Observations on Tadasana plus Yoga and Scoliosis.

18th September, 2008.
Observations on Tadasana plus Yoga and Scoliosis.


I noticed that when working with Tadasana, that when I stand correctly i.e. feet together (heals apart) weight just in front of heals, toes spread, arches and knees lifted, legs active, hips and pelvis relaxed, spine relaxed and extended gently upwards, shoulders, arms and hands (by your sides, palms facing thighs) relaxed, neck extend (as a part of my spine) and relaxed, head relaxed and ears over shoulders, chin slightly tucked inwards. When this was done I noticed that I had more energetic activity in the palm my hands.

Just to see if this energetic activity in my hand was my imagination I shifted my head so that my ears were no longer over my shoulders. Thus my spine was no longer alined. When I did this the energy in my hands shifted from the palm of my hands and into my fingers. Thought I was able to detect energy in my fingers before, it was not as strong as when I moved my ears from the plain of my shoulders. The reasion for this was that when my spine went out of alignment (by moving my head) the flow of energy from the energy centre (bubbling well) in my feet were diminished. This energy centre is located just in front of your heal. It is important that you maintain good alignment, so that all of your energy centres align. That the energy centres in you feet and hand connect.

When you stand in Tadasana your body lines up and the energy flows properly. It is important that you do not strain, as that will also diminish the flow of energy in you body.


Hatha Yoga and Scoliosis.


When I started this morning I had a slight 'jog' in my lower lumbar.

I started the session out with Surya Namaskar, just for a change of pace. Though I took longer in the 'flow' so that I could make the adjustments to my spine for the scoliosis. Basically I shift my ribcage (mentally rather then jogging my shoulder up or down) so that it is more aligned then normal. I could also spend more time with the deep breathing.

From Surya Namaskar I moved into my normal practice, making allowances for my specific practice when working with Scoliosis.

Observations on some of the asanam.

Ardha Chandrasana with blocks:

The Right side was a little wobbly, but not at all bad. The left side went very well. I was quite pleased. On both sides I was able to relax (eventually on the right) and breathe deeply. I was also able to make the adjustments to my ribs.


Parivrtta Tirkonasana with blocks:

This also went well. I was able to relax quite nicely into this asana. Breathing and rib alignment were a success.


When I was doing a passive backbend over a bolster, I noticed that I was feeling rather emotional. This was about half way through the series that I was doing. I also felt a bit nausious.

At the end of the session, the 'jog' in my lower lumber was gone.


Time spent: A little over two hours.

Yoga and Scoliosis.

16th September, 2006.
Using Hatha Yoga to help my Scoliosis.

I started this morning with Surya Namaskar. I worked with my breathing and adjusted my ribs during the practice. All in all it was not very satisfying this morning, but it was ok. Well there are days like that. Just move on.

I began my Hatha Yoga session today with a slight "C" in my lower spine. In the work that I am doing to use Hatha Yoga to help with the scoliosis. I am adjusting my ribs by moving them mentally, not by moving my shoulders up and down. With my right side I am moving my ribcage upward, and my left ribcage is moved downward. From time to time I have felt nauseous during the practice, and occasionally after the practice is over. If as happens from time to time, I have to miss a few days of working on my scoliosis. I find that my left rib cage aches quite a bit.

Among the asanam I worked with today were:

A long Uttanasana with my head resting on blocks. This left me feeling rather cool when I had finished. I made an effort to breath deeply and to adjust my ribs while in this asana. It was not that easy. Especially the deep breathing.

While in Utthita Parsvakonasana I felt a little nauseous, especially while working on my left ribs.

As I moved through my practice today the "C" slowly diminished. At the end of the session I rounded it off with the Sarvangasana Cycle. I noticed that my ribs now seemingly move easily.

This session took me about 2.5 hours.

Yoga helping with Scoliosis.

9th September, 2008.
Working with Scoliosis.

While I was having my morning coffee. I noticed an aching in my ribs from the scoliosis. I had had a restless night, and I had been moving about a lot during my sleep. That my have contributed to the discomfort. To help combat the aching in my ribs, I did Surya Namaskar and that helped.

Later on in the day I had a much longer session of Hatha Yoga. I started out with Pranayama and Meditation. During this portion of the Yoga the scoliosis played up. I noticed it particularly when I was meditating, but not so much when I was doing Valoma. There really is a connection (for me) with the deeper breath, and the mitigation of the effects of the scoliosis. When I meditate I do not try to control my breath, and so my breathing is shallow (not as full) as when I work on Pranayama. Speaking (rather writing) of breathing, I was talking to my teacher Deborah about breathing the other day. She reminded me to be sure to breath into my back as well as my front. It is quite amazing how much more of a deeper breath you can get if you do that!

At the beginning of the Hatha Yoga there was a slight 'c' in my lower spine. I had a two plus hour session, and I made a point of breathing deeply into each asana as well as adjusting my ribs (mentally) for the scoliosis. Though I did have problems doing this during some of the balancing poses. During Dhanurasana I felt a little nausea, but that passed.

