Question:
What is the appropriate amount of time to wait after
eating, before practicing asana or meditation? And after
practicing, before eating?
Answer:
Meat: 2-3 hours. Carbs, starches: 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours.
Fruits and Veggies: 1/2 - 1 hour. The issue is the stomach
should be empty. Food in the stomach can reduce range
of motion and reduce energy level, which can adversely
effect your strength & stamina as well as your ability
to concentrate. Now you know the issues, knowing the
expediency of your own digestive system, you can make
your own decisions. After practicing, before eating:
I'm not sure. I've heard 1/2 hour, which makes sense
to me.
Question:
Do you have to be a vegetarian?
Answer:
No, but if being a vegetarian is important to you, go
for it. Personally, I like to call myself a selectarian.
In other words, I consciously select the food I eat,
which is different than unconscious eating, which is
eating due to old habit patterns without questioning
its health effects & potency. The Dalai Lama, who
is considered in Tibetan culture to be a great Yogi,
eats meat, and others don't. What works for you? Experiment!
Question:
Are there any specific ages that should not participate
in a yoga practice?
Answer:
No. Although, there are more appropriate ways to practice
depending on age and mental & physical ability.
For example, for very young people (kids), yoga might
be turned into games to help maintain their interest.
For older people (seniors), the physical practices may
be modified to fit their abilities as well as their
specific needs.
Question:
Do women that are menstruating need to take any precautions?
Answer:
Yes. No. Maybe. There are different points of view.
Some yoga traditions say not to practice asanas (poses)
at all during the full cycle of menstruation. Others
say that asana practice is OK, just that one should
refrain from any inverted postures (head stand, shoulder
stand, plough, etc....) One of the issues seems to be
the flow of toxic matter (discarded blood) down and
out of the body, and not changing the direction of that
flow. Although, I know women who disregard all of these
precautions and swear they are fine. So, again, after
experimentation and using your rational & intuitive
capacities, make your own decision. Some of the issues
here may be linked to a time when women were not allowed
to practice yoga. Also, I have not heard that the menstrual
cycle affects any other aspect of yoga practice outside
of asana.
Question:
What's the scoop for pregnant women?
Answer:
From a doctors point of view, I've heard everything
from, "don't do yoga asana" to "do whatever
you want to do as long as it feels right." Clearly
a responsible doctor would not want to give permission
to partake in something he or she does not understand,
which probably would lead to the conservative instruction
to not partake. In my experience, I've seen over 50
pregnant women in class and have seen at least 10 go
through most or all of the full term of their pregnancy
while practicing asana in my class at least 3 times
per week with very good results. Of course, pregnancy
poses certain vulnerabilities and conditions that need
to be assessed and addressed. The abdominal region needs
to be protected from stress, strain and compression.
So, I would avoid all poses that have you lay on your
stomach. Similarly, as you get bigger avoid forward
bends that compress the stomach region. To avoid this
compression as you get bigger, spread your legs more
and more, creating room for the stomach. Also avoid
stomach exercises that strain the stomach region. I
have been asked about inversions, and find no problem
or negative effects with them, although some may need
to be modified to avoid compression, such as halasana
(plough pose), as well as the added pressure on the
head, neck and spine because of the extra weight you
are carrying. If something does not feel right, don't
second guess yourself . Skip it or modify it. The larger
you get the more you will need to modify most all poses
to fit your size, needs and energy levels. After intuition,
your breathing is your greatest ally. Make sure your
breathing is calm and even at all times. If your breath
is strained or becomes erratic, it is a sure sign that
you are becoming stressed, which usually always attacks
your most vulnerable link. In this case that would be
your abdominal region. I do want to make it clear, I
am not a doctor or an expert. I am only sharing my opinions
and my experience. Please hear me, but don't listen
to me, listen to yourself as well as get as many opinions
as you can from anybody you respect!! Good luck &
congratulations if you are pregnant!!