# HEADSTANDS



## asymmetry (Oct 23, 2009)

I just found this website tonight, and just browsing I am immediately grateful for every persons honesty and kindness. I feel I'm recovering from dp (seems strange to talk so casually about it) I spent a couple years in a completely numb, debilitating, dream like standstill and I feel as though gradually and subtly I'm waking up and have begun to be able to feel and express myself and think new 'productive' thoughts and actually feel like a living human being that has a purpose here. yeah. So this involves getting to know myself and realizing I'm not who I was a couple years ago..or however long it's been..and I've felt throughout this experience that maybe my sub-conscious (or some part of brain/psyche) is blocking stuff out because I don't _Want_ to face reality. Ultimately (ironicly) ALL I want is to face reality, but I guess the fear generated from this illness sort of kept me fearful of _MySELF_ and reality, perpetuating this cycle. does anyone else feel this way or that you have developed a habit of self destructive behavior or are actually preventing yourself from getting better? 
Well anyway at this point I am so ready and willing and trying hard to understand this shit and be happy and healthy everyday and I realize it takes a lot of work. So I'v dabbled in yoga throughout the past 8 years-ish, but since I became 'depersonalized' I have built a regular practice for the past year-ish. A year ago it took every ounce of my awkward being to bring myself into this studio with all these happy yogis - who I loved to see and identified with but felt SO depressed and self conscious because I was so detached. I kept going a couple times a week because I noticed subtle differences in my well being and knew that I wanted to get better so I could become more acclimated with this community. So this past summer I signed up to do a teacher training - and set an intention to connect every part of being, to ground myself and just be with myself and be ok with that. I get frustrated because these are basic fucking things right, but maybe thats why this happened, to show me you can't take anything for granted. Anyway, this summer I grew roots and bloomed and every time I practice with a healing intention, a part of me is healed and rejuvinated. So now I've finished a 200 hr teacher training and I feel quite passionatly about the effects of yoga (asana, physical postures specificly) and know it's a life long practice I have only begun. So headstands. Known as the king of all postures, and the "fountain of youth" in yoga, because they stimulate/rejuvinate your lymphatic system and open and activate our 7th chakra, our place of clarity, understanding and 'right' knowledge. So concerning depersonalization, most of our life is spent walking and standing upright-apart from lying down-we are seeing everything from one angle, just one perspective and if your perspective is dull and anxious and confusing etc. it's like you'll do anything to find relief, a new perspective (I remember showering a few times a day in an attempt to change something). Another element is standing on your head and finding your balance makes you face any fears. You have to throw them out the window and be willing to fall out and realize, your in control of yourself and your not gonna let yourself get hurt, you'll simply surrender to the situation and roll on the floor. big deal. It takes some effort at first but once your up, your extremely grounded as well as extremely light, effortlessly balancing. Iyengar (popular yogi) says headstand practiced regularly gives you the feeling of 'being groomed on the inside'...like you just got a hair cut or shaved or put on clean clothes, but it's an internal change instead. haha, sounds funny but it is so true. I've worked my way up to be able to spend about 5 minutes in headstand at a time, and I literally am feeling shifts in my brain, like the frontal lobes are connecting to each other, clarity in thoughts and actions, more energy, good sleep...i wake up and feel that it's actually a new day, overall well being. Head stands help relieve neck and shoulder tension when practiced properly as well. It all makes good sense, I could go on. This is already long so if you've read this to here, thank you, and if you want me to explain to you how to practice headstands safely or anything else about the healing effects yoga (yoke-ing) can have for depersonalization, hit me back. :wink: 
namaste


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## nonono (Feb 2, 2009)

hey, tnx for sharing this, you actually sound like already recovered person!


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## swedishfish (Oct 4, 2009)

You sound a lot like me. I am currently a very avid yogi and I am hoping to become a yoga instructor. Did you do anything in addition to yoga to help your recovery? therapy? etc?


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## swedishfish (Oct 4, 2009)

You sound a lot like me. I am currently a very avid yogi and I am hoping to become a yoga instructor. Did you do anything in addition to yoga to help your recovery? therapy? etc?


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## swedishfish (Oct 4, 2009)

You sound a lot like me. I am currently a very avid yogi and I am hoping to become a yoga instructor. Did you do anything in addition to yoga to help your recovery? therapy? etc?


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