Now That is a Yoga Pose!
Understanding diabetes via
inquiry of
fundamental yoga principles
Your Guide:
My name is Michael.
I was diagnosed with Type 1
Diabetes at the age of 14 in November of 1976.
Started practicing yoga in
1999.
Went to a 200 hour yoga
teacher certification course in 2006.
Have attended 150 hours of
advanced courses toward what is called the 500 hour certification.
Certified through The Kripalu
Yoga Center in Massachusetts.
Over 5000 teaching hours.
Registered as a certified
teacher (E-RYT) with the Yoga Alliance.
I have discovered a path of
inquiry that can yield positive results for those of us affected
by this condition. I believe this path of inquiry to be
applicable and valuable to anyone afflicted by the dis-ease itself or
anyone who is a parent, spouse, sibling, friend, co-worker, coach,
teacher or medical professional.
Why would you want me as
your guide?
- I
have lived and kept
my physical body alive and health while living
with Type
1 diabetes
(T1D)
for
47 years
- I
have never
needed
glucagon to come back from a low.
- Never
been in DKA
from being high.
-
Never had to go to the
hospital because of diabetes except when I was diagnosed. I got
discharged on Thanksgiving Day. Ha.
- No
complications. Maybe
a slight bit of OCD and I may have a slight case of a new
Personality Disorder called Adjustment Disorder.
-
I know yoga and I am
constantly studying, teaching and practicing it. It is a very
comprehensive “map” of the nature of everything.
- Most
of my
career has
been in the areas of systems and procedures design, quality
assurance and
hiring and training sales people, customer service reps
and
managers…
- I
can
point out signs and tracks along the path. What
I mean by this is that I have discovered specific paths of inquiry
that are fundamental to what we need to do to survive and maintain
an acceptable level of health and balance.
-
I know what are the black
diamond paths and which ones are the bunny runs.
- I
believe we are headed toward a cure and the
yogic perspective
is
what is needed and
can
speed
the
process and keep others healthy
until we get there.
We learn through metaphor.
Everything we understand or could possibly understand is only
possible because there is something else to compare it to. The law
of duality; the law of polarity; “For every action there is an
equal and opposite reaction.”
The fact is, in the
environment we find ourselves in, anything that arises does so in
relation to something else.
Diabetes and Yoga. We are
going to hold these two “things” side by side and see how they
relate to each other. We are going to “metaphor” diabetes with
yoga. When we do this, connections will be created between the two
“systems”, “maps,” “challenges” “conditions”
“practices”, “disciplines”, “poses.”
Think about how the brain
works.
It makes neural connections
that create pathways. Pathways that receive knowledge, learn and
hone skills and cultivate new and different mind constructs,
cognitive maps, mental paradigms.
One of the most important
writings in yoga is entitled, “The Yoga Sutras” by Patanjali.
Written before 400 B.C. it is a compilation of 196 sutras
(aphorisms) on the theory and practice of yoga. The very first sutra
reads….
“Now the inquiry of yoga.”
A state of inquiry; being the
witness; being the observer is the state we aspire to when practicing
yoga.
Can a connection be made with
diabetes here? I believe yes. In fact, when dealing with diabetes
and everything one must account for in the management of whatever
system one is using to try and achieve safe blood sugar levels, I
have found that a state of inquiry is, usually, the best.
This
path
of
inquiry
is divided
into three stages or phases:
Phase 1: Proper Alignment. (here a short on-line assessment and/or a short video that discusses proper alignment principles and how that applies to the foundational alignment in dealing with diabetes. Need something that is really concise and to the point. I have written so much I believe I got it. Got to find a way to offer this free in exchange for them filling out assessment with contact info. Could provide back an assessment summary with budget analysis..) From the perspective of the diabetes side…..it is proper alignment with the goal of achieving safe control.
Phase
2:
Finding and Exploring Your “Edge” (I
see this as a short on-line interactive teaching. 5 modules dealing
with moving into the posture and knowing where to back off and where
to push forward.
Introduce the concept of flying the plane here. Could be a manual
instead. I will write it as a manual first. Again, I got it all
written. The newest insight I have is about the basal rate being
most important. In Phase 1 basal rate is set. In Phase 2 we begin
to explore testing and adjusting basal rate.
Phase
3:
Expanding Your Edge and Experiencing Authentic Free Expression.
(Here
is the intensive retreat concept where we go at it everyday.
Requires completion of Phase 2 training. Get
sponsors from diabetes supply companies. If someone takes the
inquiry to level 3 they can experience pushing beyond the edge. Cut
basal rate by 50%. I’ve done this at a sustained level twice;
Once when I was working out like a fiend and the second time was when
I went to Vipassana 10 day retreat.