Posts in Movement
Yoga, Qigong and Chronic Illness
 
AppleBlossom.jpg
All disease begins in the gut.
— Hippocrates

I’ve lived with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) for almost 20 years now; I was initially diagnosed with pancolitis (Ulcerative Colitis) in 2002, then had total colectomy surgery and was subsequently diagnosed with fistulating Crohn’s disease. Auto-immune illnesses tend to be complex, layered pathologies, meaning there will inevitably be multiple components to a possible ‘cure’.

I am a firm believer of the idea that everyone needs to find their own path in health; in most complex auto-immune illnesses there is no one solution or wonder-drug that can cure them. They are complex illnesses where the body is out of balance and they require good medical guidance, but also individual inquiry and effort.

For me realising that I could and needed to take ownership, rather than solely relying on medical science, has helped me improve a lot. I realised that I was very disconnected from actually feeling, from listening to my body’s signals; from my own inherent wisdom. Yoga and Qigong opened the door to help me reconnect. 

 

Yoga is a mind-body practice, helping to unite the different layers (Koshas) of our being; the physical, energetic, mental/emotional, wisdom and deeper Self. Through the path of the 8-limbs of Yoga we are able to connect to the deeper Self and feel total connection to ourselves and the outside world. We have the realisation that we are all one; non-duality. We find our bliss by quieting the ‘monkey mind’, that incessant voice in our heads constantly judging/fixing/comparing and can completely present in the moment. No more reminiscing the past or ‘what if-ing’ the future. Just being here, right now.

To get to this state in our fast-paced world, we need to slow down and do the work of yoga. The path of yoga follows ethical standards (Yamas), spiritual observances (Niyamas), movement (Asana), breathwork (Pranayama), going inward (Pratyahara), focus (Dharana) so we can go deeper into meditation (Dhyana) in order to find our deeper Self or Bliss (Samadhi). Yoga is also not just practiced on the mat, you try to live your Yoga every day. By being mindful, practicing Yamas (like non-violence, truthfulness and non-stealing) and Niyamas (like contentment, self-study and discipline), setting an intention to be living your life with more purpose and awareness.

Yoga has has changed -perhaps even saved- my life as I found it when I was in a very dark place. I was struggling with my physical and mental health and I was giving up on life. Yoga made me feel strong and flexible both physically and mentally and it also helped to open my mind to the more spiritual aspects. I could break away from my closed “I Know” mindset into a more “Maybe” frame of mind, open to the idea that life gets far more interesting when you really listen and become curious.

The one aspect that I still found very difficult to connect with was the energetic part. The Kosha model in Yoga views us as having five layers, starting with the physical, which is the most tangible. The second layer is the energetic (Pranamaya Kosha) also known as the subtle body as it is something we can’t see but feel; it is the part of us where the energy flows. The energy flows through energy channels; the three major ones being the central channel (Sushumna) and Ida and Pingala (the left and right channels weaving around the central channel) representing the Yin (feminine) and Yang (masculine) energy in the body. Besides the 3 major channels the Yogis believe we have some 72.000 minor channels (or Nadis) transporting the energy (or Prana) through our body. Along the central channel there are 7 energy wheels (or Chakras) from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, all representing different developmental and emotional parts of our being. One more way of energy to flow through the subtle body are the five Winds (Vayus). These flows represent the way that air and energy can flow in, through and out the body and the energetic quality this creates.

As you can see, it is all quite involved and then I found out that there are other ways to map energy; when I started learning about Yin yoga, we learned there were 12 main energy channels and 8 extraordinary ones and that energy (now named Qi or Chi) was stored in three energy centres (or Dantian). Then while learning Thai Yoga massage, they used 10 energy channels (or 10 Sen) but I did recognise the 3 main energy channels (although named them slightly differently; Sumana, Ittha, Pinkala). Finally those energy channels have connection points on the surface of the skin (acupressure points) where we can stimulate/manipulate the energy via needles (acupuncture) or pressure (massage, tapping).

While this all got pretty complex, it was also remarkably easy. Energy (Prana, or Qi/Chi) flows through our body through channels (Nadis, or Meridians or Sen). It can concentrate in certain areas (Chakras or Dantian) and if the energy flows freely and we have enough of it, we feel balanced, healthy and happy. When energy is deficient or blocked, we feel unwell emotionally and/or physically.

