Diagnosis this morning

[Badger]

I've also seen Dr Huberman's videos on NSDR/Yoga Nidra. It's interesting to get feedback about it's effect on the brain. I shall be trying NSDR during the day.

 

[Auriel]

I have thought about some form of yoga in the past (even more so lately) I've been really considering it (I read about the effect it has on the amigdalae) I know I've been damaged in that area + limbic system ( from past trauma) I think it would be a good idea cos of the way I feel sometimes

 

[Overcomer]

Personally I won’t go near yoga. But many people choose this option.

 

[Auriel]

I don't think I'd be a fan of uncomfortable shapes (I've done pilates before, I think yoga might be similar?) If mindfulness has the same effect I'd try that (it's just challenging to make my incessant thoughts shut up though) if it has the same effect on the brain/mind as yoga I'll give it a try, there's different types of yoga though isnt there? (Sunkacola + jaycs knows more about it) I'm so tired today I had a tidy sleep last night and everything as well (bit broken) this ithing is stupid it don't make sense

 

[Badger]

Yoga Nidra is a stationary body scan that can help to feel settled. The positional stretches may help too, I tended to find them uncomfortable but there's large variety to try. Tai Chi is a gentle option, although I can't manage a 10 min session I'll try one or two movements throughout the day to loosen up.

 

[Alta]

The only thing I am going to say is that you need to research supplements as deeply as you would research any prescribed meds. If you do take any prescribed meds adding some of these supplements could interfere with your prescribed meds. I am speaking from experience because I was taking some supplements and I did more research on them and found out that two or three of them would interfere with my antirejection meds that I must take so I don't reject my transplanted kidney.

 

[JayCS]

you need to research supplements as deeply as you would research any prescribed meds

Fully agreed. Especially that you often need to do it yourself, none of my docs or pharmacists are in the know about specialized things like in my case my seizures (that applies more to meds than supps).

 

[JayCS]

What I just remembered is that what we call yoga actually has very little to do with traditional yoga.
(Not sure, but @sunkacola, I think you'd agree on that?)
Even less so Yoga Nidra:
It's actually an excellent combination of various modern Western relaxation techniques.
So Yoga we could call "stretching exercises", and Yoga Nidra: "Non-sleep deep rest relaxation exercises".

 

[sweetkamie20]

Hello, overcomer. It sounds like you have The Greatest Help already . But since we are still confined here, it is good to see if there's some way to improve the journey...

I don't have near the insight as others into managing fibro through supplements and exercise. Instead, I'm suggesting probably the hardest thing for you to achieve: minimizing your load. Have you ever been able to have a chunk of time you weren't driving yourself like this hard?

My insight is into children and families. I loooovvveee that you are asking your kids for help! That is so good for them!!!

I've done thousands of evaluations on children and parents. The one thing I wish all parents remembered is that the very best gift we give children is a super perspective- one that equips them to enjoy life no matter how difficult it is, to be content in all things. A perspective that brings out selflessness (without quoting the source: life is found in exchanging it for the sake of others. Serving others is free, accessible, and immediately profits the soul - an always available source of positive feelings).

Some parents feel they are failing when they can't be superheroes or banks but that's the worst. I think a common failure is raising a child to think their parent is or should be superhuman so it's great you are asking for their help!!! Wouldn't life be better if we all asked for help more often? You are teaching your kids that it's okay to ask for it. Role modeling it.

Hopefully, your kids experience some pleasure helping you but if not, it certainly won't hurt to articulate how much they are helping you and how happy it makes you.

I'm super impressed you aren't beating yourself up about asking for help. You're creating opportunities to introduce them to powerful life lessons

 

[sunkacola]

What I just remembered is that what we call yoga actually has very little to do with traditional yoga.
(Not sure, but @sunkacola, I think you'd agree on that?)
Even less so Yoga Nidra:
It's actually an excellent combination of various modern Western relaxation techniques.
So Yoga we could call "stretching exercises", and Yoga Nidra: "Non-sleep deep rest relaxation exercises".

Yoga is not "stretching exercises" at all.

There are many different forms within the true practice of yoga. Hatha yoga is the yoga of the body, the poses that most people think of when they hear "yoga".

In recent years a lot of people have taken many liberties with the word "yoga" to the point of calling just about anything from stretching to dancing to lying on the floor while something is read to you, "yoga". These things are not yoga. Yoga is a word that is clearly defined, and there are only so many forms of true Yoga, which includes Hatha, Karma, Japa, Kundilini, and others which have been practiced for thousands of years. These forms are the only forms that are actually Yoga.

