Best spiritual practices/techniques to heal/strengthen the body?

[Gneh Onebar]

As I mentioned in a post before I have to deal with a genetic muscle disease (FSHD), which causes the loss of muscles primarily in the upper body. Therefore I’m looking for spiritual practices/techniques to strengthen my body or maybe even heal it – western medicine classifies this disease as uncurable. Until now I established a daily meditation and hatha yoga practice (120 minutes in total) for approximately a year. I notice an improvement of my concentration abilities, had some minor energetic/emotional releases and expansions in consciousness, but can’t really see any benefits for my physical condition. Recently I started researching the occult. I bought John Kreiter’s Magnum Opus and am currently reading it. I already do the full glass of water breathing before my meditation and yoga sessions and am eager to start further exercises to accumulate energy.

If you are aware of practices or techniques, that increase healing abilities, I would very much appreciate it, if you let me know. Thank you for your help. ?

[ajasatya]

Ashtanga Yoga.

It requires an exceptionally good teacher, though. Watch out.

[Gneh Onebar]

@ajasatya I will look into Ashtanga Yoga, thank you.

[Consilience]

Mindful lifting. 

Learn how to properly squat, hip hinge, push-up and row. Especially if you have a disease which causes muscle loss, you’re going to want to make sure your bones stay strong regardless of muscle mass which lifting will help with. Lifting will also help with muscle retention, as well as increasing your proprioception which is essentially body awareness. 

Eventually you’ll want to learn how to properly barbell back squat, barbell bench press, barbell deadlift and probably other barbell lifts such as an overhead press, pendlay row and Romanian deadlift.  

Yoga is also definitely a must, as ajasatya mentioned, but Id also work towards mastering these body movements as well. Dont worry about how much weight you’re lifting, but also focus on progressively getting stronger at them. The key though is mastering the movements and learning how to connect with your body, and breath as your lifting. 

Cant stress this enough for muscle retention and bone density. 

Eating more protein, Staying hydrated and sleep will also help with resistance training recovery. And actually so will yoga. 

 

 

[Gneh Onebar]

@Consilience Thank you for your reply. The doctors also encouraged me to do some lifting. Besides my daily yoga practice I go two times a week to the gym. I train mainly with fitness machines like the butterfly or butterfly reverse etc. Do you think barbell training is better? 

[Consilience]

10 hours ago, Gneh Onebar said:

@Consilience Thank you for your reply. The doctors also encouraged me to do some lifting. Besides my daily yoga practice I go two times a week to the gym. I train mainly with fitness machines like the butterfly or butterfly reverse etc. Do you think barbell training is better? 

Absolutely. There are going to be stabilizer muscles (smaller muscles that play a role with balance and body control) that aren’t worked from machines. That being said, machines are a fantastic place to start and build up initial strength. But Id start investing time into getting proficient at barbell training.

The main caution, however, is that improper form can create injuries so just be patient with yourself and take your time. I promise the long term benefit will pay off though, especially if this is approached from as a form of spiritual practice. The body will thank you. 

[Chi_]

Here you go. Give this video a watch. This is both a spiritual and in the same time an intense practice to attain physical mastery. You have to learn it from an Isha Hatha Yoga teacher and they are pretty much in every country. I think this is exactly what you need. 

Edit :- I just did a quick search and found an angamardhana course being offered in Munich on the 31st August. Scroll down to "Current Courses".

You simply attend their workshop and they teach it to you in a way that you are able to practice it by yourself at home after that. You can go for practice corrections to them anytime if needed. 

https://www.soulofyoga.de/#kurse

 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2019 by Chi_

[Gneh Onebar]

@Consilience Cool, I'll try this out. With as a form of a spiritual practice I suppose you mean practicing very consciously like paying attention to the breath etc?

[Gneh Onebar]

@Chi_ Just watched the video, thank you for posting it. Unfortunately I'm not in Munich this weekend, but I will look for an other opportunity to attend an angamardhana course.