To Your Health
June 2007

Along the Mountain Path
by Sarah Kilpatrick, E.R.Y.T.

Breathing in, I am breathing in. Breathing out, I am breathing out. Breathing in, there is only the present moment. Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment. --Thich Nhat Hanh

There are no problems in the present moment. --Eckhart Tolle

My body is my home, and the temple of my soul. --B.K.S. Iyengar

Need a little break? Feeling a little creaky? Is your neck bothering you, or perhaps your back or knee? Consider your yoga mat. This 68"x24" space is the place you can come to for relief! As the Buddhists say, "We take refuge in the practice."

Svadhyaya, self-study, can lead us to examine the place of our yoga practice in our lives. Why do we practice? What do we expect to get from the time we spend? As yoga is a whole life philosophy, we can expect to get pretty much whatever we need if we persevere!

Sometimes a student will say, "I wanted to come to class, but my back was a little sore" (or knee, or neck or whatever!). What better reason to come to class, or to turn to your practice. The basic standing poses stretch and align the large muscles of the back, arms, and legs. When I was a runner, I found that Trikonasana awakened the muscles on the side of my right knee, which had been injured, and allowed me to run pain free. Pain in the knee can often be helped by chair at the wall, strengthening the muscles that support the knee joint.

If you are having cramps or a stomach ache, lying in Supta Baddha konasana can bring relief. Supported backbends are also good for depression, opening the heart and lifting the spirit. Headaches can be relieved by deep relaxation, particularly with the head wrapped. There are poses to bring relief for most of the aches and pains of life, and a regular, well-rounded practice can either prevent or take care of them as they arise.

Beyond the simple relief of muscular pain and the support of joints, yoga teaches us to come into an aware relationship with our breath, which brings us into the peace of the present moment. Deep relaxation can lower stress levels and blood pressure, and give us a rest. It's like going to the mat for a vacation! The peace of balanced breathing brings us into an aware relationship with our true self, letting the petty irritations of everyday life drop away for the moment. Recently, some new students told me that they knew the stretching would be good, as well as just getting some exercise, but they were amazed at the level of mental relaxation. Since stress is a big factor in disease, this kind of relief is beneficial to overall health.

So if you are in need of a little healthy attention to your body, mind, and spirit, take a walk along the Mountain Path! I hope to see you on your mat along the way!

Namaste'.

Sarah Kilpatrick, E. R.Y.T., practices (and teaches) yoga at Mountain Path Yoga Studio on the third floor of Barman's Country Store in downtown Colville. For information about classes, call (509) 684-0965.

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The North Columbia Monthly provides news, views, humor and a calendar of events for an area that stretches from Nelson in British Columbia south to Spokane in Washington State and covers all points in between. A free (and free-thinking, progressive) magazine, The Monthly is available at several hundred spots throughout the region and now is also available on-line at www.ncmonthly.com. Published once a month since 1994, The Monthly is an independent magazine that often challenges contemporary wisdom by encouraging critical thinking about issues and attitudes in the region and beyond.

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