Cool article on yoga and physical disabilities

[rydra_wong]

The Guardian has a short but fascinating article from Tim Rushby-Smith (who has paraplegia) on taking a yoga workshop with Matthew Sanford, who does too.

By the end of the 90-minute class I am sitting unsupported on the floor with my arms above my head and my legs outstretched. This is extremely difficult when paralysed from the waist down. I have no fixed "base" as I cannot gain stability from my buttocks or thighs, but somehow I am spreading myself out to my heels as much as the tips of my fingers. Instead of trying to balance on nothing, I feel like I am grounded on something firm and tangible.

For anyone who's interested, I wrote a review of Sanford's memoir, Waking, a while back.

Comments

[sashajwolf]

Wow. That looks like an amazing workshop, and an amazing book that seems like it would fit really well with some mindfulness stuff I've been exploring, as well as possibly giving me some new approaches to managing my back/hip condition. I need to weigh up whether that's worth the risk of getting my ED stuff triggered, but yeah, I'm tending to think it probably is, and I don't say that very often. Thank you.

[rydra_wong]

The book's amazing.

I don't recall anything directly referencing eating disorders (apart from the one sentence about anorexia in the passages I quoted), but there is a section where he describes having to deal with his digestive system malfunctioning after the accident and being on an IV drip for a long period, with a page or so about memories and fantasies of eating.

And obviously, it's all about body experience, embodiment, physical trauma, medical trauma, and so forth.

I don't know if that gives you the information you need; let me know if there's anything in particular it would help you to be warned about. I skim-read very fast, so it's not a hassle for me to check for stuff.

[sashajwolf]

Thanks for the offer. It's the general body experience/trauma stuff that I'm thinking might be triggery, so I don't think there's anything specific I could ask you to look for, but I'm thinking this one's probably going to be worth the risk. I'll add it to my long-term to-read list and make a note to keep it for a time when I'm not too stressed.

[rydra_wong]

*nods*

It is ... intense on that front. Definitely worth keeping for a time when you're feeling resilient and prepared for shit being stirred up.