When I bought my husband tickets to the Carlos Santana concert in Vegas, I was excited because I knew how much he was going to enjoy and appreciate the experience. I had no idea that I would get so much out of it as well. Carlos Santana is much more than a talented musician. He is a spreader of joy, love, and happiness, and he uses his wizardry with the guitar as his platform.
Throughout the evening he stopped the music and spoke from his heart. He spoke of the energy that is within each of us, and how we can choose to focus it on the good in the world. He spoke of the beauty in humanity and how each of us is a unique source of that beauty.
Happiness is a choice, not a condition. ~ Carlos Santana
What do you think of this message Santana ended his concert with? I felt like he was speaking directly to me. In fact I felt like his entire performance was a message to me, and I was open and receptive to it. I know there were people in the audience who heard, maybe even acknowledged his messages throughout the evening, but I absorbed them. And I am certain others did as well because the room literally vibrated with positive energy.
You can hear or read a line like that and acknowledge it, but what does it really mean to you? Do you know how to live it like it is a truth? Do you understand that in the midst of your most painful flare, or your most emotional breakdown you can choose happiness?
Today is Tuesday, and I am exactly who I am supposed to be.
I am Dannette, and I am who I am supposed to be. I have physical, mental, and emotional pain. I have debt, stress, pressures and frustrations. I have responsibilities and obligations. And I have joy. I have love. I have happiness.
Where I place my focus and expend my energy, that is my choice. And I choose happiness.
And by focusing our thoughts, energies and ambitions on the good, we feed that energy. And the good grows.
Hold eye contact with the people you pass to today, smile at them, and watch the smile grow. Feed the joy and love that is inherent in each of us. You will be amazed at how you are better able to handle all the rest.
You’re free
If you wanna be
You’ll see
Ain’t nothin’ gonna stop you.
Choose what you gonna do
Choose do what you gotta do
Choose what you gonna do
Choose ~ Carlos Santana
I was so pleased to have the opportunity to review Yoga for Fibromyalgia and to offer a free copy to one lucky commenter. Andrea was the second person to leave a comment, and her lucky number was selected by Random.org. I wish I had 50 copies to give away!
It was fascinating to me reading all of your comments. The first thing that became clear was – we want to heal! Everyone was so encouraged and excited about a resource tailored specifically to our needs, and to my testimonial as to how much yoga has improved my life. I was inspired by your enthusiasm.
Second there was the always present hesitation and fear we have all acquired through years of conditioned response to our symptoms. We hurt, and we tire of hurting, so we have become conditioned to avoiding and eliminating the things that cause us pain or that we even suspect may cause us pain. Completely reasonable, right?
My first experience with yoga was miserable. The teacher would have been better suited as a bootcamp instructor. There was nothing gentle or nourishing about her or her teachings. My fear of that painful experience closed my mind to yoga as a resource. Thank goodness I met someone to guide me to the true practice of yoga.
That is my hope for each of you. I hope that if I talk about it enough, maybe one, two, or even more of you will find a local teacher to guide you. For 13 years my muscles were a frozen, painful mess. With yoga they are quietly and slowly melting, releasing all the years of pain and tension. I want nothing less for each of you!
Thanks to everyone who left a comment. I plan to have more giveaways soon!
I may have mentioned it once or twice (like here, here, and here) – I am a huge proponent of yoga. If I had to list the things that have improved my life the most over this past year, yoga would be at the top of my list.
I was fortunate to have a great instructor introduce me to a gentle and restorative type of yoga. She also suffers from Fibromyalgia, and through yoga has learned to find balance, energy, and productivity in her life again. Her transformation with yoga was so encouraging she eventually became a certified instructor and began paying her good fortune forward to eager students like myself.
As my love and interest for yoga peaked, I began doing research and came across a great book on yoga tailored specifically for my needs: Yoga for Fibromyalgia, by Shoosh Lettick Crotzer. And as fate, destiny, coincidence or whatever you call it would have it, the instructor who taught me to love yoga, also uses Yoga for Fibromyalgia as the foundation for the style of yoga she teaches. How serendipitous is that?!
And now I am sharing this great book with you!
Yoga for Fibromyalgia is based on the principles that “yoga’s physical practices are noncompetitive and adaptable to any individual, including those with special needs, such as fibromyalgia.” The author, Shoosh, states clearly that it is her intention to help us find ways to improve our “quality of life by reducing stress, pain, fatigue, and muscle stiffness and by getting deeper sleep.” Don’t you just love her already?
