Hi, I was wondering if anyone else has this problem? I have been really getting into my yoga practice for the last six or 8 months and then I had a series of events in my life - a reiki attunement, a series of viruses and some big life changes which have left me feeling physically exhausted. I wake up in the morning and my whole body hurts and the virus I had a few weeks ago keeps coming back periodically to haunt me. As a result I dropped my yoga practice completely and am just picking it up. It’s a little depressing coming back to the mat 8 weeks later as I seem to have lost flexibility and strength and put on a bit of weight. I feel like I’m dragging my body about all the time.
Does anyone find they go through periods like this and how do you keep up your practice? Or is it just something that happens with a yoga practice that occasionally you drop it for a while?
I really want to start the new intermediate challenge but I’m a little concerned about running myself down again. I’ve started doing a few yin and restorative classes but I miss the vinyasa practice. It’s hard to know what’s the best thing to do.
Hey Helen - really sorry to hear about the life events and how they’ve impacted on your practice. it’s amazing how often that happens. the times when you really need yoga in your life are the times when you can’t find the time or summon the energy/motivation to practice. You are definitely not alone in feeling this way. When you’ve been doing so well over a sustained period it’s only natural to feel as though you have lost some flexibility and energy - rest assured, you’ll rediscover that flex and energy before you know it. The key thing is that you’re thinking about your practice and how you can reintegrate it back into your life after all of those life changes. I’ve found that by taking small steps as you start again is the best way, easing myself back in gently with some of Melissa’s beginners classes or such like. It’s been enough to reignite that fire, even if’s just an occasional class to begin with. When I’ve felt ready I’ve then got restarted with some of Fiji’s shorter, less intense classes (slow & steady I love). I’ve just started her Chakra series this week, so maybe that’s something to work towards rather than the 30 day challenge. I hope that helps!
Thanks so much, you don’t know how much better that makes me feel! xx
Excellent - really pleased to hear it. Sometimes it’s just these reminders of how special it is to practice, however short or long you can spend, that really make the difference. I’ll certainly refer back to this whenever I ‘pause’ my practice. Cherish being back on the mat rediscovering what it means to you. Before long you will be completely inseparable again! Have a great weekend.
As a footnote, this morning I have practiced Fiji’s Chakra Two class. It’s graded as Advanced, but there are certainly enough options there for this to an intermediate level class. The hip openings in this class just feel so special with Fiji placing a lot of emphasis in her instruction through using this to heal trauma. This may not be a class for you today, but perhaps something to work towards
Personally I would re-assess my diet. What goes into the body is as important as what goes on on the outside. Yoga is merely supportive. Food is medicine & fuel for energy.
Life changes cause stress. Stress messes with our hormone levels which weakens the immune system and eats up the body’s energy. This is why your virus is lingering. As with any physical practice, it can be hard to start, but trust me, you always feel better after a practice. The blood flows which cleanses the body and feeds the cells. The endorphins are produced which clears the mind. Motion is lotion for achy joints and muscles. Stress does make the body more toxic so ease back into your yoga practice, so you avoid overwhelming the body with too many toxins dumping into your circulatory system at one time, which could make you sore. Blessings Forever!
I didn’t realise until the last few years the huge impact stress can have on your body. If you go through some trauma the effects of it hit you hard, normally once you come out of the other side. At the time you are on fight or flight and in coping mode, you feel fine - it’s when you relax that you really feel it. Sometimes months after the stress happened. For me it’s like, I can be ok for week or a few months and then suddenly I feel like I hit the brick wall and the exhaustion is physical. Sometimes it’s because a bad thing happens, sometimes because a good thing happens! A few years ago I would have pushed through it more and sometimes I think I should but my husband has recently been diagnosed with ME and it’s taught me to treat my body with care.
Lots of people must suffer this stress exhaustion but it’s not something I hear people talk about much.
However I’m feeling better and got stuck into the new 30 day challenge now and really enjoying it! xx
Stress can have so many direct and indirect impacts on physical and mental state over a period of time. We become conditioned to manage stressful situations but that’s not always possible. Revealing that you’re stressed can also potentially leave you in a vulnerable position so those thoughts, feelings have a tendency to get buried which then can exacerbate the problem. Finding ways and means to check in with your stress levels, coping mechanisms and actions, sharing and confiding and finding positive solutions seems a v sensible way forward. Great to hear you’ve got started on the challenge. A new journey and chapter.
You are so right, its very confusing even realising how I feel and often I think i ignore my body’s signals until I crash. I think you are taught from such a young age to just get on with it. Brene Brown wrote in one of her books that ‘exhaustion is a status symbol’, and that we value ourselves according to how much we do. Our society doesn’t encourage us to put our body first and rest. So when you find you can’t keep up its confusing. You do feel vulnerable on all sorts of levels. As well as the fact that I’m bad at resting, it makes me feel kind of guilty and impatient.
That’s where I think yoga is really helpful, when it gives you a chance to tune into your body. I started on the challenge and then came down with a sickness bug so now I’m going to do the beginners one instead. Thanks for your words it’s very helpful.
It reads me to me as though you’re progressing with your practice far more than you probably realise. Listening to your mind and body, responding accordingly to how you’re feeling in terms of the classes or poses you do or even whether you get onto your mat on a given day. That’s applying your practice in every day life and this should be applauded. My yoga teacher for a power yoga studio class I do each week often says the bravest thing you can do with your practice is to resist the temptation or let ego dictate whether you opt for a more challenging pose or class and opt for a less challenging option instead. It makes me realise that not only is my practice precious but also my mind and body which need to be nurtured. You are definitely on the right track.
Thanks