pigeon pose pins & needles

Pigeon Pose: a deep, hip, piriformis and sciatica release that can be simultaneously amazing, challenging, relaxing or slightly uncomfortable. Though many of us adore full pigeon pose, just as many struggle to find that point of release. Myself included, many people also have at some point experienced foot or leg tingling or numbness in the pose. If you regularly experience annoying sensations while trying to relax in pigeon pose, there are definitely options to help!

First of all, let's look at WHY you're experiencing numbness here. Is it poor circulation? Improper breathing technique or misalignment in the pose? I experienced numbness in pigeon pose for the first full year of my practice and it would often continue for a while after class before it dissipated. It drove me nuts. As a runner, I knew I needed the pose and though it felt good for me, I wish I would have known more about it or how to avoid that annoying "pins and needles" sensation. 

According to my research and assuming the pose is correctly aligned, 9 times out of 10, what you're experiencing is simply tightness in the piriformis muscle that results in annoying compression or pinching of the sciatica nerve.

The piriformis muscle is a flat, band-like muscle located in the buttocks near the top of the hip joint. It stretches just across the sciatic nerve (as shown), so when it's too short, in a stretch like pigeon pose, it ends up smashing the nerve.

Though you probably don't experience the numbness any other time, it's very common in pigeon pose because the piriformis muscle is exactly what we're targeting and it needs space to stretch across the sciatic. Ideally, you should work toward lengthening the muscle enough to allow healthy circulation and not experience any numbness.

There are multiple common factors that contribute to piriformis muscle shortening:

1) Lack of stretching: Sorry, but if you only practice yoga or pigeon pose once a week, this could definitely be you.

2) Weak synergistic or antagonistic muscles: Basically, the muscles that work with or work against the piriformis are unbalanced. This is common in runners or anyone who practices 1 type of sport regularly. The best plan is to take cross-training seriously to balance out surrounding muscles.3) Foot dysfunction: If your foot is constantly hitting the ground wrong, your whole body and spine will be thrown out of balance. We practice yoga barefoot to help activate the pressure points in the feet, creating better strength, balance and overall gait. A chiropractor can also help.4) Too much sitting: (ie. desk job) We all know that sitting is bad for our bodies, but it's especially hard on the hips. The front of your hip flexors are in a constant state of contraction when seated, so overtime, they tend to want to stay that way.

HOW you can help release the piriformis:

1) Tennis ball pressure point: This is by far the best recommendation I can offer, if you really want to work toward fixing the core issue. A tennis ball offers the perfect size, shape and amount of pressure to pinpoint and help release the exact spot where the piriformis attaches.

Tennis ball pressure point for piriformis muscle. Remember to breathe deeply!

Since we're trying to target pressure points here, it will be a bit uncomfortable. Let's just say, "you'll know it when you find it." Try propping the tennis ball under the bum and lying down to help release the muscles over the ball. If the tennis ball is entirely too much though, just try rocking onto the hip/butt on a flat surface at first, moving the knees around and exploring and breathing into tight spots. 

Ask for or bring a tennis ball with you to your next class for your hip opener! 

2) Practice Modified Pigeon Pose: Rather than letting gravity sink you into Full Pigeon pose, try a gentler version to control your position. Modified Pigeon can be performed two ways. You may either set up for full pigeon pose, but just let the back leg stay bent, not extended, or lie on your back, cross one ankle over the knee and press in toward your chest as shown in my little drawing.

Modified Pigeon pose is a more passive version of the stretch.

Both of these pose options will help you gently loosen the muscle, working toward a full release. You might also try rocking back and forth or using a block or strap for support as needed.

3) See a chiropractor: If you practice yoga a few times a week or experience numbness outside of a hip opener, seek the help of your chiropractor. Your hips may need a little extra TLC.

As always, don't perform any poses that cause discomfort, but I do think the old adage is true that "your least favorite pose is usually the pose you need most!" Don't give up on finding a comfortable hip opener because the tingling is a surefire sign that you need it.  If or when you begin to feel tingling in any hip opener, always feel free to move out of it to a different hip opener or ask your teacher for suggestions and modifications. Keep yoga cozy & namaste!

bedroom remodel

Nothing like a total disaster to prompt unplanned home renovations! One random Tuesday in October, our bedroom ceiling caved in. Believe it or not, our insurance didn't cover this, so it ended up being our biggest DIY project yet.

Thanks to my handyman Dad and some help from friends and family, we were able to do the work ourselves. We created my dream bedroom and got a little creative with bead-board and trim work. 

 The process took a until spring because I basically shut the door and avoided thinking about it till after the holidays, but it was WELL worth the work and the wait!

 I love how the wall color turned out against the white.

 Even Bishop got a new space! :)

 Love this beachy look.

Hope you enjoyed this or got some inspiration!