About the Author
Copyright @David Martinez
Shoosh Lettick Crotzer has been teaching yoga since 1974 and now specializes in working with students with special needs. She has a masters degree in diagnostic education. In 1994, while teaching for the National MS Society, she founded the production and distribution company Mobility Limited and wrote and produced the video Yoga for MS. In 1997 she wrote and produced Yoga for Arthritis in partnership with the Arthritis Foundation. She has given workshops and made presentations on yoga and arthritis at international rheumatology conferences.
Shoosh began her yoga training in India in the 1970s and continued with Sivananda Yoga teachers in Los Angeles. She has a background in Iyengar-style yoga and has studied with Joel Kramer, Ganga White, and Tracey Rich. Shoosh has taught yoga at universities, yoga centers, health clubs, and privately throughout the country. She is the founder and director of the nonprofit organization Enhancement, Inc., which works to improve the quality of life for breast cancer survivors. She lives in Morro Bay, California, with her husband, Colby.
Impressive resume wouldn’t you say? Upon reading Yoga for Fibromyalgia it was clear to me that Shoosh understands and is sympathetic to the unique issues we face in regards to exercise. Her tone and knowledge put me at ease and encouraged me to progress through her teachings in a way that best served my needs.
Yoga for Fibromyalgia is organized into four parts:
Part 1 – Fibromyalgia and Yoga – Includes information on Fibromyalgia, yoga, and general guidelines. This is the section where you will learn to trust Shoosh and become eager to embrace her knowledge and expertise.
Part 2 – Yoga Poses for Fibromyalgia - Detailed explanations and photographs on how to do the poses and breathing techniques, explanation of the overall benefits of the poses and breathing techniques, and a list of any props you may need. Deirdre Carrigan models the poses in the photographs, and she too has Fibromyalgia and is a yoga teacher.
Part 3 – Practicing Yoga for Fibromyalgia – Shoosh gives guidelines to get us started such as where and when to practice. She also shares sequences of poses designed to target certain areas and to help with specific issues such as pain relief, improve sleep, reduce fatigue, and maintaining general flexibility and body awareness. (The Seated Eagle pose on page 43 is awesome for stretching sore shoulder and upper back muscles, and I will be doing it the second I am done writing this post!)
Part 4 – Living with Fibromyalgia – Focuses on lifestyle suggestions that may help us live more comfortably and with reduced symptoms. For example: the importance of sleep, good nutrition, exercise, non-exercise movement, and psychological well-being.
Yoga for Fibromyalgia is organized so thoughtfully that depending on your needs on a particular day, you will be able to create the perfect routine – whether it be a seated beginner sequence, a sequence for upper body pain relief, a sequence to improve your sleep, or a complete maintenance sequence – you can do as much or as little as you need.
While encouraging us to get started in our practice of yoga, Shoosh is clear to remind us to take our time, understand that not all techniques are appropriate for everyone, and to listen to what our bodies tell us. She understands and acknowledges that Fibromyalgia can vary from “person to person and often from day to day” and has based her practice in this book on that foundation.
Are you ready yet to let Shoosh guide you through the restorative powers of Yoga for Fibromyalgia?
Good! Because her lovely publisher Rodmell Press has generously agreed to give one copy of Yoga for Fibromyalgia to a randomly selected commenter to this post. Just leave a comment, and on Monday April, 5 I will randomly select someone to receive a copy mailed to you directly from the publisher.
I am clearly a huge fan of Yoga for Fibromyalgia. Since returning to work I have been unable to attend the daily yoga classes that once fit so nicely into my schedule. I have also been traveling and dealing with the stiffness and fatigue of 5 hour plane rides. Without many of the poses and sequences in this book, I am certain I would not be fairing so well.
Yoga is peace
Yoga is strength
Yoga is flexibility
Yoga is restorative
Yoga is life
Note: You may comment as many times as you like, but you will only receive one entry into the drawing,
Are you AWARE of one of the best resources for Fibromyalgia information on the web?
The National Fibromyalgia Association is the leading non-profit organization dedicated to improving quality of life for people with Fibromyalgia. Their website has been a great resource for me as an FM patient, advocate, and support group leader. The NFA is focused on creating programs dedicated to spreading Fibromyalgia Awareness, like the Fibro Focus events that took place last year, which my support group was fortunate to participate in.
The NFA truly is the leading authority on Fibromyalgia, so when they asked me to help spread the word about the free online version of Fibromyalgia AWARE magazine, I was more than happy to help.
