by Valerie Brooks

Is Flexibility a Liability?

Jill Miller traded her Jane Fonda workout videos for a yoga life when she was twelve years old, and that opened her up (literally) to a very flexible body. Yup, she can do those perfect splits that some people are jealous of. But in her latest blog, she talks about the downside of being hyper-mobile. And then like a positive yogi, she offers a remedy. She says that when a muscle is “that” flexible, there’s a lack of tension, and without that, there’s no signal to the body that you’re overdoing it. When your tendons and ligaments are very loose, the joints may not be receiving the protection you would normally give them because the body does not tense up and warn you to pull back. That is where, she says, proprioceptive neuro-muscular facilitation can help. This targeted form of stretching can assist super-flexible people to be more aware of their location within their own bodies. So, if you’re looking like Gumby on the yoga mat, this may be for you. blog.giam.com.

Bowen Therapy

Named after the Australian body worker, Tom Bowen, this therapeutic technique mimics myofascial work and feels somewhat deeper than cranio sacral, but less rigorous than massage. Performed fully clothed on a massage table, its goal is to alert the brain and nervous system to whatever problem the body is encountering, and through strong but gentle movements, guide the body to heal itself by returning to a balanced state prior to the injury or illness. Unlike chiropractic work or massage, Bowen practitioners will often claim that, once healed of a particular condition, the patient need not keep returning for maintenance or “tune-ups.” Bowen therapists receive specific training and have turned around many skeptical chronic pain sufferers. Here is a video about the technique and a link to the Bowen Therapy International website.

Bali Yoga Festival Draws Crowds Despite Muslim Disapproval

Circulating the yoga news headlines is the successful launch of the eight-day Indonesian yoga festival that began on March 3 in Bali. The yogic celebration was not a sure thing, since a Muslim fatwa was issued in January that forbade Indonesian Muslims to practice certain aspects of yoga, including the chanting of mantras and other Hindu rituals associated with yoga. But protesters convinced the ruling body that this was a valuable form of exercise for the body, and the festival occurred. Because of the ban, the gathering actually drew larger crowds than expected because people wanted to know what the commotion was all about. So, the ancient practice has now spurned new popularity in Bali. See this story for more details.