Using yoga 'grounding practices' to restore stability and balance in Parkinson's

Mind- body approaches can be important to restore balance in the busy and ‘sometimes crazy’ world around us. Most of us are plagued by endless texts, intrusions from social media and continuous “bad” news in the media. Starting a mind-body practice can be daunting. I (I.S.) worked with Matthew Sanford in a deliberate effort to create an assortment of short videos and discussions which reveal the simplicity and power of yoga and related practices. Matthew Sanford is the author of Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence. He is the founder and director of the non-profit organization Mind Body Solutions. He teaches adaptable yoga and is passionate about bringing yoga to as many people as possible. He has been a champion for using yoga in persons living with disabilities.

“When Matthew Sanford was just thirteen, his family’s car skidded off an overpass on an icy Iowa road — killing his father and sister, paralyzing him from the chest down, and changing his life forever.”

Here is Session 3: Grounding practices-

Needing to feel grounded is something that can be helpful when we feel a bit ‘lost’ in the world. Sometimes we get caught up in our racing thoughts or fall into an ‘anxious state.’ Learning to be ‘grounded’ can help us to restore a sense of ‘stability.’ It can help us feel reconnected with the earth, reconnected to breathing, or reconnected to others around us. Grounding allows us to take control even when when you feel you don’t have control.

Very simple things can help ground us. For example, simply bringing our hands together and feeling the symmetry of pressing our hands together. Feeling our feet on the floor or pushing down through our ‘sitting bones.’ Another example is ‘petting a dog or cat’ or holding the hand of a loved one; these can prove to be ‘grounding.’

Grounding through the use of ‘breath’ is one of the most accessible practices. Using ‘breath’ as a place of focus is important; breath can help us to control our ‘racing thoughts.’

Yoga is a potentially powerful practice and we urge its use in Parkinson’s disease.

Using yoga 'grounding practices' to restore stability and balance in Parkinson's

To read more on Indu Subramanian M.D. she does live interviews of experts in Parkinson’s for the PMD Alliance. She is one of the few doctors in the world trained in both Parkinson’s disease neurology and in integrative medicine.

To see more on our blog by artist Jonny Acheson MD check out his website at JonnyAchesonArt.com. Jonny is a physician in the U.K. who also has Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Michael S. Okun

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Using yoga 'grounding practices' to restore stability and balance in Parkinson's

To read more on Indu Subramanian M.D. she does live interviews of experts in Parkinson’s for the PMD Alliance﻿. She is one of the few doctors in the world trained in both Parkinson’s disease neurology and in integrative medicine.

To see more on our blog by artist Jonny Acheson MD check out his website at JonnyAchesonArt.com. Jonny is a physician in the U.K. who also has Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Michael S. Okun

To read more on Indu Subramanian M.D. she does live interviews of experts in Parkinson’s for the PMD Alliance. She is one of the few doctors in the world trained in both Parkinson’s disease neurology and in integrative medicine.