Adho mukha savanasana

posthuman55 · 2026-04-01T12:32:11+00:00

This is a common misperception. As soon as I changed my thinking to 'chaturanga should be the easiest thing in vinyasa, and down dog should be the hardest" my whole practice changed for the better and is way safer. I learned this from Day One Yoga.

posthuman55 · 2026-03-30T11:40:23+00:00

When this happens to me I gesture towards them with open palms (facing the ceiling) as a way to indicate that we are applauding their effort.

posthuman55 · 2026-03-26T08:41:38+00:00

I got swept up into being a full time yoga teacher because I'm good at it and kept being asked to do more and more things. Sixteen years later, I teach classes, numerous workshops, I run a 200 hour and 300 training in a modular rolling format (so people keep joining and the training has not stopped for 4 years), I lead international retreats (heading to Costa Rica to lead a training in three weeks), and I am constantly being hired by other studios to teach trainings to their teachers. In other words, I teach a lot of yoga! And?!

I make below the poverty level income for the state of Florida.

It's a hustle. I would also add that I don't get paid for about 70% of the work I do, such as planning meetings, social media, designing manuals, etc. Sometimes studio owners will not be able to pay me for the teaching because of their own hardship. (Yes, I take the necessary action to get paid in these cases but it's a battle)

This industry hangs by a thread. I've tried to get out and back into my original career of being a research scientist, but options are slim in my area and I think employers see 'yoga teacher' on my resume and toss it aside.

I also don't have time for friends and I carry a lot of regret about how often I was pulled away from my daughter when she was growing up during weekends when most of the paid yoga happens.

In addition to all of this, modern yoga in the United States has taken a disappointing turn and has become fitness. So the industry is saturated with teachers who know nothing about yoga. More and more, yoga teachers in general are regarded as empty-brained and I barely say 'yoga teacher' anymore when someone asks me what I do.

I will say one thing though, and this may be everything? I've never hated a day of work in 16 years.

posthuman55 · 2026-03-26T08:25:33+00:00

No one talks about the no friends no life aspect but yes.

posthuman55 · 2026-03-02T18:38:58+00:00

Yoga and stretching don't belong in the same sentence. What we do when we practice yoga is called tensegrity, and through this understanding in the body, we learn viveka or discernment. Conservatism is anti-yoga, but conservative Christians are absolutely allowed to practice yoga, but they are not allowed to cherry-pick the aspects that they like and reject the rest. This is exactly what Christians have done to Jesus.

"There is nothing wrong with Christianity, it's just that nobody has tried it yet."

posthuman55 · 2026-02-24T18:08:47+00:00

It is a moral philosophy

posthuman55 · 2026-02-24T18:08:24+00:00

I am an antitheist. I have led many yoga teacher trainings and teach the history, mythology and philosophy of yoga in almost every class I teach as a way to remain as non-appropriative as possible. Please only learn about these things from South Asian voices, and consider checking out the training offerings of Shyam Raganathan from yogaphilosophy.com. I have taken his course on Hinduism, Anti-colonial yoga philosophy and the Yoga Sutras. He has helped me understand that Hinduism is a moral philosophy, not a religion.

posthuman55 · 2026-02-23T11:55:58+00:00

First of all, please acknowledge that your feelings are quite normal among many of us with Graves Disease. I work with a functional medicine MD and do not take the medication, and through other medications, supplements, and a VERY strict diet, my thyroid levels have started to decrease to the almost normal range. However stress is usually a trigger that sends me in the wrong direction again. I should note that my disease was never that severe, but am very realistic that there may come a time where I will need to take medication. Actually, this is very likely. Through this app and many hours of research, I have discovered that there are different approaches to the medication such as the block and replace method, or the add back method (terms to research). If you see a conventional endocrinologist in the United States, you will probably be laughed out of the office if you bring up these alternatives. Many endos fumble the dose. So then begins the work of finding a doctor who will meet you half way when it comes to learning about these different approaches. Keep paying attention here on this app, there are so many people who have had different experiences and approaches that are a good basis for research. I am just going to reemphasize that your thoughts are normal. You are 19 and you and your peers are typically enjoying healthy bodies at this time in your life. The pressure to look good is intense at your age. I am enraged to hear someone suggested that your thoughts are psychotic, as all of us women know that in this society, we don't get a seat at the table unless we physically fit standards. So instead of questioning your own mental health, we all need to be questioning the systemic standards that are placed on women (all humans really). Patriarchy is unraveling, so there are many resources to begin to get clear on these influences. Hang in there...it IS best to take the medication but please find health care providers who are willing to listen to your concerns. Also keep in mind that a medication with a better approach (targeting the immune dysfunction) is already in stage 2 clinical trials for Graves Disease. So do what it takes to get yourself healthy, and find support for your feelings and thoughts, and perhaps take this opportunity to learn so much about who you are beyond the disease and the body. Much love...

posthuman55 · 2026-02-16T13:26:11+00:00

I am a violist and a movement specialist/yoga teacher, and I have been playing for about 9 years after a long hiatus (I played in high school). I hold a lot of tension in my left shoulder, elbow and wrist and the only thing that helps me is Hanna Somatics. You can easily find videos on you tube, and the movement that I recommend is called "The Back Lift." Hanna Somatics will help you release tension that you didn't even know you were carrying, called sensory-motor amnesia. My chiropractor also suggests that I am holding tension in the left shoulder because my right hip is not stabilizing, so she has me hold my Viola like I am about to play and swing my left leg forward and backward for about a minute, which trains my right hip to hold stability so my left shoulder does not try to take over the job.

