Pain is our bodies defense mechanism. Without pain the human race would become extinct pretty quickly!
It tells us when we are damaging the body – for example if our skin comes into contact with extreme heat the proprio-receptors in the body will send a pain signal to the brain and this will produce an instant reaction to pull away. We naturally gravitate towards comfort – if we are seated in a way that detrimental to our structure our body will let us know pretty quickly that we need to change position. Yoga helps us to tune in to all the subtle frequencies in our bodies that we so often miss when the mind is caught up with external influences. Of course, when practicing asana sometimes the sensations are not so subtle! The skill in yoga lies in finding a perfect balance between pain and intensity.
It is very important to stress to students that they should NEVER be in pain whilst practicing yoga. There is a huge difference between ‘knocking on the door of pain’ and forcing your way in. For example when we are moving to our edge in Pashimottanasana our hamstrings should be feeling an intense stretch with a level of discomfort. However, if we are so determined to get our head on our knees and straighten our legs that we start to ignore our bodies security system we are coming into dangerous territory and are likely to injure ourselves. When we start fighting with our bodies we trigger the self-defence mechanism that pulls us away from pain, causing our muscles to contract to prevent over-stretching which is in direct odds with our intention to open up. Our body is in a tug of war with itself. In contrast when we relax into the stretch and melt our chest to our knees, ‘flirting’ with our edge we gradually expand our range. When poses are held for a long time this gives the muscles a chance to relax and our bodies will gradually yield to the movement. We should not try to go to maximum stretch straight away, rather we should use our breath to guide the movement, backing off slightly on an inhale and stretching deeper on a slow exhale. Restorative yoga is great for gently playing the edge.
Is there such a thing as good pain?
I enjoy the dull ache I sometimes get in the morning after doing lots of core-work the day before. This tells me that my muscles are getting stronger and my practice is having the desired effect. I think people tend to confuse fatigue with pain, for example after doing lots of push ups you might hear ‘my arms are killing me!’ when really they are not in pain, just tired. It is good to push ourselves in our practice and to do this we must experience a level of discomfort. To get stronger our muscles need to tear and re-build.
As we progress in our asana practice we will hardly notice the intensity and will even find it enjoyable as our bodies become stronger. It is important to stress to our students that finding our ‘comfortable seat’ takes time and dedication to the practice. The best way to open ourselves up to these changes is not to battle our way through the asana but relax, yield and soften and be open to enquiry. As teachers we cannot be in our students body, therefore it is our responsibility to stress that if a student is experiencing pain they should stop and back out of the pose or seek modifications under our guidance.
Without intensity we will never broaden our range. If we push our bodies too far we will cause damage. Skill in yoga involves being receptive to how our body is feeling on any given day and finding the perfect balance of intensity and ease. By pushing our limits in our asana we are better equipped to push our limits in life, breaking the chains of mediocrity and opening ourselves up to happiness.
