This is a short video that is simple and easy to do.

Success in Self-Healing, like All Success in Yoga, comes from learning to relax in a position and come within.

As you progress and become better at this, stay in the pose for longer periods of time.

Not motivated enough to practice?

Do you think this doesn’t work?

Check out these related articles:

Heal Your Back Now!

How Alida Overcame the Pain and Spinal Misalignment of Scoliosis 

Comment by Aron B on my About page

And, of course, you can always practice these VIDEO Clips:

Self-Heal Your Back Pain Yoga VIDEO Pt 1 

Self-Heal Your Back Pain Yoga VIDEO Pt 2

Do you have the urge to comment? Look below.

Here is Part 2 of the Back Healing Yoga Poses.

These yoga poses don’t have to be done in any particular order.

If you have very much pain, you may not be ready for every pose at first.

Experiment.

Find the yoga poses that feel the best to you.

Do those, and you will be on your way.

Eventually, you will be able to do all of these Yoga Poses.

Here is the link for Part 1: Self-Heal Your Back Pain Yoga VIDEO Pt 1

These Video Clips are taken from my Heal Your Back Now! DVD.

If you don’t want to spend the money for the DVD, stay tuned. More FREE Video Clips from the DVD will be here soon.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve you.

Namasté………Norman

In my classes, on my blog, and by email several people have asked for some help with lower back and hip pain.

I have pulled this clip from my Heal Your Back Now! DVD.

This is Part 1, which means I will be posting more video clips from the DVD.

Don’t think that because this is so simple and easy that you won’t get a lot of benefit from it.

I use this method in Yoga Therapy to teach students how to

• Relax
• Lower Blood Pressure
• Reduce Swelling and Inflammation
• Heal Back and Joint Pain
• Learn the Proper Attitude to Practice the Yoga Postures and Meditation

For success stories with this method, check out this post: Heal Your Back Now! and this Comment.

Feel free to leave comments below and let me know how this is working for you, and what you need.

I will be expanding the Videos and Posts on Back and Hip Healing.

Do you need more help? Move videos? More explanation?

Just let me know. Here is the link to Part 2.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve you,

Namasté……..Norman

If you spend much time at all sitting, you will enjoy the wonderful feeling that comes when you loosen up your back with this Seated Spinal Twist.

This video clip is less than 5 minutes long. 

If you feel like you don’t have this much time, consider that once you learn this, you can get benefit and enjoyment in a less- than-2-minutes twist.

The Spinal Twist Loosens up the Back and Spine, Improves Flexibility and Circulation, Removes Fatigue, Relaxes Muscle Pain and Tension, Refreshes the Mind, and Always Feels Good.

If this twist makes you feel better, why not try out some of the other FREE Videos Clips on this site?

They are of great benefit since they specifically help to alleviate many of the negative effects of the sedentary lifestyle that is so prevalent in modern living.

The Good News: These videos are Very Easy to Do, and they Feel So Good.

Most of the video clips are from my Easy Yoga for Home, Office & Studio DVD.

Alida P. Carslake in El Jardín, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico December 2010

Hola Norman,

Just to let you know how much I’m enjoying your DVD, Relaxing Hatha Yoga (Soon to be available online). It’s the next best thing to being in one of your classes.

I place the DVD in my laptop on a chair, the mat on the floor, & follow along.

Your instructions as usual are crystal clear. You’re so easy to follow along.

I don’t get to it every single day, but usually every second day.

Yesterday, I thought I’d try something different.

I decided to try again the flow yoga DVD I was using before I went to SMA (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico) & attended your classes. I was at the time so impressed with it.

What a let down! The only thing I enjoyed about it is the soundtrack.

So it’s nothing but Norman’s Hatha Yoga for me now.

Now I’ve got to find someone to donate that flow yoga DVD to!

I’ve been trying to get my sister to do yoga for a long time now.

Unfortunately, she tried yoga out at her busy gym & ended up hurting herself.

