Yoga stickmen!

I love these. They are variations of my keyring communication cards and are created in partnership with Kay from yoga2calm. True, there are probably thousands of people who do yoga out there who will think "why do you need laminated cards with these on? I just remember what to do!" But for those of us who can't "just remember" (brain fog, cognitive issues, learning difficulties etc.) it simply isn't that easy. And if you struggle with reading, you need an image which reminds you what to do.

Kay came up with the idea having taught yoga and mindfulness to adults and children with special needs for many years - wanting to provide a simple, durable, easily transportable and easily understood way of reminding people of the exercises. 

They are laminated cards, 110mm x 80mm with a hole for a keyring in one corner, and this initial set of 7 cards (1 breathing/relaxation and 6 yoga poses), with the image for instant reminder of what to do on the front, and a simple explanation on the back, is available for £14 from www.yoga2calm.co.uk 

I love them because they make me smile about physio :D As someone with HMS/EDS I have to be very careful not to overstretch, and to focus on control and not flexibility, but the positions on these cards are well within my range of movement - and are actually harder for me than some of the more advanced ones because they make me have to control my muscles rather than just flop into extreme bendiness. The triangle, tree and tiger are all exercises I've been given by physios -and these cards are so much more fun than anything the physios have given me to use as a reminder! If you aren't familiar with how to do them correctly I'd advise getting a lesson or 2 so that you know you are doing them correctly. (Kay is seriously clued up on HMS/EDS which is probably why these work for me!)

My personal favourite is the breathing one. I have found myself using this exercise to help me sleep and when my POTS kicks off an adrenaline rush. I don't have an expanding ball but even just holding my hands as if there were on an expanding ball or imagining the ball as I breathe seems really effective for me - with the image of the happy, serene little stickman in my head. And it can be done anywhere and in any situation. I can't help wondering whether this card might help people with anxiety by being such a positive and visual reminder of something which can be done to help calm down.

I'm really hoping that these are a success because then we will expand the range, and although the breathing and relaxation exercises are definitely more difficult to depict in stickman, those are the ones I am looking forward to most.