Thank you RoadstoBliss for donating time to make this documentary on Iyengar Yoga Therapy with Lois Steinberg. Click
here to watch the video.
Roadstobliss has a wonderful website with various videos featuring BKS Iyengar, Geeta Iyengar, Dean & Rebecca Lerner, etc. Click
here for the website.
Below is the story of my migraines, not that I want to bore anyone with a long reading tale. Actually, it is good for me to write as the process brings me face to face with the situation as a reality; a concrete situation that I live with. I know others out there live with health issues making this an opportunity for others to not feel alone.
Every year, Lois Steinberg organizes a Yoga Therapy Course where teachers learn how to work with people who have various aliments. Many teachers flew from Russia to attend along with local teachers.
I was a student subject for this 5 day course because of my chronic migraines. Since I was an extreme snowboarder for 20 years, I had multiple concussions. When I was in a car accident in 2005, I was hit from behind, then I hit the car in front of me which created strong whiplash. I went unconscious, this was when the migraines started and never stopped.
I have a bit of brain damage that doctors cannot explain very well or seem to help. I actually have learned about this brain damage through the Iyengar Yoga teachers more than doctors. My vision is effected, I have migraines on a weekly basis, and I have feelings on an emotional level in the form of low patience/anger/irritation. I have been to all sorts of doctors including neurologists, cranial sacral doctors, osteopaths, massage therapists, counselors, chiropractors, acupuncturists, etc. And, had 2 surgeries to try to 'numb' the pain. When I went to neurologists that were ranked the best in the country, they told me they wanted to burn the end of my nerve permanently so that I would not feel pain. I let them do 2 trial runs of this 'numbing' process through surgery as it would only last 2 days. After these procedures, I could not feel the entire right side of my face or the back of my head/neck, it was like going to the dentist and having the lips numb, except it was most of my head and my entire neck. I could not imagine having this numbing feeling for the rest of my life. I would rather feel the pain than not feel at all. I ended up fed up with most doctors. Some of these treatments have been awful experiences and some have been helpful. I struggle with having to take medications to treat pain weekly which make me bed ridden for most of the day due to the effects of the drugs, but they do take away the pain. So......
I found the benefits of Iyengar Yoga Therapy. I was able to get help with my migraines while in India, and the therapy truly works. When I practice therapeutically, I am able to manage my migraines better. While I was at Lois Steinberg's Intensive, I started out on Monday with my right eye twitching non-stop and knots in my right shoulder. On Wednesday, I had developed a bad migraine. I did not take my medicine and practiced with the help of Lois and Vavara (my teacher from Russia), I was able to get rid of my migraine WITHOUT medicine! Out of the 5 years I have had migraines, it has only been a handful of times that I have been able to stop one naturally, giving me HOPE.
Just like dear Betsy talks about in the video, Yoga teaches to see each day as a gift. Through Yoga, I feel inspired to not spiral into a depression because of this illness. I am able to keep going and to not give up trying to better myself and find a way to ease the pain. Instead of hiding from the pain, I am able to lay down and confront it with a relaxed body and mind; ultimately to accept it. This experience has made me more compassionate to others as I can relate to how it feels to live with pain that comes and goes as it pleases. I am truly thankful to have Iyengar Yoga as a tool for emotional, physical, and intellectual support during good and hard times. I am able to see that I have a light inside myself even when I am in bed with pain. And, I can see myself through the pain, it does not completely take over leaving me blind. I am able to hold on to a sense of kindness in the world that others have for me, that I have for others, and that I have for myself.
