07 Oct 2014 day one of therapeutics: the neck
A few of my fellow 500 hr teacher and I await the start of the day. Aadil is in the hall, chatting with an assistant.
photo: Jayne Cagle of OneJoyfulYoga.com
My first day of my first therapeutic training with Aadil Palkhivala is over, and I couldn’t be more grateful to be attending this training. Today our focus was the neck. I, like 80% of the workforce, suffer from an extremely straight cervical spine, otherwise known as “MIlitary Neck”. Two weeks ago, I got X-rays taken of my neck to determine exactly how straight it is.
It’s pretty straight… In fact, there is one place where we’re looking at either the start of or, as I choose to believe, the healing of a reversed cervical curve.
Luckily, we spent a better part of the day adding some incredible tools to our yoga therapeutic toolbox to regain the curve. I can’t wait to see how they change my neck as I work with them.
We also learned what I’ve been calling “Heavy Handbag” to an even greater precision than when I first learned it in Atlanta in January at All Life is Yoga. I’ve been teaching “Heavy Handbag” for a while now and using it in my personal practice to good results, but after today, my understanding of the principle, action, and effect of this technique has doubled or even tripled. I’m so excited to share this refinement with my students.
As far as knowledge I want to pass on to you today, I just want to remind you that the neck is a pivot joint, not a ball and socket joint, so neck circles are to be avoided. The above photo shows the three actions of the neck. Each action must be performed separately, not in combination. Combining tilting, twisting and flexion and extension runs the risk of pinching the cervical discs.
Stay tuned for more updates tomorrow! Thanks again to everyone who makes my attendance here possible!
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