Yoga Health and Education Trust Remedial Retreat

Remedial Residential Event Sun 6th-Fri 11th, Nov 2011

Arrival Sunday afternoon for a calming and peaceful introduction in the hall. We stored our yoga equipment in the hall we were to use for our yoga practice and Yoga 5 Day Remedial Therapeutic Course at Domus Mariae at Woodford


After introductions we all retired to our rooms. The room was on the second floor, but a lift is available to get all to their rooms. My room was imaculately clean and ready for my use. It was sparse but perfect for my bedroom needs. At the end of the hall were kitchnette facilities for drinks and breakfast.





What a wonderful opportunity to wake up and go to the hall and do my personal practice without any of the burdens from home. These daily practices without distractions have allowed me to develop my practice and allow work on class plans for my yoga students.


Each Morning at 10am to 11.30am we had a led yoga practice taking consideration of the differing Multiple Sclerosis problems and adapted with those considerations in mind. I knew I was lucky to be more able bodied than some, but my little extra needs were gently dealt with. My hands are weak and I could not hold the knees in position for certain poses and they soon came to support me. Even though my core is strong enough to give support, that would have not provided the benefits the asana was supposed to give. Both Ineke and the helper Mary helped me during our daily practice to ensure I practiced properly and got the full benefit. It was greatly appreciated.

At noon we settled into a comfortable position and was guided into a 20 minute mediation with Ineke. By Friday I was consciously aware of how much more settled I was in myself, simply by taking a 20 minute quiet time to mediate and focus on my breath.








The mediatation was immediately followed by lunch, that took into account everyone’s dietary needs (and for a group of 9 there many variations!) and they produced a delicious lunchtime meal.


After lunch until 3.30, it was our own free time. I personally took the opportunity to take a nap, after the manditory mobile call to husband from the room.


The theme of this retreat was nutrition, especially considering Ayurveda. A new subject to me, we did a test and my Dosha and Gunas and apparently I am rajestic Kapha. It was interesting and kind of scary how a simple test can pin down the elements of who I am. There are special diets that support the type of person you are but, I definitely need to digest the information before I change the food I choose to digest. It is quite empowering to think I could actually take some control over this nuisance that is Multiple Sclerosis with a simple change to my diet. I am looking into an alternitive to dairy products. Apparently there has been a lot of study into how dairy has a detrimental effort on people with Multiple Soclerosis, although I think it could be the population as a whole. Lots of homework for me, and perhaps share with the family at home.


.



I must admit to missing out on most of the evening talks – my MS ensured I took to my bed early. Thursday night, however, I was more rested – just in time to go home. It was a calm moment to share music, poems, stories that were important to us. The top is a picture of my Dad holding my Grandaughter on the day she was born I attached above Poem “I wish you enough..” and below an extract from “Yogi’s Prayer” I shared from Mukanda Stiles “Structural Yoga Theraphy”


May everyone know a life of joy


May everyone have a life of health


May everyone only see the good in the world


May everyone soon be released from Pain

I am almost a fully qualified yoga teacher, only needing to two more observed interviews. June has kindly agreed to mentor me to help me reach my goal with and be more able to help others in my the MS community.

The Yoga show and OMyogathon Noon Saturday 29th October, 2011

In the beginning Yoga Abode told my story

Yoga as transformation,

Yoga-athon 1998 as I supported

Click to read

Yoga-athon 2009 a difficult Dilemma

  

Click Below

Apologies for sound quality it was a huge surprise

  



What age it is best to begin to meditate?

I was Karen Ellen Stanley - that was me!

I was less than a year old

I just did not consider the act a name

Until I was much older!

I am Karen Ellen Mascoll - I am me

Discuss?



med·i·tate   verb (used without object)

1. to engage in thought or contemplation; reflect.
2. to engage in transcendental meditation, devout religious contemplation, or quiescent spiritual introspection.
    verb (used with object)
3. to consider as something to be done or effected; intend; purpose: to meditate revenge.

cog·ni·tive   adjective
1. of or pertaining to cognition.
2. of or pertaining to the mental processes of perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning, as contrasted with emotional and volitional processes

Yoga Teacher training workshop, how to help people living with a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis

I am prepared for this weekend's yoga teacher training to help people with Multiple Sclerosis workshop. I have spoken to the volunteers and confirmed that their chauffeur (my hubby Gary) bringing volunteers for the free yoga where yoga teacher's can watch and learn the extra skills when teaching people with Multiple Sclerosis. Sunday morning I will be presenting a talk with Carolin, a representative from the MS society as we give the teacher training students some insight into what exactly Multiple Sclerosis is.

http://www.yoga-abode.com/wellbeing/yoga_as_transformation_karen (published 2009)

Yoga as Transformation

Karen Mascoll's daily yoga practice helps her overcome many symptoms of the Multiple Sclerosis she was diagnosed with eleven years ago. Here, she tells her story.

How did you discover yoga?

I found yoga five years ago; classes were free as part of membership when my husband and I joined our local gym. I tried a range of classes.

Anita Anand, my first yoga instructor and now good friend, lead the hatha class, and was an excellent, inspiring teacher as I struggled through and improved gradually.

Now my tree does not fall, it just wobbles a little! Since  then I have met and connected with several yoga teachers, including Thendara Kida.

I am now poised to take a training course to become a yoga teacher and will be

eternally grateful to Clive Mayhew, the founder http://yogaaid.co.uk/, who instigated and helped me to achieve this dream.

When were you diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis?

I was diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis in Feb 1998 - the next year, I launched my efforts to improve my health and to manage my symptoms of my MS.

I changed to a vegetarian diet, researched allergies and food intolerances, reduced my stressors, had counselling, and fought to get the drugs that were available but initially not given due to the then NICE guidelines.

I have always followed an exercise-rich lifestyle but have poor balance, perhaps I had always felt a little discouraged from paying out for an exercise routine I knew was difficult, before any diagnosis.

What style of yoga do you practice now?

I enjoy hatha but I have tasted other styles; I attended a yoga weekend retreat and have tried kundalini. I am open to all types of yoga but I love the challenge hatha gives me.

How has MS affected your mobility and physical abilities?

In February 1998 I was diagnosed with 'relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis 'and so began the worst year of my life when I felt my future of possibilities had been stolen from me.

My symptoms include poor balance; lack of energy; forgetfulness; exhaustion; bladder and bowel problems; poor concentration. I also have muscle spasms, difficulty swallowing, and stiffness and weakness in my muscles, and visual problems.

In what way has yoga helped your physical condition? 

Yoga prepares me to enjoy my day. I begin each day with some sun salutations while listening to breakfast TV as I ease myself into the day.

Sometimes I perform some double leg lifts to strengthen my tummy muscle, and incorporate some splits at the top of the lift to add to the flexibility to my hips.

Yoga has also helped with bowl problems and made symptoms more manageable.

I have also found my breathing skills are a key tool to manage my pain.

In what way has yoga helped you live with MS, psychologically?

In addition to the above direct physical benefits I feel my yoga practice helps me to maintain my optimistic persona. As well as my daily practice, I attend a two or three classes a week that involves a greater diversity of poses.

Also I have found a greater sense of community in these classes than, say, aerobics classes. Yoga seems to me to be more spiritual and brings me peace.

Follow Karen's progress at http://karenellengoodcauses.blogspot.com/

For more information about MS and its symptoms, see 

http://www.mssociety.org.uk/about_ms/symptoms/index.html