6 tips - overcome savasana anxiety

Savasana is hands-down (well, palms-up, I guess) the most challenging part of yoga. Everyone struggles in different ways, but many struggle with severe anxiety. Though there's not much information out there on it, I assure you, you're not alone and I'm tired of savasana anxiety being a joke, a secret or some sort of yoga taboo. Meditation anxiety is a very real challenge for LOTS of yogis, so much so, that some hurry out of the studio just before savasana to avoid discomfort.

Being still, quiet and vulnerable is NOT easy. Stationary meditation can be a very emotional and challenging experience especially if you're naturally high-strung, new to yoga or aren't sure exactly what to do. You might experience stress, shortness of breath, racing thoughts, anxiety and/or chest tightness during savasana. The more you practice savasana in a negative light, the more the stress can manifest.

"Thought alone can facilitate the secretion of hormones and chemicals into the bloodstream that provoke a mental or physical reaction. The heart rate may rise, blood pressure become elevated, (hypertension), stomach may secrete acid, the muscles may tighten, etc... So within this corpse pose there is a practice happening..." - Bryan Kest

But "meditation helps with anxiety," right? So why are some experiencing anxiety FROM meditation? The answer is that the anxiety is often aggravated because we're so unaccustomed to living in the present moment that when that's all we have (no other distractions), our subconscious freaks out. This, in turn, can elevate the heart rate and cause panic attack symptoms. It's not that the anxiety is non-existant when we're not meditating, but that anxiety is just often easier to repress or ignore in daily life. When we meditate, we're at our most vulnerable to emotion, so our subconscious fear of facing the anxiety triggers the "fight or flight" response in our body. This is why most savasana-haters can still feel peaceful during their whole yoga practice, but not once the body settles to stillness. The mind has no escape.

It may be difficult to open up about savasana anxiety because many other yogis experience such relaxation and restoration from savasana.  Don't let their post-savasana bliss get you down...all you need to do is come at your anxious feelings from a different angle to work toward that awesome savasana you've always wanted.

1) Start with other types of meditation. The most helpful tip I know of is to start a regular practice with other types of meditation outside of your yoga. 

A) Mantra meditation is an easy way to customize your practice for whatever you need that day. Just one word or phrase repeated in your head or outloud can be a powerful way to start creating new pathways in your mind and body.

B) Guided meditation is also often helpful because your mind is staying active focusing on the words, rather than trying to be totally quiet.

C) Walking meditation is a great option because it's another type of gentle movement meditation (in the same way that yoga asana practice is a movement meditation). But unlike yoga in the studio, you are alone in nature, there is less stimulation, no instructor and less direction. You might even choose to sit quietly during your walk, observing nature. It's a great step toward being okay with yourself.

D) Mandala meditation is just the act of coloring in a mandala. There are no other specific instructions for this one, it's just meant to be a relaxing, creative and quiet activity. Some of my more anxious students have had great luck with mandala meditation.

2) Try a different savasana position. Please don't be shy about the position you choose for your meditation!  If you only seem to experience anxiety lying down in savasana, try it on your side or seated. Maybe you feel self-conscious about doing something different when your teacher doesn't cue it, but remember that your instructor can only offer suggestions. He or she doesn't know what you need and it's YOUR practice. I'm sure that your yoga instructor would much rather see you enjoying a seated meditation than struggling through or leaving before savasana.

3) Focus on something else. The act of trying to focus on "the present" can be a little too subtle sometimes. It might help to open the eyes and focus on a drishti or "look" at the shapes behind your inner eyelids while keeping them closed. Focusing on a sound (such as the ticking of a clock) or counting may also help to get you out of your own head.

4) Allow and observe your thoughts. Once you begin to get comfortable with some form of mindfulness meditation, "observe" might be a helpful mantra. If you find you're experiencing discomfort, physically during yoga or mentally during savasana, notice it, allow it and move on. Thoughts cannot ever be stopped completely, but you must allow yourself to surrender to that fact.

A helpful metaphor I like to use for meditation is to picture your thoughts as clouds in a sky or fish in the ocean. They come in, you observe them, they float away. Each one, one at a time.

5)  Pay attention to your diet. Nobody wants to hear a self-righteous yogi on a high-horse lamenting the dangers of caffeine and sugar, but it's something to consider. Caffeine and sugar (even natural sugars from fruit) are both adrenal suppressants and since the adrenal gland is responsible for the secretion of stress hormones...I'm just saying. (Here's a great explanation of the relationship between these foods and your body.)

6) Do. Not. Give. Up. Whatever you do, please don't give up. The fact that you're struggling with mindfulness meditation is your body telling you that there is an underlying issue or something you need to work through. Savasana is important and it is beneficial, but if you never face your anxiety to work toward that place of safety and comfort with your own mind, you can expect your stress level to stay the same or elevate. 

One way or another, it's important to remember that you're always practicing something. If savasana in the traditional sense doesn't work for you right now, that's okay. Come at it from a different angle to trick your subconscious into loving it. :) Namaste