BARBARA BORIS Yoga

Dharma is from the Sanskrit root dhr, meaning to uphold, support, sustain. As B.K.S. Iyengar writes in Light on Pranayama, it is “the code of conduct that sustains the soul and produces virtue.” At Estes Park [Yoga Conference] in 2005, Mr. Iyengar said, “That which has fallen, that which is falling, that which may fall, dharma holds it up.” In the body, the spine is like the dharma––it is that which keeps us from falling, that which holds us up.

From an article by Iyengar Institute of New York’s own Genny Kapuler, “The Spine: Form & Function” on the IYNAUS website:

http://iynaus.org/research/spine-form-function

Loren Fishman’s work on Rotator Cuff Therapy using Yoga.
http://www.manhattanphysicalmedicine.com/rotatorcuffcure.html

NY Times article about it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/health/02brody.html

…This year, Dr. Fishman received a prize at the International Conference on Yoga for Health and Social Transformation for a paper he presented on a surprising yoga remedy for rotator cuff syndrome, a common shoulder injury that causes extreme pain when trying to raise one’s arm to shoulder height and higher. He described a modified form of a yoga headstand that does not require standing on the head and takes only 30 seconds to perform, and presented evidence that it could relieve shoulder pain in most patients, and that adding brief physical therapy could keep the problem from recurring…. - Jane Brody, NY Times

Yogis, I did a workshop with Dr. Loren Fishman on shoulder issues and also on osteoporosis last year. If you want to work with me on it, I’d be happy to oblige. Please give me a call. OM.

Yoga for Osteoporosis: The Complete Guide

Yoga for Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Tele-Class for $34 on two Monday nights:
November 29 and December 6, 8:30 pm

I am attending!

Loren Fishman is the medical doctor and yoga teacher in NYC who is currently running the Yoga for Osteoporosis study. Two current Woodstock Yoga students are in the study. I have worked with them privately and they are seeing good results of increased bone density. I think this is very good work and an easy study to participate in. Tele-Classes are very fun and empowering. You listen in on your phone/ speaker phone and are able to ask questions (or not) at the end. It’s a large group conference call! You can be as anonymous or active as you want.

Dr. Loren Fishman and yoga therapist Ellen Saltonstall are currently conducting a research study on the effects of yoga on osteoporosis. They will be sharing their early findings in the teleclass and offer information about how to enroll in the study.

Many people with osteoporosis also have osteoarthritis, which poses conflicting treatment demands and therefore a dilemma – how to do one exercise regime which helps both conditions. Again, yoga is the solution – generating no-impact forces in excess of gravity by opposing one muscle group to another, (to reverse osteoporosis) stretching all the muscles and joints involved and increasing range of motion and joint fluid movement as well.

This course includes a detailed examination of the use of yoga asanas for both prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, and offers insight into other sources of treatment and prevention, including nutritional strategies.

If we have enough interest I will offer a special class on the yoga asanas that Dr. Fishman is using in the study and how make it work for you. Please email me (bxboris@yahoo.com) to let me know if you want to do a special class in December/ January on this work.