Tree Pose
by Rachael Brewer
I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis about 5 years ago. Over the next few years, my symptoms worsened and I was in and out of the hospital. Because of the steroids, medications, and physical limitations I now had, I watched as my weight soared. At six feet even, I was over 280 pounds. I was using my walker at home almost full time. I had always been very physically fit, and was frustrated at how little I was able to do. Because of the nerve damage done to my body by the MS, I wasn't able to lift weights or do normal types of exercise. I stumbled on Hatha Yoga by accident, while trying to find some way to help my disease ravaged body. I started doing Hatha, and enjoyed it immediately. Within less than a year, I lost over 150 pounds! I wasn't expecting to lose weight, I just wanted to be able to move again. Since then, most of my nerve damage has been reversed, though I will always have MS. I struggle with the disease regularly, but even my relapses are fewer and less severe than they were. I am able to recover from them quicker than I ever have been. I can not only reach my feet, but I have feeling in them for the first time in a decade. As I have done my Hatha Yoga practice, with my MS, Tree Pose was a very hard one for me. My Central Nervous System is severely damaged, and so is my balance. The more I tried and persevered with Tree Pose, the easier it became. Then one day, I just did it! It sounds like a small thing to many, but considering I couldn't stand on two feet for longer than 2 or 3 minutes, to be able to now stand on one foot for 10 minutes is a huge leap for me. I do Hatha Yoga every day, and I am so thankful for the blessing it has been and the richness it has brought to my life. I now do consulting work as a yoga instructor, and I love my body and my life! |