She hasn’t done any more yoga since, for fear of hurting herself again.

She’s been suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome & neck problems from being on a computer all day.

I will be heading out to see her within the next few weeks & will give her your Easy Yoga for Home, Office & Studio DVD.

She has promised me to try it out as she doesn’t go to the gym during the summer. She bikes & walks. She can do it in her apartment, and with this DVD she doesn’t need a mat.

I told her, “With Norman you will never get hurt.”

Thank you for doing what you’re doing. You have helped many people.

I feel blessed to have met you.

Namaste,…..Alida

Thank you, Alida. I am always happy to get feedback, especially when it is inspirational and a help to others, like yours is…Norm

Related article: 

How Alida Overcame the Pain & Spinal Misalignment of Scoliosis

I heard so much about the success of, Self-Healing Shoulder Pain with Yoga, that I thought you might like to try this intermediate yoga headstand position.

Three of the many benefits for you are:

1. You will increase circulation to your brain, which will improve your memory and brain function. If you find this a bit difficult, be gentle and slowly increase your time in the pose. 

2. You will be in a posture that helps to heal rotator cuff and shoulder pain. See my Self-Healing Shoulder Pain with Yoga post for a simple, easy-to-do version, and an explanation of how this works based upon the discovery by Loren Fishman, MD.

3. You will learn the first two positions of the Triangular Forearm Base Headstand. Don’t worry. You don’t have to go all the way into the HeadStand to get a lot of benefit.

If you find yourself reluctant to practice, remind yourself that the headstand is recommended to anyone who wants an alert and sharp mind.

If you have seen me lately, you will notice that my hair is not as dark as it is in this clip. This video was shot some years ago in analog format so you might find that there are some dropped frames along with an occasional white butterfly.

Also you might notice some other differences, for while the clip was old, alas, I was younger.

Enjoy your yoga practice,……Norm

If you are experiencing pain when you practice yoga, it may be that you really don’t understand what yoga is. Let’s begin with

When Are You Not Practicing Yoga?

If you are straining, pushing, forcing or competing in your yoga practice, you are not practicing yoga.

If you end your yoga session with pulled muscles, torn tendons and ligaments, painful joints, or a sore body, you are not practicing yoga.

At the end of your yoga session, if you collapse in a pool of sweat, exhausted, you are not practicing yoga.

Why Not?

Because Yoga is about peace, calmness, and harmony.

The moment that you disturb your peace, you are no longer practicing yoga.

Yoga is about stillness. In fact the goal of all of Yoga is to culminate in stillness, as stated in Psalm 46:10.

 Be still, and know that I am God 

To achieve this, the ancient Rishis (God-Realized Beings) developed Yoga. In this age the most popular Yoga is Hatha Yoga, which is what they called the practice of the Asanas. 

Asanas are not exercises in the modern, or Western, sense, but are postures, poses, positions.

By definition an asana should be steady, comfortable, and pleasant in a way that you can hold it for a long time.

The best way to understand Asana is to look at the Self-Realization Fellowship website, Correct Posture: Instructions on Posture for Effective Meditation, where it states,

“If the correct posture has been assumed, the body will be stable yet relaxed, so that it is easily possible to remain completely still, without moving a muscle.”

Why Look to Meditation Posture as the Key to Hatha Yoga Practice?

1-We look at meditation practice because it is the ultimate goal of all yoga practice. Raja Yoga, Meditation, is called the last Yoga, or the highest  Yoga, and teaches us that our Hatha Yoga practice should contribute to, not distract from, Meditation.  

2-We look to meditation practice because it will give us the wisdom to not hurt ourselves while practicing Hatha Yoga.

Here is some wisdom from Paramahansa Yogananda:

“No one should try to meditate in the lotus posture unless he is at ease in that position. To meditate in a strained posture keeps the mind on the discomfort of the body.”

This is also true in your Hatha Yoga practice. If you are in a strained posture, your mind will be on that strained place, and not come within, where it should be.

