zen meditation

Please share your experiences, successes, and failures in using non-drug therapies for RLS/WED (methods of relief that don't involve swallowing or injecting anything), including compression, heat, light, stretches, acupuncture, etc. Also under this heading, medical interventions that don't involve the administration of a medicine to the body (eg. varicose-vein operations, deep-brain stimulation). [This forum contains Topics started prior to 2009 that deal with Non-prescription Medicines, Supplements, & Diet.]
peanut1
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Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2011 8:06 am

Re: zen meditation

Post by peanut1 »

I will say that I was also leery of the bach flower remedies, but thought what the hell and gave it a try. It actually helped for a week or so which was surprising to me that it helped at all. I do agree that stress and anxiety do not solve RLS, but I do think it can exacerbate it. The problem for me with meditation, unless it's a walking or moving meditation, is that it is rather impossible to meditate when you constantly have to move your legs.

rthom
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Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2011 3:03 am

Re: zen meditation

Post by rthom »

I agree completely. Any relaxation or yoga type things can be of help only if it's done in an environment that works for the person-no matter what their health. I was forced to do relaxation in a seated position and all it did was get me in trouble, cause pain, and piss me off. No relaxation there. When I did it my way--while swinging on a swing it was far more possible to help. I still have a hard time doing it and don't want to even try, but am aware that as you pointed out our physical bodies need that too. So I try, but usually i'm standing or doing something else at the same time. Or I try to make it when i'm on a wavy lake etc. My dr suggested once trying a recumbent bike (haven't done it yet--to big an expence if it just wiggs out my legs and pisses off my back) But if anyone has tried i'd be interested to know how they made out.

badnights
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Re: zen meditation

Post by badnights »

Most kinds of yoga have lots of movement; stretching, balancing, and strengthening poses, so they aren't really RLS-unfriendly. I did have problems with some of them, the deep forward bends from sitting positions, which I still can't do at certain times; they really trigger the RLS. Also for some reason, holding my breath out on an exhale while leaning forward, makes it go nuts, even when I can lean forward or hold my breath out without a problem , I can't do the two together.

I am thankfully able to sit still to meditate, except at certain times. I am trying to learn to be present (meditative) while walking, moving, and doing life. I think the recumbent bike would be great! Or anything that involved repetitive movement. You could practice being present by focussing on the repetitive movement of your limbs. Kundalini yoga can provide the same sorts of benefit without any machinery - depends who teaches it though. I don't know much about it, I just have a kazillion DVDs.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

rthom
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Re: zen meditation

Post by rthom »

what is different about that kind of yoga?

peanut1
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Re: zen meditation

Post by peanut1 »

kundalini yoga works more with breath work. But it's a relaxing yoga. I prefer yoga that focuses more on stretching or strength. But as you stated, whatever works for the individual.

badnights
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Re: zen meditation

Post by badnights »

Hmmm, you have a different experience with kundalini than I do.

I only know what I little I know from DVD's and two books, one of which is fairly useless. I have DVDs by Garmukh, Ana Brett/Ravi Singh, "Mantra Girl" (I know!), a Greek lady whose name I forget, and a man whose name I also forget who lives in Alaska. All except the Alaskan man are very active. A lot of breath-of-fire (kapalabhati; a rapid panting with all emphasis on expulsion) and a lot of rhythmic, energetic movements
(examples: arms up and down rapidly like a bird;
sit cross-legged, hands on shoulders, and twist left then right then left then right rapidly;
stand and bend with straight legs touching toes to left, up, to right, up. Combine that with arm movements;
breath of fire while you're on your back with your legs 6 inches off the ground for 60 seconds;
go into downward dog, lift one leg, and do push-ups.)

The Alaskan guy does it quite differently, slower, but even so, he doesn't have you just stretch into a pose and stay, he has you go out then in again, then out, etc. And he does the Sat Kriya at the end of most sessions, which is rhythmic and energetic.

A lot of the arm and upper-body exercises in the more-active DVDs are very strengthening.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

peanut1
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Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2011 8:06 am

Re: zen meditation

Post by peanut1 »

I agree it is pretty useless, particularly for RLS. Would much rather do hatha yoga and some type of stretching and/or strengh building. From what I remember of kundalini, it's all breath stuff--all of which are useless for me when struggling with the RLS.

badnights
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Re: zen meditation

Post by badnights »

hmm, you misunderstood, one of my books was useless but the kundalini yoga itself wasn't. ANyway as I said it must depend who's teaching it.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

peanut1
Posts: 363
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2011 8:06 am

Re: zen meditation

Post by peanut1 »

It didn't help my WED, but it can be helpful for other things.

Yankiwi
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Location: West Coast, South Island, New Zealand

Re: zen meditation

Post by Yankiwi »

I attended power yoga classes four to five days a week for about four years ten years ago. (I then practiced at home for a few years, now occasionally, mostly in the middle of the night.) Power yoga is vigorous but savasana (corpse pose) at the end nearly drove me up the wall. It's supposed to be relaxing, everyone else would be lying still and my legs would be up in the air or jerking. I just couldn't do it, still can't. And legs up the wall pose triggers my RLS.

I joined recently, it's good reading old posts, there's excellent information. Sitting at the computer in the evening is a trigger. I can stand or kneel that isn't conducive to typing.

tea4one
Posts: 59
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:43 pm

Re: zen meditation

Post by tea4one »

Beth, thank you for your succinct reply and reminding us that this is only temporary, that often flare-ups are exactly that - flare-ups.

Many thanks for the perspective.

J

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