Viniyoga Videos for Anxiety and Depression

Like many Viniyoga teachers, I’m not a huge fan of yoga videos, as the video format doesn’t allow for the customization and adaptation to the individual that is such a hallmark of this rich lineage.  Still, as much as I’d like everyone to experience yoga first hand at a yoga studio, I know that for many students, videos provide a much more convenient and accessible connection to a consistent yoga practice.  Who knows…maybe someday I’ll even create a video of my own!  ;-)

Until then, two  Viniyoga videos have been created by my teacher, Gary Kraftsow, on topics that are personally important to me:  Yoga for Anxiety and Yoga for Depression. I’ve suffered from both conditions off and on throughout my life, and yoga has been an incredibly powerful tool in helping me manage my symptoms. I may have come to yoga to overcome back pain, but by far the first and most important thing to heal was my heart.

Gary’s videos introduce the Viniyoga therapy approach to anxiety and depression.  They are a bit different than typical videos, in that he provides cognitive learning in addition to yoga practice.  Each video contains approximately an hour of lecture on yoga therapy and its applications for anxiety and depression, along with two practices: one that is thirty minutes long and one that is closer to an hour.  Even more unusual, the practices aren’t just asana, or movement.  They contain multiple facets of the rich and dynamic Viniyoga lineage:  asana (movement), pranayama (breath work), meditation, and chanting.

These videos can  be purchased at amazon.com and via other online sellers. Let me know what you think!

Namaste

Tracy Weber

Come visit Whole Life Yoga in Seattle, and check out Tracy Weber's author page for information about the Downward Dog Mysteries series.  MURDER STRIKES A POSE is available now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Whole Life Yoga, and other retailers!

Yarn to the Rescue

The other day I was feeling stressed and anxious. The reason doesn’t matter, not even that it was based on a real issue. I was doing that horrible circle thinking. Round and round the same negative thoughts. Get to the end and they began again. And I felt it physically as well in the form of what I call a nervous stomach. It was like my stomach was a clenched fist.

I tried various relaxation techniques I know like counting as you breath in and then doing the same as you breath out, trying to stretch both to higher numbers. It worked - but only as long as I did the breathing. As soon as I stopped, the loop of thoughts returned and my stomach got tense.

I did all kind of self talk, trying to convince myself that feeling this way was pointless. I agreed with myself, but it didn’t make the anxiety go away. If anything, it started to get worse. I was focusing on it too, much and it was beginning to feel like a fever dream or Mickey Mouse’s dealing with the ever increasing broomsticks in the Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

My sense of humor was gone and I couldn’t manage a laugh for a stupid sit-com. Several cups of tea didn’t make a dent either.

Then I picked up the shawl I’m making for the next Casey book, Silence of the Lamb's Wool. It is a very simple repetitive pattern. I looked down at the wavy lines of the stitches. The yarn is thick and thin in places because it is hand spun. I took a deep breath and began to work on the next row. It didn’t help my stomach at first, but the negative thoughts began to melt away and I came up with a solution to what was causing all the anxiety in the first place. As I continued on with the rows, I could feel my stomach begin to unclench and it was like a breeze of relaxation went through my body. I even began to laugh at the silly show I had on in the background.

When I stopped knitting, the anxiety did not return. I had successfully calmed myself, all by myself. What a great feeling. Though I happened to have picked up some knitting, crochet would have worked just as well.

I think working with yarn is so much about the journey rather than the scarf or shawl you end up with. The rhythmic movements sooth your mind and spirit.

Dealing with Anxiety Naturally

Last Saturday I did my first book talk/signing at my local library. I was a little bit nervous since I'm not great at speaking in front of crowds. It was a rainy day here on Eastern Long Island so I wasn't sure how many people would even show up. But they did and almost every chair was taken.

I had decided to read half of the first chapter of my new book Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery. When the head librarian introduced me I felt anxious but once I started reading I felt fine. I even felt good when I answered questions from the audience. I think it was because I felt grounded by my writing and everything else flowed from that.

It seems that I have outgrown the anxiety that I've had most of my life to some degree. Anxiety is fear and it can happen when you’re stressed and the “flight or fight” mechanism is triggered or by fear of the people, places and things. Anxiety can cause shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest tightness, trembling, sweating, dizziness, numbness, shaking, and muscular tension. If you are anxious these natural remedies can help you:

Relaxing Herbs: Choose nervine mineral rich herbal teas such as California poppy, catnip, chamomile, hops, lemon balm, oatstraw and passionflower. Drink 3 cups daily. Or you can put 4 drops of hops or valerian tincture in water and sip. Kava Kava can help too. A study in the German medical journal Arzneimittel Forschung in 1991 showed that this herb significantly reduced anxiety levels. Take 100 mg. 3 times daily.

Relaxing Vitamins: Taking calcium (1000 mg) and magnesium (500 mg) can also help ease anxiety. So can taking a good B complex vitamin (50 mg). GABA (gamma aminobutric acid), helps protect the brain from excitory messages so one is less likely to feel overwhelmed. 250 mg. can be taken up to three times daily. 5-HTP (5- hydroxytrytophan) is a precursor to serotonin, which has a calming effect and effective against anxiety. No more than 50 mg. twice daily.

Relaxing Flower Essences: Have Rescue Remedy with you wherever you go. You can use a tincture, pastilles or spray. It really helps take the edge off.

Relaxing Aromatherapy: My next book Scent to Kill features aromatherapy. It’s a wonderful way to calm down. Take ten deep inhalations from an opened bottle of pure essential oils to change neural pathways in a moment. The brain is in very close proximity to the nasal passages. Inhale the anxiety relieving essential oils of basil, bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, cypress, geranium, jasmine, juniper, lavender, marjoram, melissa, neroli, petigrain, rose, rosemary, or ylang ylang. You can find these in your health food store.

I hope this was helpful. If you continue to have anxiety please see your doctor. For more information about Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery please visit www.chrystlefiedler.com