Yoga Struggles and Contradictory Health Advice

[viklikesfic]

Okay, once again I'm on this community with questions about yoga and health. This is becoming a theme!

I was reading some articles on Yoga Journal about yoga and health problems and there was just so much contradictory advice that my head started spinning. Do spinal twists to stimulate organs, don't do spinal twists because you'll screw up your SI joint. Do forward bends to increase hamstring flexibility, don't do forward bends because you'll mess up your lower back. Etc etc ad infinitum. Obviously the best option would be to a yoga studio where a teacher could see my alignment and provide advice, but that's not a financial option. (I know there are cheaper classes, but I mean I'm literally not eating fresh produce or cheese because of my financial situation. It's out of the question.)

So! I ended up kind of freaking out and having a week off of yoga, which started as a couple of days and then I was having trouble getting into it mentally, depressed, etc. I could only do about 10 minutes before my mind gave up. The good news is that I got back to it for two days so far, but the bad news is that I'm stiff as a board. My back is very stiff and inflexible, warrior poses feel like they're hurting more than helping, etc. It seems like I'm less flexible than I was before I ever did yoga, though I know that can't be the case. Does anyone else have this issue? It's discouraging that six months of practice is just gone because of a week of doing zero to ten minutes a day.

Also, I keep having this really weird feeling when I do Yoga Download's Morning Flow #1. The problem seems to be linked to the lying down poses like cobra, boat, and whatever the one is where you're on your stomach and lacing hands behind to lift your chest. The feeling is a headache combined with dizziness, but it's extremely unsettling, almost makes me feel like I'm going to be sick to my stomach. Anyone else have this problem?

Comments

[jumpuphigh]

Any pose that you do with shallow and restricted breath is dangerous. No pose is dangerous if done correctly.

[viklikesfic]

Hmm. I guess I figured that you were supposed to *try* to breathe naturally, but if you weren't holding your breath you'd be ok. It's hard to imagine being able to do most backbending type postures with completely free breath, but maybe I'll lay off on them for a little while.

[jumpuphigh]

What you are looking for is that place right before your breath changes. So do backbends but don't go so deep.