I don't know why people have decided to call whatever they want by the name of "yoga" instead of giving their practice a new name. Maybe it's to try to lend legitimacy to what they are doing, I don't know. I personally wish they wouldn't do that, because the meaning of the word "yoga" has now been so corrupted that is is virtually meaningless. Almost anyone now will call themselves a yoga practitioner, whatever they are doing. As a person who spent energy and time studying true Yoga forms deeply for many years I find that regrettable.

I am not by any means alone in this feeling among serious Yoga practitioners. But this kind of thing happens to words all the time, or at least I have seen it happen to English words in the US many times in my lifetime. We can not like it, but it happens anyway.

 

[JayCS]

But this kind of thing happens to words all the time, or at least I have seen it happen to English words in the US many times in my lifetime. We can not like it, but it happens anyway.

Same here. I guess when people use words they easily like to misuse them, sometimes abuse them.

I remember as a kid perusing a big 30yo black & white pamphlet with a real Hindu yogi showing things like Neti.
So I know what I see all around me and do myself is not yoga in the real sense at all.
To me it seems that my fibro body & mind aren't able to do real yoga, not longer than a few minutes....

 

[sweetkamie20]

So true. I wish people wouldnt have slid everything under the yoga banner. I mean if someone came up with a creative term for using rubber bands ("pilates") surely we could create more words for all the western "yoga" activities...

 

[sunkacola]

Same here. I guess when people use words they easily like to misuse them, sometimes abuse them.

I remember as a kid perusing a big 30yo black & white pamphlet with a real Hindu yogi showing things like Neti.
So I know what I see all around me and do myself is not yoga in the real sense at all.
To me it seems that my fibro body & mind aren't able to do real yoga, not longer than a few minutes....

Your fibro body cannot do many of the Hatha yoga poses, no doubt. (I am being picky here and making sure to call it Hatha because that is the form of yoga that utilizes the body. There are many other forms of yoga.) But not all Hatha poses involve pretzling your body. There is one (Tadasana or Mountain Pose) that is simply standing with your whole body very carefully in alignment. And there are others that almost anyone could do as long as they can move.

Asana, which is the ending of the name of every hatha yoga pose, means "comfortable seat". If a pose causes a person pain or even discomfort, they are pushing too far into it and should let their body do only what is comfortable, even if that is only 1" into the pose. It will still be beneficial, if approached with the right concentration, and may result in the body being able to do more over time. Or not, it doesn't matter. True hatha yoga teachers know this.

Of course, I am not advocating for you or anyone else to do hatha yoga, Jay! It's a good thing to try if you find a real teacher and it appeals to you, but really not for everyone, even among people who are perfectly healthy.

 

[JoggingGirl]

Hi. I've been on this forum for a few months because I suspected I have Fibromyalgia and yesterday I finally had my appointment with a specialist who confirmed that I do indeed have it. She didn't have any guidance other than learn to live with it. I don't know even where to begin, I found a support group in Winnipeg. Feeling completely overwhelmed and I don't know where to start. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JayCS]

There is one (Tadasana or Mountain Pose) that is simply standing with your whole body very carefully in alignment. And there are others that almost anyone could do as long as they can move.
If a pose causes a person ... discomfort, they ... should ... do only what is comfortable, even if that is only 1".

I was hoping for your ideas. Long/slow poses/movements is the main problem for me, aside from the extreme.
But I just tried a youtube Tadasana and managed for a whole minute before my arms started hurting and my hands tingling and burning. What helped was the small movements of knees, abdomen and breath.
I know when I first tried long Yin Yoga stretches it killed me, but 20-30'' is often OK. And only a few.
And I do actually feel a benefit if I keep it down to that.
I also do regularly use "back yoga" routines (lower, middle, upper), just it doesn't feel like real yoga much to do it that short. But from what you're saying it can be?
Are back yoga exercises quite a lot of movement "real" yoga, as long as done with the breath?
Also does the attempt count even if a posture I try doesn't look at all like what I'm trying to attain?
And is a plank real yoga even if - as I think - it hasn't go an asana name?

Cat/Marjaryasana and cow/Bitilasana is easy, esp. combined. Cobra I can't, but sphinx/Niravalasana.
Succeeding more and more to sit "cross-legged"/Sukhasana was one thing that resolved my groin pain.

And for those who fear the the yoga mindset is a problem for them of some kind:
If I go into these positions for a minute because it feels great for my body, whether I'm mindful of the pose or my breath or not, could a real yogi tolerate that being called an asana, or not? I'd think no.
And can you as a real yoga teacher see it as an asana?