Yoga for Every Body
How is Yoga adapted to each person?

First, let’s look at some common causes of injuries:
• Biomechanical – alignment & form
• Achievement oriented society – trying to get somewhere
• Impatient for results
• Peer pressure of class/teacher to attempt poses that they aren’t ready for; overriding signs of their “edge” and natural boundaries
• Hands-on adjustment from teachers

All of these are missing the larger point of yoga – it’s an internal state.

All yoga has the potential to be therapeutic under the following conditions:
• Be fully present, empower the student, ahimsa (2-way street)
• You are not there to “fix”
• Observe without judgment, not about perfect poses
• Create a safe space
• Work around the pain

The main difference between a therapeutic approach and most other forms of yoga practice are:

1. Repetition into and out of postures in addition to holding poses.

2. Function rather than form in asana practice and the science of adapting the forms of the postures to achieve different results.

3. The breath is the medium for movement in asana and the science of adapting the pattern of breathing in poses to produce different effects.

4. Sequencing is the refined art and science of combination which allows teachers to create sequences of different orientation, length and intensity to suit the intention and context of each practice.

The Secret of Sequencing:
• Identify the condition; Identify any release valves (3)
• Use biomechanical science to create a safer environment
• What is the purpose of the pose?
• Trust the simplicity of the movement
• Adapt the postures – change arms, change legs, change base (stance); explore body one side at a time; pause between sides and feel; different adaptations create different effects.
• Move with awareness and intention; "Are you practicing yoga or making an asana out of yourself?"

Principles to Engage the Extraordinary
• The body movement IS the breath movement. The breath is the current from which the pose flows.
• Inhale from above, exhale from below. The inhale creates Spinal Space and every exhale is bandha. (The muscles sealing in prana and heat from leaking out.)
• The breath starts and ends the movement. Move in and out of the poses (4x) which creates a flowing vinyasa.
• Then hold the pose energetically for 4 breath cycles and use the Principle of Samasthiti as the blueprint for all other poses.
• Asana serves Bandha. Bandha serves Breath. Therefore, Asana serves Breath. Then you can deal with the Brain.
• Body + Breath + Brain = Yoga (the direct participation in the extreme intelligence that is YOU!)

Practicing and breathing in this way creates space in the body as well as a Plum Line of perfect alignment that allows for healthy functional movement. This repetition is a powerful tool to create new neuromuscular patterns (muscle memory or samskaras) to significantly improve your overall health and well being.

Author's Bio: 

Karen Pierce is a professional organizer and yoga teacher. She helps people transform their lives…inside and out.
She was introduced to meditation and yoga as a teen and has continued to deepen her practice over nearly 3 decades. Karen holds many certifications including her E-RYT 500 through Yoga Alliance, is a certified Yoga Ed instructor, a Professional Yoga Therapist, and a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She is dedicated to bringing the practice of therapeutic yoga to all populations in a safe format that is rooted in exercise science. Her style is based on being safe and includes many modifications and adaptations. You will learn when to push, when to surrender and when to rest. Her approach focuses on falling in love with yoga and her students love her challenging, ever-changing classes and her upbeat, relaxing style. Karen is also the author of Yoga Bear: Yoga for Youngsters - a children's book published by Northword Press (2004) and Co-Contributor to Yoga in America (2009).

A life-long student of yoga, she has been blessed to have learned from many world renowned yogi masters. Her style is based on her extensive teaching experience and her studying with multiple lineages, teachers and styles of yoga. Karen takes what is most helpful and meaningful from a vast array of different sources and styles... but her heart belongs to the teachings of Krishnamacharya and her dedication to her mentor Mark Whitwell. Mark is a gifted teacher and she is fortunate to have the experience of the true spirit of yoga and the authentic essence of how it was taught over 100 years ago by Krishnamacharya who was a true pioneer in his ability to translate ancient teachings and make them relevant in a modern context. He inspired thousands of practitioners worldwide and today his teachings are very popular through his many students including his son TKV Desikachar (Viniyoga), BKS Iyengar (Iyengar), Pattabhi Jois (Ashtanga), and Srivatsa Ramaswami (Vinyasa Krama).

Karen is a master of progressive teaching (breaking poses down in a systematic way and teaching series classes that train students to master the actions and the inner attitude to progress in a logical and balanced way over time.) Karen works with movement sequencing (asana and somatics), breath work (pranayama), mudras, energy work, and the wisdom of Ayurveda (Indian Medicine) so that the yoga can be adapted to all levels of ability. Every class has an intention or sequencing (krama) that is unique to the group and follows Krishnamacharya's principle to "teach what is inside you, not as it applies to you, to yourself, but as it applies to the other." Yoga should always be adapted to the unique needs of each individual.

As a Yoga Therapist, Karen works one-on-one with individuals honoring ancient yoga techniques while combining modern wisdom to identify imbalances and empower the person to progress toward improved health and well-being. Through in-depth postural assessment, testing of specific joint range of motion and muscle strength, observing breathing patterns and taking into account the person's Ayurvedic constitution, a customized treatment plan is devised. Yoga therapy's greatest goal is to guide each person in his/her own deeper awareness, greater understanding, and movement to facilitate healing and wellness.

Please visit her at www.InnerSpacesbyKaren.com or email her at: karenJpierce@earthlink.net