Beauty of Sensation
Remember those early days of your Kaiut practice?
For many of us, we find Kaiut as a way to relieve pain or discomfort. Sometimes it’s physical pain, and there are times when it’s emotional.
Usually, the first month or two are like a dream. Surface pains fade away and most of us find ourselves moving quite a bit easier.
Then, one day- the cobwebs start coming out of the closet.
On one hand, It’s pretty simple.
On another hand, it’s incredibly fascinating.
Even if we’ve recently gone through an acute accident, it’s taken us years to get where we are. Lots of traumas, lots of accidents (and many positive experiences, as well) have all been stored in our joints and body tissues. You could say, the body is a walking history book, and Kaiut Yoga helps us to flip through those pages and perhaps reveal lost chapters.
Aging, physical and emotional trauma, accidents, surgeries, and seemingly benign injuries all create a situation in our bodies and nervous systems in which compensatory responses arise. These compensatory responses are a marvel and necessary for us to continue to function as human beings. However, issues can arise in two ways:
- A compensatory pattern from one area will impact another area of the body
- When compensatory options are exhausted, pain arises
Kaiut Yoga was designed to clean up these compensatory patterns to liberate ourselves from the past and to present a better future in all aspects of our lives.
When we start practicing the Kaiut Method, usually the surface pain diminishes in a timely fashion. After practicing for a while, gaining consistency over time, we start to dismantle these compensation patterns that no longer serve us. This process can be uncomfortable, confusing, and downright frustrating.
At this point- this is when a new student can wonder…
Is this ok?
What’s happening?
I thought this was supposed to relieve pain!
I haven’t felt this in a long time, and now it’s back- what’s up with that?
It’s really tempting to avoid these uncomfortable situations.
The Kaiut Method is designed to meet your history gently and at a pace that matches you. There is always a potential to meet tough, emotional, and painful pages of your history book with curiosity and the willingness to heal.
Through the Kaiut practice, you are learning a new language- the language of the body. As students of the method, this takes time, patience, and a great deal of kindness. Your body speaks through the beauty of sensation.
Here are 4 steps when it’s time to investigate the cobwebs that inevitably come to the surface.
#1 Talk to your Teacher
Let us know when something shifts in your practice. We’re here to help you get the most benefit out of Kaiut and sometimes that means approaching sensitive areas with kind awareness.
#2 Take Notes
The more details you can give us the better. What’s the degree of sensation? How long does it last? What makes it feel better? What’s irritating?
#3 Let us Help You Find Your Pace
When you feel pain, it’s scary. It’s really tempting to want to stop or even change course. Let us help you find your pace in a way that you’re still touching sensation without flooding your nervous system.
#4 Practice with Kindness
Whenever we’re approaching a stronger sensation, you have to approach that area with kindness and awareness. Be ready to listen to this new language. It’s your body wanting to reconnect with you.
#5 Relisten to Francisco’s Message on the Cobwebs
Sometimes you gotta hear things over and over, in different ways. Craig and Francisco chat about this topic in this episode of Reframing Yoga.