From Dull Ache to Deep Yawn
From Pain to Peace, and Increased Creativity
We are all striving to thrive, and to enjoy our dream lives as Writers.
My hope is that by being an open book about my life experience, you may find something in my journey that may bring increased health, hope and joy to your life too. If our physical bodies are healthier and more vibrant, I believe our writing will be more energetic and profound.
Wednesday, our chair yoga instructor, Bobbi, asked how we were feeling.
“Great! My left hip still hurts, but I’m good,” I replied.
She’s heard about my left hip during every class.
It doesn’t hurt like the bone has an issue. And it doesn’t exactly hurt like sore muscles either. But maybe like a cluster of deep spasms in the smaller muscles that are closer to the bone. It is tight. It wakes me up at night if I lay on that side too long.
I am an optimist because, for me personally, to be a pessimist would destroy me. I choose to hold on to hope, even in the face of the opposite.
Despite the ache, I believe it will get better with time, stretching, strengthening, and deep breathing.
Bobbi decided to slow down the pace of the poses and transitions a bit, so that we could focus on getting the poses right and getting deep stretches and oxygenated blood into my hip.
Does that mean we slacked off on our workout? Or that we left the gym less sweaty than in former sessions? Absolutely not!
Circulating oxygenated blood throughout our bodies, deeper than when we are not working out, gets us sweating and healing.
Fun fact, I can spend 20-minutes on one of those arc trainer contraptions in utter misery, and not sweat as much as in this gentle, powerful, chair yoga class. And it shows! I have to tighten my belt up one more notch already, and the weight is trending downward. I don’t care what a scale says. I care how I feel.
I am stronger. I am healthier. I have better balance and I am more flexible than I was a month ago. This practice is paying off in the metrics that truly matter to me.
Each time class begins, I wonder if I will be able to keep going for the entire time. And each time we arrive at the part where Bobbi has us sit down, stretch out our hips some more, begin to cool down, and prepare for the Brain Candy (meditation/visualization) part of the class, I wonder how the time vanished so quickly.
My husband and I look at each other, somewhat astonished, because we made it to – and through – class again! HURRAY!
Wednesday, as we began to stretch out our hips, I yawned. I didn’t think anything of it. But then I yawned again. I took a big double breath, inhaling deeply, then a bit more to top it off before exhaling. I took another. I have learned that method of breathing is wonderful if I have not been breathing deeply or feel myself getting sleepy.
Then I yawned again and again and again. I wasn’t sleepy or bored.
I also felt my left hip release a bit. Then a little more. And a little more.
As a Writer, I love to go down a research rabbit hole! I learned that yawning during yoga can be a sign of the nervous system regulating itself. Hallelujah! My nervous system could use that!
Yawning also helps to cool the brain. Wonderful! One of the most difficult symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis, for me, is extreme heat intolerance. The tiniest increase in core body temperature can worsen neurological, physical and/or cognitive function. Even ¼ of one degree increase sends my body reeling. I always appreciate cooler temperatures.
If you know me, you know my daily “uniform” consists of some version of shorts and a tank top. Long-sleeved shirts for me, are those that almost reach my elbows and have a V-neck.
My “M.S. Uniform” is greatly distressing to many quite elderly ladies who encounter me in public and who I have never met. They readily point and exclaim, “Aren’t you COLD?!”
Sigh.
I learned long ago to refrain from responding because even once I assure them that I am capable of dressing myself, according to my needs, they still leave in horror and disbelief. I hope they do not approach people who happen to utilize medical equipment like a service dog, cane, walker or wheelchair with the same disdain or doubt about that person’s sanity or capabilities as a functioning adult who is just trying to run their errands or buy their groceries.
I know, from the perspective of a service dog handler, that isn’t the case. But I digress. I’ll write about my blessed life with a service dog at my side another time and all of the incredible, and shocking, experiences we’ve had.
Yawning helps to increase oxygenated blood flow. I am a big fan of that idea.
Yawning can help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, switching our bodies from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest.”
Deep down the research rabbit hole, I found the answer that rings true for me.
Yawning can signal the release of emotional tension, physical tightness and even trauma-related stress. As the body starts to relax, to find more space opening up, the yawning reflex may also kick in. This is known as pandiculation. It is a natural way that our bodies reboot the nerves that control muscle contraction. Pandiculation eases tension that is accumulated during inactivity.
Dogs and cats are experts at this! And we always respond with, “Wow! That’s a biggggg stretch!”
Yawning during yoga released another tamped down tight traumatic memory from my body.
Two days later, I am a little less sore and a lot less tense overall. I feel that marvelous space opening up in me. It is space that I will fill with health and hope and creativity.
What is your body trying to tell you? Where do you hold tension, trauma, and memory in your body?
Be still.
Let go.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Go deeper. Allow yourself to open up, to heal, to allow your health and creativity to flourish.
Thank you for reading. I would love to continue our conversation in the comments below!
I am so happy you are doing this! It is everything for me health wise. The meditation has always been my favorite part…once I fell into one of the deepest sleeps ever. It is a healing wonderful journey.
Wow, so much hope in this post! The heat sensitivity is a BEAR. I can lose several hours if I'm caught off guard and get overheated. And I too, had no idea about pandiculation! Yawning for the win! Time to give chair yoga another try, I guess! I love love love your attitude.