Your Yoga Questions
Have a question about yoga? Send us an email and we'll share our answer right here for our whole community to share. Of course, if you'd like your question to remain private, let us know and we'll honor your request. We'll only identify question askers by their initials, if you want complete privacy, let us know and we'll withold that too.
I found your information about breathing very helpful. I do have a question. I work in a drug and alcohol rehab. I teach a relaxation group in my work and have always taught my patients to breath in through their nose and out through their mouths. This week one of my patients said that she had been taught to breath in and out through her nose and found this easier. I was just wondering what your thoughts on this would be.
Thank you,
D.A., RNC
Hi Donna:
Thanks for the question... Almost all yogic breaths are taught in/out through the nose. The belief is that the nose is set up for filtering pollutants with the cilia and the mucous lining. As for exhaling, the breath also leaves through the nose, which helps to exhale a bit slower than through the mouth. When the breath slows down (especialy the exhale), the nervous system relaxes, reducing stress. Exhaling throughthe mouth is slightly more effort on the diaphragm and we're always looking for easier (less effortful) breath in yoga.
Hope this helps, there's lots more info, but that's the basics.
Peace,
jj
I am interested in buying the new videos aligning your chakras and seven chakra sun salutes. Could you reply with more information.
Thankyou,
G.
Hi G:
The Sun Salutes video has just arrived and the Aligning Your Chakras
one should be arrriving next week. They will go on sale for $19.95 and
in about a month (September 2002) will be available on-line.
love,
jj
The following letter was received in response to a question sent to JJ. We just can't resist airing a compliment like this! The original letter, and its answer from JJ, follow "the compliment."
Dear JJ,
Thanks for your reply. I really appreciate the information. I would
also like to thank you and the staff at Sun & Moon for the amazing
job you do. I have been taking classes with Shanaz Erwin (and others)
since April, and I cannot begin to describe the changes I've seen in
myself. I had been struggling with arthritis in my lower back for years
(I'm only 24), and until I found yoga (specifically your studio) nothing
worked. I was at a point where I could hardly get out of bed in the morning
and would take more Vioxx, Advil and Aleve than was good for my health.
I decided to try yoga and now I very rarely need pain medication for
my back (or anything else). I am back to my 'old self' now and could
not be happier. Thanks for all you do!!
M.
The original letter...
On the Q & A section on the website, you mentioned that there are certain poses recommended during menses that go along with the flow in the body and can help alleviate cramping and mood swings, etc.
Could you give me some examples?
Thanks.
M.
Hi M:
Yes, poses that are nice to help the downward flow include the following. Please note that you should follow your best instinct for poses. Some poses feel great for some women and for others not so great--so use your instinct.
- Squatting, particularly with belly breathing
- All seated poses, change the legs around as you like
- Seated forward bends, don't go as deeply as you normally do. Some women like to place a rolled blanket for added pressure on the lower belly.
- Butterly pose. (Supta baddhakonasana). Lie on back (use supported blankets if you like). soles of feet together and knees out wide. Nice release and relaxer for pms-type symptoms. Add a sandbag on the belly if you'd like.
- Twists. again, do not go as deeply as you normally do and some women don't like to do these.
That's it.!
peace,
jj
I'm planning on attending your 7 Awakenings Workshop this summer at the Feathered Pipe Ranch and I'm wondering if you could tell me a bit more about the workshop. I'm really interested in learning more about the chakras and in growing spiritually through my yoga practice. Your workshop seemed like an open door for doing so. Am I on the right track?
What will a typical day be like? Can you recommend something that I could read before coming? I have only handout-type information on the chakras and don't know much else.
I've been practicing yoga regularly for about 5 years. I've done some teacher training through High Desert Yoga here in Albuquerque and have done John Friend's Level One training when he was in Albuquerque last year. It was truly inspiring and still feeds me today. I hope to one day be an Anusara teacher. Right now I teach a yoga class to high school students at my school where I am a math teacher. I also teach a class for faculty and staff after school. Next year I'll be teaching more yoga and less math, and have more time for my own practice!
I think your web site is awesome. I e-mailed you about a month ago from it, but I'm thinking that it didn't go through and thus this e-mail. Please forgive me if this is a repeat e-mail though. I'm really looking forward to this summer's workshop. Thanks for your time.
Namaste,
B
Hi B:
Thanks for writing. I used to be a high school math teacher! and I taught yoga to my fellow teachers — how did you get to teach it to your students?
I'm sorry I didn't get your email before through the web-site. Technical difficulties I suppose; we've had some failures with incoming mail from AOL in the past. But thanks for the kudos on the site — I'll pass them along our webmaster. We'll probably put this question & answer up on the web if that's okay with you.
