Recent guidelines about dealing with back pain: do they make sense?
A recent article in the New York Times discussed the updated guidelines by the American College of Physicians regarding treatment of lower back pain. While in the past medication was[...] The post...
View ArticleWhen you are hurt where does the pain come from?
Few years ago my family moved from one house to another. On the moving day I was carrying a big heavy box down the stairs and missed the last step.[...] The post When you are hurt where does the pain...
View ArticleHow does pain become chronic?
A former client of mine, let’s call him John, bent over to tie his shoes one day and was unable to sit up because of excruciating pain in his lower[...] The post How does pain become chronic? appeared...
View ArticleWhy do we tend to expect the worst when it comes to pain? Negativity bias
If you accomplish ten great things today and make one mistake, what will you more likely think about when you lie in bed at night? Most likely you will think[...] The post Why do we tend to expect the...
View ArticleHow the brain can interpret other signals as pain
One of my clients has recurring knee issues. For her, there is always a low degree of discomfort that never goes away; sometimes it flares up, causing sharp pain. When[...] The post How the brain can...
View ArticleWhy yoga is effective for chronic pain management
In our digital world technology experts continuously come up with solutions to make our everyday lives easier. Need to share your pictures? There is an app for that! Need help[...] The post Why yoga is...
View ArticleHow patient-practitioner relationship impacts the healing process
When my son was little he used to freak out every time he fell down and scraped his knee. He would start screaming that he “needed a doctor”, that “this[...] The post How patient-practitioner...
View ArticleActive listening and pain assessment in a yoga session
One of my clients is currently shopping for a doctor. She is trying to find one that she can stick with for a while and so far she hadn’t been[...] The post Active listening and pain assessment in a...
View ArticleHow to work with chronic pain on the level of physical body
There is a heated ongoing debate in the yoga community about the difference between a yoga teacher and yoga therapist. Some feel that yoga by its nature is therapeutic, so[...] The post How to work...
View ArticlePain vs sensation yoga practice
Your brain interprets your bodily sensations based on context and experience. If you feel a rumbling sensation in your stomach and it’s almost dinner time, you interpret it as hunger[...] The post Pain...
View ArticleHow to work with chronic pain on the level of physiology (part 1)
Some days when I begin my yoga practice I can feel the entire physical history of my body: here is that neck tension from staring at the computer all day[...] The post How to work with chronic pain on...
View ArticleThree pillars of physiological health
Your body likes to be in a state of internal balance. It is called homeostasis and indicates a stable internal environment. Homeostasis maintains the state of internal equilibrium on the[...] The post...
View ArticleHow to manage your “body budget”: The Brhmana-Langhana model
The other day I was cooking dinner as my son was watching a kid’s movie about Sid the science kid. I wasn’t paying attention to the actual storyline, but I[...] The post How to manage your “body...
View ArticleHow to work with chronic pain on the level of physiology (part 2)
When you are in pain, the body gets stuck in a loop of emergency stress response and continues to cycle through endocrine response (release of adrenaline); sympathetic system activation...
View ArticleLet go of agitation: short langhana practice in a chair
I have experienced a full-blown panic attack once in my life about 10 years ago. I was flying back home from my mom’s funeral and in the middle of the[...] The post Let go of agitation: short langhana...
View ArticleQuick pick-me-up practice for an afternoon slump
When one thinks of a brhmana practice that is supposed to build and energize the system, it is easy to conjure images of sun salutations, challenging standing poses and fast[...] The post Quick...
View ArticleIs there a difference between pain and suffering? Insights from Patanjali
When it comes to dealing with chronic pain we have to differentiate between pain and suffering. Pain is the actual physical /physiological response to the triggering injury or illness. It[...] The post...
View ArticleDo our thoughts make us suffer? Five types of mental activities
Every moment of every day you are bombarded by information from outside and inside of your body. You take outside information in via the senses (it’s called perception) and internal[...] The post Do...
View ArticleHow to train your memory and encourage learning
My family and I are going to Spain later this summer, so not long ago I started taking Spanish lessons. And even though I already speak two languages, boy is[...] The post How to train your memory and...
View ArticleDoes the way you see the world limit you or empower you? Four steps to change...
What do you think is the most effective yogic tool for working with the intellectual mind? Is it meditation? Nope. Meditation helps you to observe and focus the mind, but[...] The post Does the way you...
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