My Doctor Told Me to Do Yoga, Now What?
How to find direction when starting a yoga practice for YOUR body, while living with chronic illness or limited mobility.
Chances are if you are reading this, you’ve recently been to your doctor. You may have asked them what you can do on your own to help with your unique situation. They told you yoga could help.
Thoughts stream through your mind; what is yoga? I’m not flexible and I am dealing with a chronic illness or limited mobility, yoga is for lean flexible women, there is no way my body can get into yoga poses.
If this resonates with you, let’s dive in!
Yoga is an exercise, right?
Yoga is about coming together. Joining the mind, body, and spirit. If our mind, body and spirit are all on the same page, we are working at our best.
Think about your car and everything that goes into making it reliable and long lasting. This is what I mean by saying “working at our best.”
If you take care of your car’s body, it helps with longevity as well as minimizing the rust. But, also if you keep it clean inside and out, it can be something that lifts your spirit. Which could also be said, to be the spirit of your car.
What about the engine? If you neglect the engine, how long will your car last? Not very long, right?
If we nourish our mind, body and spirit then we will have a longer more fulfilled life.
The yoga postures are just one way to nourish your body under the yoga tree.
So, where do you start?
Many of my clients had this very question. Do I attend a public class? Is there such a thing as private yoga sessions? Should I just borrow a book from the library? Should I just google it?
Let’s ask someone who has been through this experience already.
First Hand Experience.
Kathy has been living with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis for decades and uses a cane to help with balance and stability. She has been practicing yoga for roughly 10 years and about 4 years with myself.
I asked her to recall her experience in getting started with a yoga practice all those years ago. This is what she had to say.
She had heard about yoga, but thought it was just a fad exercise. She was skeptical at first, but told herself,
“I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
She started off with private yoga sessions. I asked her why she did not start with a beginner’s class?
She told me that there were a lot of factors. She was afraid she would do something stupid or wrong. She didn’t want to feel embarrassed and what if she fell in class? Another factor that prevented her from starting with public classes was that she didn’t want to slow down the class.
Overtime, Kathy eventually tried a public yoga class! I asked her about that experience as well.
She said that private sessions had made her confident to attend a public class because she was already familiar with the postures. Private yoga sessions taught her how to listen to her body and modify the poses accordingly. She also was no longer afraid to ask the teacher for help if she needed it.
Private sessions had empowered her to be comfortable in a public class.
She knows that people starting out may feel insecure about their self image and nervous with the thought of starting something new.
Kathy’s advice is to talk to people about yoga, to give it a try and that it won’t hurt.
Although, she says to keep in mind that modifications in a public class may not be appropriate for your body or current situation.
So there you have it!
Private Sessions — Best for Chronic Illness and Limited Mobility
What’s great about a private setting, whether it be in person or online, is that you are getting the instructor’s FULL attention for YOUR needs!
I have been working with my clients for four years with a focus on chronic illness and limited mobility. I noticed soon after I finished my yoga teacher training, that there was a whole demographic of people that have a difficult time developing their own yoga practice for their body.
My time spent with my clients has given me plenty of experience in working with ones who really need that extra attention, explanation, and modifications.
“The truth is, our bodies are NOT one-size-fits all and neither is a yoga practice!”
So, when looking for a private yoga teacher, you’ll want to ask them some questions.
Do you adapt/modify yoga postures to individual needs?
Do you leave room to adapt/modify the session to my body that day?
Will you provide short sequences and modifications for me to do at home?
and
Are you going to teach a full spectrum of yoga techniques, not just postures?
These are all important questions to ask a prospective private yoga teacher!
What’s next?
Do not fear!
There are plenty of resources out there. I’m happy to tell you that I am one of those resources. You don’t live in Ohio? That’s okay!
I have a private FREE community on Facebook.
I provide valuable content daily. Tips to improve balance, how to practice mindfulness anywhere, short chair yoga sequences, partner yoga for ones in wheelchairs, and guided mindfulness meditations.
Do you want to feel empowered in your yoga practice?
Do you want to confidently adapt yoga postures for your body?
Request to join Empower Your Day: Yoga for Chronic Illness & Limited Mobility!
