Exploring the mind body connection with Yoga

Many people see Yoga as stretching, a way to improve mobility, an exercise practice, something about breathing, relaxation or meditation.

Yoga encompasses all of these things but it is far more powerful: it is a method for personal transformation. Yoga gives us the opportunity to work through the body to strengthen and deepen the mind body connection. It cultivates our relationship to ourselves, and helps us manage stress and maintain good mental health. 

The simple process of learning to move and breathe better helps us find space and ease in our bodies and our lives off the Yoga mat.

Many of us relate to our bodies in ways that are disconnected, dysfunctional, and sometimes abusive. When we interact with our bodies in this way, we are hurting and undermining ourselves. 

Our wellbeing relies on a healthy connection between mind and body. The body is a valuable and ever present resource, a foundation for our lives, keeping us centred, grounded and in the present. A strong connection to the body provides a connection to the reality of our experience, a place we can call home and return to when we get caught up in the stresses of our modern life. A balanced Yoga practice gives us the tools to develop this deeper connection.

So where do we start?

In Yoga philosophy there is a concept called Ahimsa. It invites us to be gentle, kind and compassionate not only to others but ourselves too. Many of us have learned to be very hard on ourselves. 

You may have heard of the importance of practicing self-love for building a healthy sense of self esteem and self worth. Cultivating Ahimsa is a practice in developing this self-love and the journey starts in the body.

As a yoga teacher, I ask my students to listen to their bodies, to move in ways that are appropriate and relevant to their own body's unique needs, rather than imposing a prescribed 'blueprint' of how it should look. 

Yoga is not about making shapes, it is a feeling practice. We are developing the skills of listening and connecting to the body. This demands the Yoga practitioner listens to what feels good and what does not, and responds appropriately. The body is constantly providing feedback, you just need to consciously choose to listen. It is not healthy for our wellbeing to ignore or push through pain, this is not Ahimsa, it is not Yoga.

This conscious “body listening” approach to Yoga and movement allows us to unravel tension, to create space, ease, comfort and freedom in our bodies. When we find freedom in the body, we begin to find more freedom and ease in our lives, supported by the foundation that the body provides.

Low Tide - Hastings

To give you some practical experience, I have included 2 exercises for you to try:

1. Breath awareness

Find a comfortable posture, sitting or lying down. Set a timer for 5 minutes.

Close the eyes to allow you to bring your conscious awareness to the breath. There is no need to change or breathe in any special way, just breathe normally.

This is a feeling practice, so I want you to feel the breath as it moves in the body and how the body moves in response to the breath

• How does the breath move in the body? 

• Which parts of your body move and respond to the breath? 

• Has the breath changed as you observed it?

• What else do you notice?

2. Movement practice

This is a practice in bringing awareness to the body in movement. Set a timer for 10 minutes and choose some movements that you are familiar and comfortable with. What they are is not important, it is the awareness you bring to them

• Bring your awareness to the breath

• When you are ready, begin to move slowly and breathe normally. Moving slowly allows you to really feel the body sensations that arise

• Notice the sensations that are present in the body as you move

• What different 'flavours' of sensation are available to you?

Summary

With both practices just notice whatever you notice, be curious and really tune into the sensation of the body. As you repeat the practices you may notice that the experience changes. I invite you to notice how the experience changes for you with repetition over a couple of weeks.

Words - Andy Gill