By the end of the Hatha Yoga my curve was much reduced.

Notes from the 4th, 5th and 6th of September, 2008.

4th September, 2008.
Hatha Yoga. Non scoliosis session.

I started the session out rather stiff, however adding deep breathing to the asanam really seems to help. :) During this practice I continued spending longer in each asana.

During Bharadvajasana I note that my right side is a lot more flexible then my left side. Deep breathing is a lot easier on the right too. When performing Bharadvajasana I can really feel the effects of the scoliosis on my body. If I do not adjust my body, i.e. adjust my right ribs upwards, and my left ribs downwards, I can not really manage the deep breathing I need to do. Nor perform the asana properly. Another point that I have picked up on is that when doing twists, it is better to start out on the right, and then do the left side. The reason for this is the location of the intestines [upper and lower colon], and the way food is processed. Apparently twisting to the right side works the higher portion of the intestine then the twisting on the left side (which works a lower portion of the intestine.) So food moves from right to left, so (as I understand it) you should twist the right side (starting from you tummy, and working the twist upward) then do the left side.

A few hours after this session the scoliosis is acting up. I wish I had been able to keep up my practice while travelling around Ohio and Virginia. I can't imagine what it must be like for people who have scoliosis really badly.

5th September, 2008.

Used Hatha Yoga to work on the Scoliosis.

I can feel a curve in my lower spine. My ribcage does not ache like it did yesterday. I started out with Pranayama and Meditation then moved on to Hatha Yoga.

The practice went well and I did not have any problems (in general) with the deep breathing generally.
Ardha Chandrasana and Virabhadrasana III went well. Though I should have started the balancing asanam earlier on in the session. Astavakrasana was not too bad. It is interesting to me that my right side is weaker then my left, given that I am right. handed. Lolasana weak, but I did it. I could not manage the deep breathing. When I got to Bakasana I was just too tired. :) So I moved on. By this point in the session the 'c' in my lower spine had mostly gone. I finished up with the Sarvangasana Cycle and Savasana.

Two and a half hours later I could feel the curve in my spine. My left ribcage aches a little from time to time. The sensation is rather like a tightness in my ribs.

6th September, 2008.

I took the day off (so to speak.) I only did Surya Namaskar in the morning. By 8 p.m. my ribs (left side) were aching quite a bit.

When I went to bed my ribcage was still aching. I noticed that if I lay flat on my back. The aching lessened. I then tried laying on my right side (left knee on right.) That was better still. I then reversed the side so I was on my left and that felt the best. The aching almost went away and I was the most comfortable. It was interesting to me that I felt the best when the presser of my body was on the ribs that were aching.

Hatha Yoga for Scoliosis later on (3rd Sept. '08.)

3rd September, 2008.

After two weeks of not doing much yoga, and none focusing on the scoliosis that I have. I had only a few session of Surya Namaskar during that period. This afternoon I was finely able to work on my scoliosis with an hour of Hatha Yoga.

At the start of the session I could feel pronounced curves in my spine. My back ached, especially my left ribcage close to the spine (in fact I still feel the ache several hours later.)

During the day, as I was out and about with my 4 year old, I was practising deep breathing. In this state I would breath from my lower abdomen all the way up to the top of my chest, and into my back. Trying to fill my lungs without lifting my shoulders up. A true deep breath.

I started out with the intention of using deep breathing as a part of my asanam practice today. The practice began with Surya Namaskar, and boy did I feel stiff. It was rather surprising to me how quickly I loosed up. Not to the same extent as if I had had uninterrupted series of Hatha Yoga sessions, but still it was pleasing.

I will not bore you with the different asanam that I went through. I will say though that Ustrasana (camel) felt especially good, and that when I followed it up with Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge) the muscles on my left side (ribcage) shuddered a little. Quite odd, but not painful. Later on when I was working on Bharadvajasana (I) I could take deeper breaths when twisting to my right side then when twisting to my left side. I also have to keep in mind to lower my shoulders during the practice.

I note that it is sometimes difficult to write after I have finished an asana. At the end of the session the lower "c" is mostly gone.

Effects of missing two weeks of Hatha Yoga on Scoliosis.

3rd September, 2008.

Over the past two weeks I have been travelling and I have not been able to practice Hatha Yoga beyond a few sessions of Surya Namaskar.

I can feel my ribs tightening up as my Scoliosis reverts to what it was before I was actively using Hatha Yoga to assuage some of the effects of the scoliosis. I note that my ribs are squeezing together. It seems that my left side is being pulled together. It does feel odd. I note that I feel a little nauseous. Mind you the nausea may just mean that I have had way too much coffee this morning. :)

So the current effects are: my left side is quite tight (as if being squashed together.)
My lower spine has more of a bulge in it.