I've been thinking about the workshop this summer at Feathered Pipe and though I might change my mind, this is what I'm thinking of doing at this point:
There is an orientation Saturday night so my portion of the workshop really begins Sunday morning. I plan to use the morning classes for asana to awaken the chakras. We may focus on one or two chakras, but really we'll be awakening all of them each day. Then the afternoon classes will be more discussion-oriented so we can get to know the chakras more in-depth.
One of my favorite authors on the chakras is Anodea Judith. She has 3 books, but one I really like is "Eastern Body, Western Mind".
In the afternoon classes we'll do more pranayama and meditations and other exercises to understand the chakras a little more. I'm hoping to get through one chakra per day and then double-up on chakra 6 & 7 on the last day since we only have six days of yoga (Sun - Fri) check out on Sat a.m. So, that's the plan we'll play with. If you have any further questions don't hesitate to email me. By the way, I've just switched to a new email: jj@sunandmoonstudio.com.
Best,
jj
I am 30 year old male from Arlington. I'm very interested in taking Yoga classes but I have a concern that I would like to share with you. My right leg is a little over an inch longer than my left leg. Because of this, I have a pelvic tilt. A chiropractor who took x-rays determined that the discrepancy was skeletal and not muscular or due to poor posture.
I love the benefits that Yoga has to offer and have tried to educate myself on various flexibility and stress relieving postures and exercises. My concern is that since Yoga seems to be based around proper alignment and balance that my condition may hamper proper form of many exercises. Leg length discrepancies don't appear to be too uncommon. Do you have any thoughts or see any possible problems that may come up?
Thank you for taking the time to read this and any feedback would be appreciated.
Peace.
J
Hi J:
Thanks for your great question.
Any structural misalignment can lead to muscular tightening and further pulling of the skeletal body out of alignment. Yoga will bring flexibility (as well as strength) to the muscular body, which can help the skeletal body find better placement. As we age, misalignments can be further exacerbated leading to more and more complications. Keeping the muscular body healthy therefore will keep the skeletal body in its best alignment possible. Yoga keeps the muscular body healthy from bone to bone (attachment to insertion). Therefore, the entire muscle is healthy and not just strong or "bulked up" in the belly of the muscle which can often weaken the attachments or place strain on the tendons and connective tissue.
The only yoga pose that might be of discomfort to you but is easily modified would be standing on both feet at once especially with the feet together (or just slightly apart). For this pose, keeping a small platform (simply folding a yoga mat over to create additional height) under the shorter sided foot would help to keep the pelvis aligned and avoid further weakening of the hip, joints, and lower back.
We have props at the yoga studio used to help with leg-length discrepancies usually caused by muscular pulls on the pelvis, often due to scoliosis. Although we have no prop that is over an inch, which would be required in your case, should you begin classes, I'm sure we'd find something or have something created so that your body can be in its best possible alignment in all the poses! The good news is that standing on your head won't be a problem! (NOTE: we don't teach standing on your head until level 3).
Thanks J, if I can be of further assistance, don't hesitate to email me: jj@sunandmoonstudio.com
Best,
JJ
JJ,
When I sit in meditation I try releasing the way I do in all other poses.
In Tadasana when I release especially my stomach muscles not only does
my sternum rise but my entire body rocks back onto my heels. This gives
me a feeling of lightness, but when I try the same thing in sitting meditation
I float back but never stop. I get to a point at which I have to hold
myself up. I usually sit on foam blocks. Do you have any thoughts or
suggestion?
T
Hi T:
You might try wrapping the legs with a rolled blanket (roll long and
thin). Put the blanket under the knees but over the feet/ankles and just
adjust and fiddle with it till it feels comfortable. This will allow
the legs to totally drop and relax and be better grounded. From that
dropping of the legs it should be easier to find that floating feeling
and alignment of the chakras.
Hugs, jj
JJ,
Just a few quick questions- I have noticed that nearly every video I have seen, there has been a message stating that inversions (and/or backbends) should not be done during menstruation. Could you elaborate, please? I've been looking, and no where can I find an explanation as to why this is. Also, I have not found a reason for not eating before as well. (not that I do, but I was wondering) I'll update you in furthur detail sometime next week. I am still having problems getting comfortable with the headstand, but I am not falling over any more and I am actually able to do all of the poses comfortable now. Thanks again!
T
Hi T:
Yes, the explanation for all that sometimes takes longer than it's worth.
Of course each person needs to figure all this out for herself, but the "rule" comes down from a long history.
The basic reason for not inverting during menses is because it goes against the flow of nature during that time. Most of the poses we do are to get energy flowing up, creating more prana or life force and to clear blockages of energy. During menses the flow of the energy is downward, apana. To go upside down reverses this and therefore goes against nature thereby dishonoring the body.
Women who have very light periods and practice inversions can experience a stoppage of their flow for a short time to several days and the onset (or re-onset) is usually accompanied by cramping. Swimming or even bathing can also affect one's apana (downward flow) at this time and are usually not recommended by yogis. This is what I explain to my students but I always follow it up by saying that each of us is different and may experience something completely different and so we each need to decide for ourselves how inverting during menses feels to us. For me personally, I've a very light period and if I invert even for a short demonstration during class, it affects me: usually cramping and sometimes my period will actually stop for awhile, so now I use someone else to demo or else teach something else that day.