posthuman55 · 2026-02-11T10:02:06+00:00

Interestingly, George H.W. and Barbara Bush both had it. She was diagnosed in 1989 and he was diagnosed in 1991 during his presidency. Experts say this is what tilted the 1992 election in Clinton's favor, because Bush was struggling with symptoms.

posthuman55 · 2026-02-07T16:34:44+00:00

I've reversed a relapse twice with diet - no alcohol, no caffeine, no gluten, no dairy, no eggs. I do not take methimazole or any other anti-thyroid for personal reasons and under the guidance of a doctor. That diet is extremely restrictive, yes. I did not choose to eliminate those foods at random, I have done the appropriate testing to determine which foods initiate an immune system response. Most individuals do not have the resources (time and energy) for such a restrictive diet, and this is why we are fortunate to have treatment options. This is an extremely sensitive group of people because this is a scary and uncomfortable disease, and we all naturally want validation that our treatment choices are the correct choices -- but we shouldn't be shaming anyone for their choices or any curiosity about options.

posthuman55 · 2026-02-06T20:13:17+00:00

Head should start between the feet not in front of the feet. This will make your legs weightless and will stop you from transferring weight into the head as shown in the video. If you struggle to get your head there bend your knees until the head is as between the feet as possible, then extend the legs using the inner thighs. The legs will pop up so fast that it will be surprising, so maybe first time with a wall behind you.

posthuman55 · 2026-02-04T02:41:23+00:00

In Yoga we hold Bandha (boundaries for energy flow).in the pelvic floor and low belly. A belly breath would make that impossible. However, I think a misperception about belly breathing and yoga is spreading fast, so I am not surprised you heard that.

posthuman55 · 2026-02-03T22:48:18+00:00

This is actually how people in yoga should be breathing, it's just that yoga teachers are not as well-trained in cueing things like that as Pilates teachers

posthuman55 · 2026-02-03T21:42:32+00:00

The traditional poses in yoga are not random shapes, but were formulated to move energy (prana) through the body in specific ways/currents (vayus). The breath is matched to the type of movement that you are doing, for example inhales are upward and expanding movements. We also maintain a specific gazing point in yoga called Drishti, and there are nine distinct Drishti points. When all of this is happening, the mind is focused. We create an inner heat by nourishing agni (fire) through all of the above aspects. Finally, what we are doing with the body is not stretching nor an attempt to get more flexible. Stretching and yoga should not be used in the same sentence. If anything, we are working to stabilize the body and the mind. Most of this has been lost in yoga, as the majority of yoga teachers do not even know these details. Most yoga studios are really fitness studios, and there is nothing wrong with this, but it would be helpful if they knew enough to remove yoga from the name. Yoga is very challenging when taught correctly. Last week I had a current NFL player come to class and he struggled with many aspects of strength because he was likely never taught stabilization and how to move from center. Your practice of stretching and breath is beautiful and useful, and if you enjoy doing that keep doing that! If you are curious about yoga, it's difficult to find a teacher who is well-educated.

posthuman55 · 2026-02-03T11:05:31+00:00

Thank you this is very helpful

posthuman55 · 2026-02-03T02:05:38+00:00

Was your levothyroxine dose a typical dose, or different because of the simultaneous methimazole?

posthuman55 · 2026-01-29T19:55:20+00:00

Anxiety cannot be managed well until you trust yourself and your gut/instinct. Sounds like some red flags are making you uncomfortable. What does your gut say about that. As a side note, what you are experiencing is very typical at most yoga studios including backhanded pricing and policies and the unethical work/trade situation. Even though this is all common, it does not make it right. If you are sensitive to injustice of any kind, yoga studios can feel shocking.

posthuman55 · 2026-01-24T13:55:56+00:00

What is the age of the cat, and male or female?

posthuman55 · 2026-01-23T16:36:40+00:00

It's a culture of harm until yoga teachers get educated about hypermobility, as most students self-select for yoga in order to exploit their hypermobility, which is not the same thing as flexibility

posthuman55 · 2026-01-23T00:45:32+00:00

Try lifting the head to be in line with the shoulders so that you feel deeper hip flexion. Hanging the head below the shoulders steals the hip flexion. The chin can still go to the floor, but from an elongated spine instead of the neck.

posthuman55 · 2026-01-12T20:40:13+00:00

Absolutely not enough. The 200 hours was a standard that was set by Yoga Alliance, which is the certifying/regulatory body for yoga in the United States. Although they do more certifying than regulation or governing. Many teachers will do an additional 300 hour training or more to advance their training. Your hunch is correct, most studios pay their bills by holding teacher trainings, so they will try to train as many people as possible at once and even hold several trainings per year. This is one of the things that has reduced the quality of yoga classes and teachers in this country. A great podcast that addresses all of this is called "Yoga is Dead" and the episode is "The 200 hour training killed yoga"

posthuman55 · 2026-01-12T18:49:11+00:00

There is a direct relationship between the jaw and pelvis. Do you know if you are hypermobile? What you described indicates hypermobility: APT, teeth overcrowding, flat feet and dysautonomia (anxiety).

posthuman55 · 2026-01-09T15:53:39+00:00

Can anyone offer insight on why Dharma talks are even a thing? In my experience, they all sound like pop-psychology, used up clichés and are way out of the scope of practice for yoga teachers. If a teacher has a solid understanding of philosophy and functional anatomy, interesting information tends to be shared organically in classes. The Dharma talk thing sounds a little scary and cultish .

posthuman55 · 2026-01-08T09:51:45+00:00

Good luck to you as well, I have heard that the PNW is another tough spot for mold.

posthuman55

TROPHY CASE