Fibromyalgia AWARE Magazine
Published by the National Fibromyalgia Association, Fibromyalgia AWARE is the first and only consumer magazine dedicated to the subject of fibromyalgia.
The comprehensive publication offers straightforward, insightful information and support. This reliable resource will help to improve the quality of life for people affected by fibromyalgia. The magazine includes:
- The latest news in research
- Helpful information on general health and well-being
- A balanced approach to treatment options
- Lifestyle and self-management techniques
As a non-profit organization, the NFA relies on purchases of the print version of the magazine to help them continue their mission. But now they are offering a free online version to reach and help as many people as possible.
Now we all have free access to the great stories and editorial produced in each quarterly issue. For example, here is a small sample of what you can find in the Winter 2009/10 issue of Fibromyalgia AWARE:
- Making the Invisible Visible: The Science Behind Fibromyalgia
- How to LIve a Balanced Life: Lessons from Practice of Tai Chi
- Your Best Night’s Sleep: Tips to Get the Rest You Need
- Making the Right Online Connections
There is even a special section dedicated to Disability – determining if it is right for you, dealing with the myths and landmines.
So there you have it. Quality information from a quality organization. Bravo to the NFA for creating this free online version and making this valuable information more accessible. I am happy to support their efforts and get the word out to all of you.
If you haven’t already, click on the link above to the Winter issue and get your free copy. Happy reading!
I was invited by my friend Kathy over at The Fibrochondriac to participate in her blog carnival. The theme of her carnival is: What do you want people to know about you?
I was surfing around through my old posts, looking for an appropriate one to share, and I came across this post I originally published October 13, 2008, the same month I began my blog.
Selflessly Selfish
I struggle every day with who I am. I am different because of the Fibromyalgia. I am not the independent, fiercely productive person I once was.
Every morning I envy (but am grateful for) my husband and his ability to jump out of bed, hop into the shower, and rush out the door on his way to a destination where he knows his purpose and is able to perform at a high level. I lie in bed with muscle soreness, a dizzy head and complete exhaustion and wonder, “how am I going to contribute today?”
And it is not simply how am I going to contribute to my house and my husband, but how am I going to contribute to my physical and emotional wellbeing, and how am I going to contribute to the world around me.
Sometimes it is the smallest things I do that contribute the most and make me feel the best. I dry my hands on a dishtowel rather than a paper towel. Yippee! I just saved a tree. I pick up the wrapper from a straw that a fellow patron at the coffee shop has let the wind take away. She doesn’t know it, but I do and it makes me feel good.
There are days when I let the wrapper blow away. Days when I tell myself I am in too much pain to bother, but I never feel good about those moments. I always feel that I have given up or given in to the Fibromyalgia. If too many of those moments build up I get depressed, and then it becomes even harder to live productively with FM.
That is the point I am trying to make. I struggle to be a better person for myself. To be someone that, in spite of all that is different in my life, I still feel useful and productive, and that in very small ways I am contributing to my world. By trying to be conscientious and selfless I am being selfish, because I am the one who benefits the most. And the small things add up. They really do make a difference.
So what did I do that was so great today? Nothing so far, but the day is not over. I still have time.
Wow! Rereading this post really took me back. It really made me take a moment and reflect on how much has changed in the 18 months since I began this blog.
And that is what I want you to know about me: I have changed. I am different. I am improved.
I am no longer at the mercy of Fibromyalgia. I am a participant in my health, not an onlooker. And I got here by making many small changes:
I created a community, starting with this blog, which brought people like Kathy into my life. I began sharing more and worring less because I have a greater support foundation to rely on.
I began doing research and filtering the abundance of information on Fibromyalgia to determine what fit best for me. I determined a holistic approach was more appropriate for me than the pharmaceutical approach taken by most doctors.
I added supplements to my daily care.
I began practicing yoga and cut gluten out of my diet. Through research, trial, and error (and believe me there were years of error) I found what works for me and my health.
I slowed down…… and took many baby steps to avoid making those painful leaps.
This has been a true journey, and I am so grateful for how far I have come. It was not without work, setbacks, and a lot of effort. But the foundation for my change came from the belief that I could improve, and that it was up to me to figure out how.
I am still frequently tired and dizzy in the mornings. I still have daily symptoms. I am not always able to contribute. But my progress is discernible.
I hope this encourages you. I hope you are able to look closely at your daily habits and routines, and distinguish what nourishes you from what holds you back. There are many components to Fibromyalgia we cannot control. Take a look at what you can, and honor yourself by making the best choices for your particular situation. You can change. You can improve. Believe it!