There are certain poses recommended during menses that go along with the flow in the body and can help alleviate cramping and mood swings, etc.
As for eating: I tell my students that I used to drive to a yoga class with a friend who would eat bagels and apples and coffee while driving to the class and go right in and not be affected one iota. However my stomach and digestive tract wouldn't stand for a thing in it for several hours beforehand. Here again, we each need to find how our own digestion works and listen to it. Side affects of eating too soon can be as mild (and embarassing) as flatulence to nausea, acid reflux and even vomiting. So a little experimenting with your body to see what it's boundaries are in the digestive area is all that's needed!
Peace,
JJ
Would like more info on this tape...start to finish...are there balancing poses. I have tapes by Bryan Kest, Vol II; Baron Baptiste, Precision Yoga and Vol II of his first series of yoga tapes; Richard Freeman. How does JJ's tape compare to these. Would anyone be able to expand on her tape?? Is there music on the tape, etc. Would appreciate any information you can give me. Thanks P.
Hi P.
You sound like you've been doing quite some yoga workouts with your video collection, and I'm glad you're considering adding mine to the list. My studio forwarded your email to me to answer your questions.
I think the best of my 3 tapes for you to consider would be my advanced tape, "I'd Rather Be Doing MORE Yoga" This tape starts with a couple of seated poses and then moves through many standing poses from lunges and down-dog — this would be about the level of the tapes you've been working with. Then the tape goes through a series of inversions — I'm assuming these inversions are not new to the audience of the tape and so there is very little instruction about how to 'DO" the poses, however some preparation poses are given as alternatives if the full pose proves to be too difficult. Then some backbending and variations in backbends and then arm-balances followed by a few cool-down poses before savasana. This last half of the tape is a little more advanced then Kest's or Baptiste's Vol 2 and even Richard's, though it is not that big a step up and I would definitely recommend it if you are flexible, strong and willing to go further!
Hope this helps a little. If you need more, don't hesitate to email me back. If you decide to buy the tape, you'll need to contact the studio again for assistance there.
Peace,
JJ Gormley
I was interested in your teacher training program, but not sure it would be right for me. I took a 6 month Iyengar training with Betsey Downing back in 1995 and am certified in Integral Yoga at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. I taught beginner and advanced Teacher Training programs for Integral Yoga in Yogaville, VA for the past 3 years. My teaching style is an Iyengar/Integral mix (a little too Iyengar for them). I have a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology. I am wanting some deeper study and training and was intrigued by John Friend's approach. I also live an hour past Charlottesville so distance would be a challenge. Would it be possible for me to attend the TT workshops without formally enrolling in the program? Would I be able to apply any of my past education or training to the certification requirements? If it would be better for me to call please let me know who to call and when the best time would be to reach someone. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti
D
Hi D:
I love your mixed background in yoga. I too am from a mixed-bag approach and love combining more than one form and integrating what I love about ALL types of yoga.
I'd love to have you join the Sun & Moon TT Program. You can do any number of things to join as our program is now set up to be quite flexible. (In the past it was a year-long program with little room for more creative approaches to completing the program.) Now, I can accept new trainees at any time. I have trainees from as far away as Hawaii now. You may take as long as five years to complete the program. It is set up as "pay as you go" rather than a one-time fee. And, once you decide to join, you fill out one of the "progress charts" with anything that you would like considered as credit for fulfilling the hours required with whatever you've already completed here or elsewhere. I can't promise that everything you ask for (credit-wise) will be given, but I try to be as open in that area as possible.
If/When you are interested you can call or email the studio and request the Teacher Certification Brochure and application. When you decide to join, send the application with your $25 check and your references. Once accepted into the program you will receive a packet stating how to get started, etc. I hope this makes a little sense. If not, feel free to email me back at my home email: jj@sunandmoonstudio.com. You can email the studio anytime as well and they will forward your email to me if it pertains to the TT Program.
All the Best, Peace, Love & Light,
jj
Dear JJ,
Have been doing sun salutation , in the traditional manner, and with
many poses linked into it, vinyasa style. Would
like to know the specifics of moon salutation, and why it is practiced
in the evening. I do surya namaskar at any time of day!
Namaste,
C
Hi C:
Sun Salute is traditionally practiced at Sunrise (or at Sun Sunset)
and is a blessing to the "Great Spirit" or God for the new
day and
that we share this planet with all of God's creatures.
Moon Salute is practiced traditionally during the full moon, at
night, outside. This practice is done for those who feel "out of
sync" with nature's cycles. It is an honoring to the cycles of
nature and to the Moon's cycles in particular.
Blessings,
jj