Burn Your Chair

Our bodies have the amazing ability to spontaneously self heal. However, in an age dominated by one shape—the chair shape—our natural capacity for regeneration is being suppressed. To solve this problem, scientists are studying people of traditional cultures who don’t share our symptoms of lifestyle-based disease. A remarkable, yet simple truth is emerging: our ability to self heal is activated by moving and resting in active postures. If we avoid staying in one shape all day, our bodies are free to heal. This book explores the practices of people living without chair-based chronic pain, and includes eight shapes essential for healing the human body. By reconnecting with our self healing instincts and freeing our bodies from the trappings of modern life, we too can live lives free from pain.

Ari Heart is a yoga therapist, personal trainer, and healthy lifestyle coach. He lives in Keene, New Hampshire.

Ari Heart
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 236
Bibliographic Info: 79 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2022
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8616-5
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4567-4
Imprint: Toplight

Preface 1

Part One—Discovering the Roots of Our Pain  15
1. Is Sitting Really “the New Smoking”? 17
2. Returning to Our Roots 31
3. Therapeutic Discomfort 47
4. There Is Nothing Wrong with You 67

Part Two—The Eight Essential Healing Postures  81
5. Sitting on the Ground (Sukasana/Agura) 85
6. Sphinx (Salamba Bhujangasana/Sufinkusu) 94
7. Kneeling (Vajrasana/Seiza) 105
8. Squatting (Malasana/Shagamu) 113
9. Standing/Walking (Sthiti/Tatsu) 120
10. Hanging (Lambita/Burasagaru) 132
11. Inverting (Viparita Gyakuten) 139
12. Lying on the Ground (Savasana/Aomuke) 149

Part Three—The World Is Your Yoga Mat  163
13. Practicing in Nature 165
14. Practicing in Urban Environments 175
15. Creating a Healing Space 184
16. Children Are the World’s Greatest Yoga Teachers 196

Chapter Notes 213
Bibliography 219
Index 225