That is just what yoga has to offer.
If you are looking for a natural pain reliever, I encourage you to look to yoga. The healing power of yoga is real and there’s science to back it up (for all you down dog skeptics!) along with plenty of first hand experience and testimonials. The last thing you may envision yourself doing when you are in pain is roll out a yoga mat and contort, bend, fold and work your way through the poses but let me tell you my friends the best way to become pain-free is to roll out that mat and breathe. Forget everything that comes next – the asanas the “OM’ing” , you don’t even need to get that far. First and foremost focus on the breath. It is front and center; cleansing, oxygenating and invigorating.
When you learn to work with the breath, real transformations can occur. I joked while I was pregnant that I was a professional breather. I focused on my breathing like it was my job and because of that I had minimal pain during those 9 months. As I moved through gentle yoga postures, I felt relaxed and comfortable in my new and expanding body. Something you don’t often here from a pregnant woman. And one who has a joint disease at that. It took a lot of effort to get to class but it was always well worth it.
When you are conscious of your breath and simultaneously moving your body, that is when miraculous changes occur. As you breathe into the places where you are most in pain, the uncomfortable feelings begin to subside and you begin to relax at a deep and cellular level.
There is a message in the pain and once you begin to thank your body as you breathe into those places of discomfort, you can begin to heal it. Whether you simply lay is savasana and feel your body pressed against the floor or you spend an hour in a yoga class practicing your favorite pose, you can always walk away feeling better than before.
