Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

2

Chapter

Mindful exercising

Teaching mindfulness and mindful exercising

•    Modify and combine the exercises   to  make    

them pleasant.

•    Make   the steps   of  practicing  and learning    small   

enough that you can follow them mindfully.

•    Give   yourself    or  the patient the chance  to  stop    

or change to a different exercise.

•    Adjust the exercises   so  that    you are looking 

forward to practicing them again.

Exercise to develop awareness and

to refine the approach to the barrier

of movement

Example for developing mindfulness through

stretching and activating muscles:

1. Begin any stretch that you wish and go to the
   point where you feel the muscles lengthening.


2. It may help to close the eyes and feel the
   sensation of stretching.


3. Ease off a tiny bit. If you still feel the stretch,
   your first movement was too strong.


4. Repeat the process of backing off a tiny bit until
   the sensation of stretching disappears.


5. Now you have the right point and you can return
   to the most recent position where you can feel
   the stretch comfortably.


6. Within 10–20 seconds the stretching sensation
   will disappear.


7. Now you can activate the muscle with full
   awareness.

Relevant for all exercises

Mindfulness is the fundamental and most important

principle. It should be integrated into each exercise

and āsana. The practice approach, speed, and length

should be such that mindful exercising is possible.

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