August 11, 2022

Yoga Moves MS with Mindy Eisenberg | S4E22

49 minutes

Bio:

Mindy Eisenberg, MHSA, C-IAYT is the Founder and Director of Yoga Moves MS, a nonprofit with the mission of improving the quality of life for individuals with MS, Parkinson’s Disease, and other neuromuscular conditions through the provision of adaptive yoga and holistic health and wellness education. Mindy has provided yoga therapy to individuals with mobility challenges for over 17 years and thrives on building a strong, mighty community for her students, their families, and care partners. She is the author of Adaptive Yoga Moves Any Body, created for individuals with MS and neuromuscular conditions and Adaptive Yoga Cards, daily yoga moves for all ages and abilities. She is a qualified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher and certified Buteyko Breathing Instructor. Her experience as a health care administrator at the University of Michigan Medical Center contributes to her ability to bring the Yoga Moves philosophy of healing to the healthcare arena. She created the cutting edge annual Virtual Holistic Health and Wellness Forum for MS; presents to corporate, academic, and yoga therapy organizations; conducts adaptive yoga teacher trainings; and offers small group and private therapeutic yoga, breathing, and meditation sessions. She lives with her husband and pets Felix and Oscar, in Michigan, and loves to visit her daughter and son, Julia and Noah, in New York City.

Selected Key Takeaways

Anyone in any body can benefit from yoga

(8:14) “This is a big issue that people are fearful of yoga or they think they can't do it. It's in the forefront now, it's a mission of mine to help people understand that anyone can do it. And yes, yoga does lend itself to adaptation because the idea is that you are not forcing your body into a pose. The pose is supposed to benefit you.”

It’s more about the journey than the destination

(16:56) “Yoga is called a practice for a reason. And the practice is every day you get on your mat or you sit in your chair and you have a breath practice and that is going to change on a daily basis. It's not about getting the A or, nailing the pose... It's not a pass fail. 99% of yoga or meditation or Tai Chi is actually showing up and doing it for yourself. I feel strongly about that.”

On making peace with your body

(20:48) “The idea with yoga is it's actually making friends again. You know, some people say that they're at peace with their body when they do yoga and the idea with the adaptive yoga is you're not identified by your MS. You know, that your MS isn't you, that's not who you are.”

On using the breath as a barometer during yoga practice

(31:46) “The other measurement we use in yoga is the breath. And so you always have that barometer, if you will, where if your breath is fast and rapid and shallow. That is a really good indicator of fatigue. If the breath is non-existent meaning holding the breath, that is also an indicator of either fatigue or fear or a need to back off.”