om mind
May 31st - June 2nd, 2019
EarthSpirit Centre in SomersetTalks from experts in Ayurveda and Yoga:
apa.uk.com
Connect I Inspire I Grow
Dr Diana Lurie Maria Garre Sascha KrieseDr Ram Manohar Dr Akil Palanisamy Jasmine HemsleyTarik Dervish Dr Ramkumar Nikki SladeDr Vijay Murthy Dr Ghanashyam Marda Andrew Masonthe traditional storytelling conlict tool of “no, but...” as a way to
move a story forward. Just like being on my mat, I saw Improv as a
conversation with another person, as well as a conversation with
myself. It’s similar to taking what we learn on our mat and applying it
to the rest of our life.
Acceptance
With this as a backdrop, is your yoga practice a place of “no, but...”
or a space of “yes, and...?” Compared to no, yes is a much more
loving, organic and holistic positive empowering word. Our yoga
practice is meant to enhance our overall health. No simply doesn’t
have to be a part of that world. That’s because yoga isn’t about
trying to get rid of aspects of ourselves we don’t like and getting
something better. It’s about the acceptance of and liking who we
already are.
When we take ourselves out of the moment, out of the space of
yes, we place ourselves in the world of “no, but...” Understandably,
everything isn’t as black and white as this statement professes.
Clearly, what I’m focusing on is the subtleties of the mind and body,
at a deeper molecular level. The unconscious level.
Yoga boost
A review article published in Frontiers in Immunology, June 2018,
explored what we know so far about how yoga, mindfulness, and
meditation can afect our genetic makeup. The results of 18 studies
showed that there was “... the reversal of the molecular signature
of the efects of chronic stress.” What researchers looked at is
how “mind body interventions” (like yoga) afected people’s stress
response at a molecular level. What they found was that practices
like meditation and yoga tend to counter the efects of stress,
meaning that they may help ight against the development of
disease and ageing.
This gives me great peace in knowing that by showing up on my
mat and learning to detach from the urge to strive for anything
other than being in the moment, I am changing my cellular makeup.
This mind shift isn’t acquired from a vigorous, powerful and sweaty
practice, per se. It’s the by-product of it. Meaning, you can love the
physical part of yoga for the outward, but the real, deep beneits
come through something else. They come by learning how to be
present, being aware of your breath connected to the movements
and absorbing the practice by doing nothing in Savasana.
Discarding the need to improve anything can take your practice to
a whole new level. This acceptance that you’re already perfect as you
are is more beneicial than striving to change yourself in any way.
When you disconnect, you are entering a space where you are
in touch with your pure mind, your divine essence, and your best
self. You showed up with that, but through the process of bringing
yourself closer to your inner self, you stop receiving and internalising
negative information. Your heart beat, blood pressure, and basically
every part of your body starts to calm down, to dwell in a place
of total acceptance of what is. Because of this, there will be less
imbalance in your mind, body, and breath, which will result in better
health overall. And how beautiful it is to like who we already are?
This divine being who shows up for yourself. Your best self. Your
perfect self. As is.
Link to synopsis of review cited in article: https://www.frontiersin.
org/articles/10.3389/immu.2017.00670/full
Stephanie Spence is a US-based yoga teacher and published author.
Her book, Yoga Wisdom: Warrior Tales Inspiring You On And Of
Your Mat is out now and available on Amazon.com