hi Bernie,
i am a new yoga instructor, trained in the hatha style. i had a back injury at work 4 yrs ago( i was 39 with no prior back issues at all) that left me with a torn disc, muscle sprains and later to find out i had moderate to severe joint damage at L4,5 and S1 right side only. an unfortunate incident with traction at PT, left me worse off and alone to deal with it (lost jobs, money, my relationship etc..). Yoga saved my sanity. yin saved my back.
i am writing because my experience with chronic pain, that nearly did me in, in general, a whole other story really, was debilitating mentally and left me with some severe muscle imbalances when i finally (after a not so pleasant yang style yoga training, which i am now introducing slowly again) discovered YIN in our last weekend. i had tried yin before and couldnt walk for two days after and vowed never to go there again, until that weekend. i had attended sarah powers' mindful meditation seminar here in truckee, at the beginning of my yoga teacher training, and she saved me in more ways then one. the journey has continued since. i denied all the "experimental injections" tried the pain meds and muscle relaxers and have been very diligent in my path to find a better more active, less disabling, painful life, and Yin has been a huge component. i want to teach a personal specific class for back sufferers since the muscle imbalances have been a HUGE issue in controlling a lot of the irrational pain. it doesnt stop it all together but it makes it BETTER. i lost a lot along the way, personally, mentally and socially, but i gained ME back.
and meditation is the best. i have always been very Yang, and never thought i would say that.
anyway i have your book, AWESOME, paul grilleys dvd and all of sarahs as well, and i am learning. since low back pain is such a HUGE epidemic, i need to say my piece and my story. i welcome any feedback from professionals or other LBP suffers. i want to help and heal beyond myself.
one of my favorite yoga quotes "due to the oscillations of the mind, you have to make an effort". i did. and it has been the best decision.
thank you for reading!
steph