I was able to understand this in my mind and was open to believing it to be true, but the disconnect happened with sensing into it. In my Yoga practices I could feel energised through movement and breath, but ‘feeling energy’ I couldn’t…. Enter Qigong!

Qigong (Qi = Life Force Energy, Gong= Work/Skill) came across my path some 15 years ago when for two years I would practice Tai Chi (a mind-body practice based on martial art used for health and meditation) for 2 hours a week. At the time I wasn’t practicing Yoga yet. The Tai Chi felt flowy, it required focus and movement and to memorise the sequence, all of which I loved. The first hour of the practice was Qigong; it was slow and repetitive and for me at the time perhaps a little too slow. Fast forward to 2020 where I reconnected with Qigong. This time as a Yogi. I was able to slow down, focus and enjoy the repetitive movement as a moving meditation. Very quickly I was able to tune into the sensations in my body, the tingling, swirling movement of Qi (Qigong uses the same energy map as we do in Yin Yoga where they speak of Qi and Meridians). I could actually feel the energy. With practice I can start feeling where energy flows, but also where it is blocked or deficient. This I believe is crucial in my healing process.

 
Whereas Yoga played a vital part in helping me to reconnect my mind and body, Qigong has been instrumental in connecting to the part of me my western mind was struggling to tune into; my energy, subtle body, soul or deeper self.
 

Energy is closely connected to Emotions. The energy sheat or subtle body (Pranamaya Kosha) sits between the Physical sheat (Annamaya Kosha) and the Mental/Emotional sheat (Manomaya Kosha). It is the link between the mind and the body and an important place to address mental and physical health.

Emotions, experiences, events which we haven’t properly processed (things we’ve experienced as traumatic), are stored in the body (see Bessel van der Kolk’s ‘The Body keeps the Score’ or Gabor Maté’s When the Body says No’ for more insights on this).  Furthermore, studies show that people suffering from IBD and other auto-immune illnesses who suffer from chronic fatigue, might suffer disrupted emotional processing. A lack of emotional regulation (unprocessed emotions, avoidance, suppressed emotions) might develop into anxiety and/or depression. Crohn’s disease itself can trigger traumatic experiences, worsening the illness and the emotions surrounding it. It’s a vicious cycle. So being able to better deal with emotions, in the moment through emotional regulation, but also the unprocessed emotions stored in the body, by being able to feel where the energy is blocked, I believe is a big part of my journey to better health.

Another simple yet highly effective tool is EFT (emotional freedom technique). EFT uses tapping on specific acupressure points (on those same meridians I mentioned from Yin Yoga and Qigong) in combination with recognising an emotion and positively affirming the underlying feeling (or limiting belief) was another big breakthrough. I feel I am about to extrapolate what I’ve learned so far from these simple yet powerful practices, the essential ingredient missing from my treatment plan; dealing with my dysregulated nervous system by working with and through my sublte/energy body. Finding the combination of awareness, focus, movement and understanding what energy to release, and what energy to strengthen I believe makes a big impact on health.

My plan is to keep combining Yoga and Somatics with Qigong and EFT in order to process emotions and balance my energy system. I want to share my practices with other people suffering with Chronic Illness such as Crohn’s and Colitis. More soon!

 
The Body, Movement and Somatics
WhitePink.jpg
 
The human body is not an instrument to be used, but a realm of one’s being,
to be experienced, explored, enriched and thereby educated.
— Thomas Hanna

The reason why yoga made such an impact on me was because my body had become a place of discomfort and pain, and yoga fixed this. Many years of being stressed and working behind a computer, had left so much tension in my body that it became misaligned; I had hunched shoulders and my head moved forward, causing pain in my back and neck. I was permanently compressing my chest and abdomen, which was impacting my breathing and I’m pretty sure it also played a role with my digestive issues. Then when I had major surgery in my abdomen, I couldn’t sit up straight anymore and I was in constant pain. I tried many things, but the three months of private yoga lessons (twice a week), were transformative. I really wish I had taken before and after pictures as it would have just told the story. Yoga was amazing in opening up my body and reconnecting my mind, body and breath, to feel whole again. It was so amazing that I just had to learn more and share this practice.

While studying yoga therapy at Kripalu I was introduced to Somatic Exercises; slow, purposeful movement, effectively restructuring of the alignment of the body (posture) by retraining the brain.

