Yoga Is “Sensational”

I have been using the word “sensational” in class a lot lately. Not in the traditional meaning of “very good or great” – well that is partly true. When I say “sensational” I mean “lots of sensation” which IS actually great. Even when you perceive the sensation as uncomfortable.

Let me explain. The body can have sensory motor amnesia. That means that some muscles forget how to work. This often results in using another muscle too much or inefficiently. In many cases this bio-mechanic disfunction is the cause of chronic pain.

Pain is actually a great tool. Its purpose is to help you and let you know that something is not right. As a yoga practitioner it’s helpful to learn to discern injurious pain, which your don’t want, from the beneficial pain of strengthening, stretching, or waking something up from this amnesia.

I dislike the word “pain” for that beneficial sensation you get from your yoga practice. So now you can call the intensity from an exercise or posture “sensational!”

Truth be told, there is no way around sensation in yoga. I like to put it on a scale of 1-10. One being not much sensation and ten being a lot of sensation. When you can breathe, relax, and work in an aligned way, while holding a posture for 30-45 seconds, at a sensation level of 7-8, you will make a lasting change in your body. This is how you snuggle up to your boundary with respect and grow.

Please throw out the meme “no pain no gain.” If you are experiencing a 10+ it’s just too much, back off. That much sensation only creates more binding and new compensatory patterns that are NOT helpful.

New science suggests that yoga practice increases the gray matter in your brain and helps reduce chronic pain. Yoga also helps increase proprioception which is a fancy word for mapping your body or turning on your internal GPS. Proprioception is the ability to feel your parts and know where they are in space.

I am especially excited about the work I have been doing with the Yoga Tune Up® therapy balls to reduce pain and increase proprioception. Check out my upcoming workshops, Unglue Your Stuck Spots, to experience this sensational work.