly at the crown of the head.

~ next, use the ring and pinky fingers of the right hand to gently close the left nostril and simultaneously release the right nostril while exhaling through the right nostril, surrendering the breath down the right side of the body. Pause gently at the bottom of the exhalation.

This completes one round of nadi shodhana. You can take two normal breath cycles inbetween repeating this pranayam or just continue the same pattern; inhale through the left nostril, exhale through the right nostril…. slow, long and smooth.

Repeat this alternating pattern for several more rounds, focusing your awareness on the pathway of the breath—up one side of the body (from the pelvic floor to the crown of the head) and back down the other side of the body (from the crown of the head to the pelvic floor). Keep the breath slow, gentle, fluid, and relaxed throughout the practice. If this pranayam causes any discomfort or anxiety, go back to a normal breath pattern.

Nadi shodhana can be immensely rewarding, even when practiced for as little as three minutes on a regular basis.

Other suggestions for your lunar care are applying organic sesame oil in the navel – this supports the digestive fire. The belly button is a marma point for digestive fire.

~ 100 steps under moonlight to build kapha and support digestion

~ watch the dusk bringing contemplative pause with self-inquiry

~ apply organic sunflower or organic sesame oil in palms and foot soles. Rub a marma stick on palms and foot soles. This is good for arthritis and restless leg syndrome AND it calms the nervous system. If you don’t have a marma stick, simply rub palms and soles.

~ apply organic sesame oil in nose aka nasya. Put 1 drop in the nostril or dip pinky finger in oil and run into nostril (I use a q-tip). This eases the mind. Organic sesame oil in all seasons; ghee can be used in the summer. Oil both the nose and the inside of the ears (again, I use a q-tip).

~ to calm pitta and vata in eyes, take cotton pads and pour ghee over it to soak. Put cotton pads on eyes and lay down for five minutes. Take off cotton pads and wipe off the eyes.

~ as you lay down to sleep itself, scan thru the body – the six zones ~ feet, pelvic region, abdominal region, chest region, throat and skull.

Nighty, night….

Peace, love & dogs,

Linda Benton

My dear sister sent me this when I was in one of my deepest hours of grief and despair ~ see below in quotes.  I was losing my health, was diagnosed with atrial fib, and was hospitalized.  My weight of 90#’s (a girl’s size 10) was a result of my inability to eat.  My husband, family, and friends were all over me to eat, sleep and stop crying.  But I couldn’t.  I just couldn’t.  I was totally and entirely absorbed in my grief and despair – it was my every waking moment of life.  I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t concentrate, and cried pretty much constantly. 

One morning lying in bed crying, I felt a bulge on my low spine.  Here, I had become so skinny that every vertebrae in my spine was exposed and sticking out.  I had been eating maybe 500 calories a day at this point because my stomach was in such pain every time I ate. 

That morning was an eye-opener for me.  I forced myself to eat at least 200 more calories a day. And then after a week or two added another 200 calories a day – now bringing my calorie consumption up to 900 calories a day.  Within a month, I was up to 1200 calories a day. 

At some point, I recognized that the only thing I could control in the grief process I was going through, was what I ate.  It was only then that was I able to go back to a healthy lifestyle of eating.  At the time, I had absolutely no idea that the only thing I was in control of was what I ate.  My family and friends knew this, but I was so grief stricken I certainly didn’t realize this. 

I share this with you in hopes that I can pay it forward and offer you solace in overcoming your grief.  I read this morning, noon and night – sometimes a hundred times a day.  AND my constant sobbing had to also stop ~ and I do mean constant sobbing.  When I read this, I did not allow myself to cry – I started with 1 minute a day of no crying.  And then increased this to not allowing myself to cry every time I read it.  Eventually I worked up to 5 minutes of no crying, then 10, then 30, etc., and started to gain control of my life back.

“So I’ve started being vigilant about watching my thoughts all day and monitoring them.  I repeat this vow about 700 times a day:  “I will not harbor unhealthy thoughts anymore.”  Every time a diminishing thought arises, I repeat the vow.  “I will not harbor unhealthy thoughts anymore.”  The first time I heard myself say this, my inner ear perked up at the word “harbor”, which is a noun as well as a verb.  A harbor, or course is a place of refuge, a port of entry.  I pictured the harbor of my mind – a little beat-up, perhaps a little storm-warn, but well situated and with a nice depth.  The harbor of my mind is an open bay, the only access to the island of my Self (which is a young and volcanic island, yet, but fertile and promising).   This island has been through some wars, it is true, but is now committed to peace, under a new leader (me) who has instituted new policies to protect the place.  And now – let the word go out across the seven seas – there are much much stricter laws on the books about who may enter this harbor.

You may not come here anymore with your hard and abusive thoughts, with your plague ship of thoughts, with your slave ships of thoughts, with your warships of thoughts – all these will be turned away.  Likewise, any thoughts that are filled with angry or starving exiles, with malcontents and pamphleteers, mutineers and violent assassins, desperate prostitutes, pimps and seditious stowaways – you may not come here anymore either.  Cannibalistic thoughts, for obvious reasons, will no longer be received.  Even missionaries will be screened carefully, for sincerity.  This is a peaceful harbor, the entryway to a fine and proud island that is only now beginning to cultivate tranquility.  If you can abide by these new laws my dear thoughts, then you are welcome in my mind – otherwise, I shall turn you all back toward the sea from whence you came.

Peace, love & dogs,

Linda Benton