When we first learn to make movements (sitting, walking, etc) the brain learns which muscles to contract in order to make the movements, it will then release when we relax. When we start introducing habits, postures we hold for long periods of time (for instance hunching over a desk, looking at a screen, wearing a bag always on one side), it causes the body to hold the muscle tension in on certain muscles for a period of time (with hunching the abdominal and chest muscles are engaged, the bag causes one shoulder to elevate) and the brain starts to think this is the norm. In other words this is the relaxed state. It doesn’t know what the actual relaxed state is anymore, because you spend so much time in your habitual shape. This ‘forgetting’ of the brain is called Sensory Motor Amnesia.

So it’s not just that muscles get short and tight, the brain keeps engaging the muscle as it thinks this is the normal state.  So you cannot just stretch the muscle longer, you need to retrain the brain to reset the relaxed state. Somatic Exercises, they do just that. By slow, purposeful short practices, relearning what the neutral position of a muscle is and therefor improving posture and removing pain.

Stretching will not retrain the brain and as the stretch reflex will ensure the muscle fibre is not overstretched, the stretching usually is transferred to the connective tissue – it is also just a short term result. Enter pandiculation; the body’s natural way of stretching; you see animals do it (cat stretch) and you probably do it instinctively when you wake up in the morning. It is an active stretch, a full body yawn.

It starts with a voluntary contraction, followed by a slow, and controlled lengthening (using gravity as weight), followed by complete relaxation of the targeted muscles.  Giving the brain time to integrate the new feedback – it’s the reprogramming of the brain to note where a muscle is relaxed.

Somatics consist of a number very slow and purposeful practices, all done without any props on the floor. The only thing you need to ensure is that you do it very slow and every day. From personal experience I am certain you will start feeling the impact very soon!

 
Practice: Improving Posture
PurpleBeauty.jpg
 

Modern life has caused many of us to slowly move our heads forward and round our shoulders.

By looking down whilst reading a book, looking at our phones or sitting at a desk our heads start to constantly extend and causing strain on our neck muscles. Our heads are very heavy (think bowling ball) and forward head movement means we need to counter balance with our neck and shoulders. This changing of our shape is called “forward head position” and it is very common in our western world.

This can also start causing issues in our lower back and give us headaches and many other health issues. I stumbled across the simple 2-minute practice below (click here for more), which you can even do seated at your desk. When done frequently, it can really start to adress this issue by opening the muscles at the front of the shoulders and strengthening the muscles around our shoulder blades and neck. By making a Y, W, L and T shape with our arms.

  • First use your index finger and gentle push your chin back so your head aligns on top of your spine. Feeling your neck lengthening upwards. Then release your hand and try and keep your head in this neutral position. If this causes pain in any way, please do not do this step; it should feel awkward at worst.

  • On your next inhale reach your arms up, palms facing each other so you are in a Y-shape. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your head neural as you breathe 3 slow breaths; in through the nose and out through the mouth, pursing the lips so the exhale becomes longer.

  • After 3 breaths on the next exhale, start to lower your elbows down and your hands out, so you make a W-shape. It should feel like your shoulder blades are gently squeezing together and move down. Ensure your head stays neutral and also make sure you don’t start to over-arch your lower back, perhaps slightly pulling the navel in to stay with a neutral spine. Keep your shoulders relaxed and again breathe 3 slow breaths.

  • After 3 breaths on the next exhale, start to move your elbows towards your waist and move your hands down, palms facing up, making a (sort of) L-shape. Again keeping the head neutral, shoulders relaxed, breathing 3 slow breaths.

  • After 3 breaths, start to straighten your arms, lifting your hands up so you are making a T-shape with your body. Your hands might be further back than your body, squeezing the shoulder blades even further together. Be gentle, don’t force, head neutral, shoulders relaxed, 3 breaths.

  • Then gently bring your arms down by your side and notice the sensations in your shoulders and chest. Notice your head position.

A handy acronym to remember the sequence: You, Will, Look, Taller.

There are so many practices that can help and in yoga, there are many postures that help opening the chest and strengthen the back, so even though above practice will help (and I would encourage you to do it a few times through the day, just to remind yourself of your posture), only with more frequent practice will you counter the many hours of bad posture. When you start practicing yoga more, you will notice that you are reminded of bad posture quicker and so you will you correct yourself quicker, breaking the bad posture cycle.

 
 
 
 
 

Disclaimer: These exercises are not medical or health advice. If you experience pain trying any of these activities, immediately discontinue them.