Yoga as a Tool for Mental, Emotional and Physical Re-balance

“Yoga can give you freedom that you didn't think was possible. “ bks. Iyengar

Yoga works on the physical self by stretching and opening it in a way that relieves the tightness, the resistance, the tension and the pain that has built up over time. Resistance, tension and pain occurs because of how your body has been reacted to the environment around you.

These can be small reactions compounded over time, or from one big event that caused injury or physical trauma. The reaction is often a method of self protection, tissues sensitize around an area. This leads to physical habits that we aren’t aware of, cause us discomfort, don’t serve us and which we don’t necessarily need to hold onto. 

The exact same is true for the psychological self.  
Resistance, tension and stress  occur because of how your mind has been reacted to the environment around you.  These can be small reactions (Frustrations/worries )  compounded over time, or  from one big event that caused emotional/ mental trauma. The reaction is often a method of self protection, emotions sensitize around an issue. This leads to mental-emotional patterns that we aren’t aware of, cause us discomfort, don’t serve us and which we don’t need to hold onto. 

“Yoga teachers us to cure what need not be endured, and endure what cannot be cured” BKS Iyengar.

Yoga postures stretch and open us in a way that allows us to relax and release, both physically and psychologically.  Unblocking energies in our bodies, congestion in our tissues and fixations in our thoughts. 
 
Yoga develops a greater self awareness.  We begin to recognise our physical habits: eg. That you collapse the inner arch of the left foot, or that your head often tilts to the right or that your left quad over compensates for an inactive left glute.  Once we know these things, we can start to do something about them, work with them to rebalance the body so that we feel more comfortable and aligned.

It’s the same for mental patterns eg. you may realise you often look around and judge yourself on how the person next to you is doing, or that you often start thinking about what’s happening after class during the class, or that you prefer a certain place in the room and feel frustrated if someone gets there first. Once we recognise these mental habits, we can start to do something about them, work on them to rebalance the mind so that we feel more comfortable and aligned.

When practicing yoga try to become a non judgmental observer.  Treat the session as an exciting opportunity to investigate and better know yourself by observing the effect on the pose on your body mind and emotions. And observe with kindness and curiosity never criticism or judgement.