Fascia, Our Body’s Infrastructure

As a yoga teacher, I get asked many questions about pain. A common one is:

Why does an injury in one part of my body present pain in an entirely different part?

Logic would dictate that the area where you feel pain is the site of the injury or issue, but that doesn't always occur. 

If you’ve never experienced sensation that originates far from where it presents, then try this: open your mouth and place your right hand on your lower jaw bone; slide your jaw into your hand, but resist against it with your hand… and notice where you feel the sensation. Yes, there’s some feeling around the connection of your hand and jaw, but mostly you’ll feel this along the left side – the side where your hand isn’t. Why is that?

To answer that, think of Spider-Man’s costume, a tight second skin with a web design all over it. When he moves, the lines of the webs shift and move with him. Now, picture that web design under your skin, not on top of it. Each line of the webs are connected to each other, so when one spot tightens, tangles or is knotted (as in scar tissue), the rest of the web is affected - and the web is extremely sensitive. 

That web is called fascia, which is a type of connective tissue. These tissues range from light, easily affected “fuzz” to ropey, dense fibers. The following video shows some of the fascia in the forearm.

As the video shows, this web of fascia provides a container for nerves, blood and lymph vessels. When the fascial web contracts, we experience constriction on the nerves, in the blood vessels and the lymphatic system. Too much of this contraction may affect our systems in the following way:

• pain response and coordination
• circulation
• immune system

How do we loosen, untangle or release the adhesions in the fascial body? Massage is one method. Passive resistance through gentle yoga poses can also help, as well as tools that reduce overall stress, such as mindfulness and breathing exercises.

The next time you feel a pain response, ask yourself,

Where does this really come from?

You may be surprised by the answer, or you may not if your "Spidey-sense" is alert!

Announcements:

• Hear Lorien's interview on the Transformational Power of Yoga Telesummit.
• Next Kaiser Restorative Yoga for Cancer Survivorship 6-week series begins June 12 (ends July 24, no class July 3). Call 408-366-4284 to register.
• Tuesday, June 4th: Lorien will be offering gentle yoga demonstrations as part of Stanford's Cancer Survivor Celebration week. See Events page for info.
• Sunday, June 23rd: Lorien will be offering restorative yoga demonstrations as part of Kaiser's Seeds of Hope Cancer Survivor Day. See Events page for info.
• Stay tuned: Lorien's Healing Yoga for Wellness DVD will be out in June...

Yin Yoga FAQ Part 1

In April, I will be leading my first Yin Yoga Immersion, so I thought I'd take some time to answer some of the questions I've received over the years about this subtle, yet powerful practice. So as not to overwhelm anyone, I'll post the many questions over 2 weeks.

What is Yin Yoga? 

Whenever someone asks me to explain what yin yoga is, I always begin by taking a deep breath. It's not that easily defined, and the words we use to define it - surrender, stillness, flexibility, mindfulness, connective tissue (CT) - aren't all that "sexy" and appealing. The issue is that the term yin is a relative one. What's yin to one person maybe not be to another.

The term comes from Taoism, and the concept that we need a balance of yin and yang in order to be healthy. The symbol at the right illustrates that ebb and flow of yin and yang energies, including each in the other. So, depending on how much yin or yang you already have in your life, the yin component may change.

The characteristics of a yin practice may have similar qualities, however, and that's what we tend to describe when discussing yin yoga. A basic format would look like this:

Step 1: Take a shape that creates a medium-level sensation somewhere that allows you to sustain the position over time and surrender as much muscular tension as possible.
Step 2: Stay.
Step 3: Remain attentive to your sensations, breath and thoughts throughout the pose.

The practice tends to be quiet, reflective and mellow, which has a side effect of shift the nervous system from a stress response to a more healing state of being.

Why Relax the Muscles?

Muscular tissues like to be exercised in a yang way, extending and contracting over and over again, in order to stress and then, eventually, build the tissues. The connective tissues (CT) - scar tissue, ligaments, joint capsules, regular fascia, etc., respond differently and are best exercised through mild traction held for a period of time. You will never have a pose that is completely yang or completely yin, there will always be a little of the other included in each, just like the yin-yang symbol depicts. To keep the muscles from taking the load of the stress and bypassing the majority of the CT, we typically practice yin postures on the floor, where the weight is held by the ground or by props. It is much more challenging to practice weight-bearing poses with minimal muscle engagement, but not impossible. Practitioners must hold these poses with more awareness and less time, in order to affect the CT and avoid injury.

Is Yin the Same as Restorative Yoga?

No. While they both have a similar effect on the nervous system, the intention behind both practices is very different. Yin targets the CT running through the body, and the joints, specifically. Because of this, the joints are typically left unsupported - in traction, so that gravity can slowly untangle the fibers of the CT. In restorative yoga, the intention is to subtly tease the tension out of the body, while coaxing the nervous system towards the parasympathetic, the state where relaxation, digestion, elimination and healing can occur. To that end, the body is typically supported with lots of props - especially near the joints. Sensation is mild, stimulus as minimal as possible (Judith Lasater advocates quiet, dark and warm for this practice) and duration is long.

...to be continued...

Announcements

Please see the Events page for more information about these upcoming special programs:

Sunday, March 31 (Easter): OM for Peace
Saturday, April 6 - Sunday April 7: Yin Yoga 14-Hour Immersion
Saturday, April 6 - Sunday April 7 AND Saturday, April 13 - Sunday April 14: Yin Yoga Teacher Training
Sunday, April 28: Yin Yoga 1-Day Workshop