Teaching yoga practices aimed at harmonizing both mind and body has been my lifelong passion. Without this harmony, union is impossible to achieve. I found that practices like Nidra, Yin, and Restorative asanas have a powerful effect on resetting the nervous system.
Yoga tradition and modern science are not enemies. They can be "weaved" to help the body's innate healing response. What draws me particularly to the wisdom of Himalayan traditions is their balanced approach, neither dismissing conventional medicine nor blindly embracing alternative therapies.
Through my studies, I've delved deeply into understanding the nervous system and its relationship with chronic stress, which often serves as a trigger leading to disease and imbalance.
Cortisol, though widely known as the body’s stress hormone, has a variety of effects on different functions throughout the body. And this “stress” is not always a bad guy. It regulates your mood, motivation, and fear. Cortisol boosts the body's alertness and heart rate, sending extra blood to the muscles. It is highest in the morning to help us get moving and support our bodies during trauma.
The problem here is when it becomes too high and the parasympathetic nervous system is too weak to balance it out. The first step in stopping cortisol from becoming too high or combating stress is recognizing that you are stressed. Knowing that you are stressed is ‘interoception’; it’s the body’s ability to sense itself from the inside, compared to sensation on the surface of the body.
Examples of interoception are: tired, hungry, or thirsty; heart rate; breathing quality; muscle tension or soreness; or joint pain.
To be more aware of our own inner sensations, practices like Yin and Restorative yoga give us the opportunity to explore them with slow, controlled movements and concentration. Yoga moves us toward self-awareness, and relaxation practices help us gather the scattered energies of the body and mind and focus them inward.
If you’re interested in learning more about this and gaining invaluable tools to navigate stress and build resilience, join me this month at Mana in a masterclass session “Restorative Reset”. Visit Mana’s Instagram for more info and to register.
Restorative Reset: Reclaiming balance and well-being
Monday, 11th and 25th March 2024 from 6:30PM
Price IDR 250,000 (includes pure chamomile tea and a take-home guided audio practice)
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