Yogananada further states, “The proper bodily posture, one which produces calmness in body and mind, is necessary to help the yogi shift his mind from matter to spirit.”

Where There Is Strain, There Is No Yoga.

Where Strain Begins, Yoga Ends.

Once when I was at the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine Retreat in Pacific Palisades, California, I had the opportunity to talk with Brother Achalananda.  “Brother, I teach asanas (Hatha Yoga Postures) at the SRF Boys Youth Program Camp, and I wonder if you could give me some advice on how to do a better job?”

“Just remember, he said, “ Where there is strain, there is no Yoga. Where strain begins, Yoga ends.”

Wow. Just what I needed to know. So simply stated and yet so important.

This can be your key also. Remind yourself of this often and you won’t hurt yourself when practicing yoga.

Namasté,…..Norm

When you have been teaching Yoga for more than 30 years as I have, you don’t need a lot of evidence to prove that yoga works.

However, it is still nice to see conventional medicine offering some studies with proof.

A simple yoga position to Heal Shoulder Pain

In an August 1, 2011 New York Times article, “Ancient Moves for Orthopedic Problems“, writer Jane Brody explains how Loren Fishman, MD, treats Rotator Cuff Pain with yoga.

Dr. Fishman discovered how to heal his own shoulder pain by doing the headstand with the triangle forearm support position.

Here’s the good news.

He then found that doing a modified version while standing and leaning against a wall with the forearms pressed against the wall would give relief.

By leaning on the forearms-in-triangular-position against the wall while standing, you may start to get relief in as little as 30 seconds a session.

This video post is by Karen Dardick, who received many years of counseling and training by Durga Mata at Self-Realization Fellowship Mother Center, Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California.

I greatly appreciate this insight into a direct Disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, and I hope that you will find some value here also, as I am sure many SRF members will.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Thank you, Karen Dardick and blessings of God and Gurus,

Namasté….Norm

Are you stuck in your self-healing progress?

Maybe it is time to examine the Spiritual Aspects of Yoga.

For example, in one of Daya Mata’s talks she quoted Paramahansa Yogananda as saying,

“Never, ever blame anyone for anything. Accept all as coming from God and Guru for your growth.”

My immediate reaction was,

This would really be freeing. Imagine not wasting time or energy on negativity, on blaming, resenting or hating anyone.

My second immediate thought was,

But I am not there yet. In fact, I don’t completely understand it.

How do you feel about this? Should you put any effort into practicing not blaming anyone or anything?

A minister of metaphysical Christianity once said,

“If you want to heal yourself, sit down and don’t get up until you find out who you have to forgive.”

Maybe you feel that your anger is justified. Can you understand that it may be crippling you? Consider this comment.

“Remember, when you hold anger, resentment or unforgiveness toward anyone, it is like you drinking poison and hoping it will hurt the other guy.”

I am sorry I am not quoting this exactly. I don’t know who gets credit for this quote. I do know that I like this very much.  I remind myself of it whenever I feel resentment toward anyone.

This may not be so easy to understand. In fact, if you are like me, you may be getting glimpses of understanding the rest of your life.

What I have done is to keep meditating for understanding and then sometimes I encounter the same idea expressed differently to shed more light from a different angle.

Someone sent me an email with Mother Teresa’s Anyway Poem, which I really liked. So I researched it and came upon this version on The Prayer Foundation site, where there is other information about the origin of the poem.

The version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

So this poem that Mother Teresa liked, helped me to understand a little better this quote by Saint Francis of Assisi.

“Learn to accept blame, criticism, and accusation silently, without retaliation even though  untrue and unjustified.”

Try practicing this and you may find where a lot of blocks to your self-healing are.

But don’t worry if you find this difficult. I’ve been at this a long time and I am still not there yet.

However, the understanding and the practice of not blaming are getting better.

I wish you the best.   Namasté…….Norm