The Benefits of ancient Yoga in our modern world
Yoga - A tool for moving from mental distress to a sense of serenity
What is Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient tradition, which is believed to have been practised for about 5000 years in a number of different places around the world, although India has held the essence of yoga and its rich traditions. Yoga is not a religion as it sometimes mistakenly believed, nor is yoga simply a physical exercise regime.
The word yoga derives from the Sanskrit root "yuj" meaning to unite. Yoga is a complex science, which works from the outside in, meaning that in yoga we begin by observing the body movement and the breath and thereby gradually develop a deeper sense of self awareness.
The breathing exercises in yoga are called Pranayama, which means control or extension of prana, or vital energy. By breathing consciously in and out, we deepen the effects of the postures and are able to still the mind. The ultimate goal of yoga is a concentrated and focussed mind, enhancing one's capacity to be present to oneself in alignment with one's universal self.
Like many other ancient traditions, yoga acknowledges the more subtle aspects of all beings. In Tai Chi the vital energy is termed chi and in Qi Gong it is named ki. This vital energy flows through the nadis or meridians, which connect all parts of the body. It is regarded as important to keep the flow of the vital energy free and balanced in the body. When practicing yoga postures, asana, we stimulate the flow of the life force. The purpose of this is to purify or cleanse the energetic system of the body from blockages.
There are many forms of yoga. The most well-known form of yoga in the West is Hatha yoga, a system of purification of the body and mind. Yoga invokes ideals of harmony, health and balance and suits the modern world lifestyle.
Once one has practiced Hatha yoga sincerely for some time, one may wish to move into deeper practices. It is highly recommended to seek guidance from an experienced practitioner as only a genuine teacher will have the skill to assess the student's readiness for further development.
Yoga recognizes that each individual is different and has different needs. Hence yoga is a very personal practice. We commonly practice yoga in a group setting, which allows for silent witnessing and a shared experience. Each yoga class is made up of three main components: postures or asana, breathing or pranayama, and relaxation / meditation or dhyana.
The benefits of Hatha Yoga
The postures are designed in such a way that they gently stimulate the endocrine and hormonal system as well as detoxify the mayor inner organs of the body. These mechanisms are instrumental in regulating the body's metabolism and tissue functioning and play a determining role in mood regulation.
The yoga breathing exercises encourage the intake of fresh oxygen into the lungs and circulating vital energy, which in turn supplies the internal organs with nutrients.
Relaxation offers integration of the stimulation of the body through the postures and the breathing. This results in a sense of calmness and stillness, unfolding a sense of serenity.
Meditation brings one closer to one's inner truth and connected to a greater purpose. This fosters the attitude of acceptance and compassion in our daily interactions with others.
Some of the Benefits of Yoga are:
- Increased flexibility
- Increased fitness
- Greater strength
- Improved muscle tone
- Smoother coordination of movement
- Increased resilience to stress
- Focus and concentration
- More energy
- Better posture
- Increased blood circulation and better metabolism
- Heightened sense of overall wellbeing
On a physical level, yoga has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of heart disease/ hypertension, asthma, back pain, diabetes and more. There is also evidence that yoga can help with mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety and alcohol and drug dependency.
The International Yoga Journal regularly publishes new research findings in the field of healing and medical research (see references).
Yoga and the practice of mindfulness
The practice of yoga not only offers an immediate relief from physical tension and mental distress but also teaches principles of mindfulness, calmness and balance. This can be applied to life and recovery from trauma and/or addiction.
Through Hatha yoga, we turn the attention to the body/ mind complex, the dimension through which we experience the world. This focus begins the process of stilling the mind.
The practice of mindfulness is cultivated in yoga by breathing consciously and moving with awareness in and out of the posture, while simultaneously being aware of the thoughts entering the mind during this process. With this mindful approach to yoga, practitioners learn to observe thoughts and feelings without acting on them immediately.
This invites the yoga practitioner to move purposefully and calmly instead of jerkily or reactively when aligning the posture or holding the balance.Breath awareness offers another dimension, which heightens self-awareness. This deep concentration creates a mental state of deep relaxation. Regular practice can help adopt a more serene and clear mind, making one less prone to feelings of distress or anxiety.
People often describe their experience after the yoga practice as a sense of ‘relaxed alertness', allowing one to simply be present to the moment.
Learning to connect with pain and suffering through yoga or meditation creates the bridge to work towards self-acceptance and healing, which can be a great motivator on the road of recovery. Those in recovery from addictions will find that the serenity experienced in yoga act as a ‘natural tranquilizer', observing one's thoughts with greater clarity.
Bhagavad Gita: "He who recognizes the inaction that is in action, and the action that is in inaction is wise indeed..." (translated by Prabhavananda & Isherwood, 1995).
Jon Kabat Zinn, a key author of mindfulness literature, realizes that we need to relax our body first, before we attempt relaxing the mind. He suggests beginning with simple yoga techniques to release muscle tension, moving into breath awareness, followed by specific mindfulness meditation.
Some physicians, such as Psychiatrist Dr. Bessel van der Kolk of the Trauma Center at Boston University who has worked with people with severe trauma background for over 20 years, strongly supports the use of yoga and meditation in treating trauma patients. His research with Vietnamese war veterans as well as American youth emphasizes the value of yoga in teaching people skills of self regulation, which helps regaining a sense of control and mastery.
Yoga as a therapeutic tool
Yoga is a complete system, which is embedded in moral principles, the yamas and niyamas. This is a code of social conduct, which encourages the practitioner to live a life of virtue and conduct themselves with honesty in their ‘thought, word and deed'. Learning and practicing within this framework assists the student of yoga to observe their inner responses to stress or pain, and mindfully decide what right action to take. Inner wisdom and the capacity to accept one's circumstances lead to recovery and healing.
Concerning the meaning of yoga, one practices and experiences union by developing a sense of internal relatedness as well as being in relationship with others and the environment.
Engaging in the gentle practice of yoga can help people rediscover their sense of themselves following a mental breakdown.The student/teacher relationship can offer a ‘holding environment', in which the practitioner can work on their personal issues. The movement and the stillness of the yoga posture can be viewed as a metaphor - developing insight and inviting positive change while remaining compassionate and accepting of oneself.
In this way the yoga practitioner is moving towards reunion with their ‘higher self'. We find some of the underpinning principles of yoga in some Western psychotherapeutic theories, such as Winnicott's concept of the ‘true self'.
Recommendations
If you are interested in taking up the practice of yoga, it is recommended to meet the yoga teacher and discuss your specific conditions with them. It is also advisable to ask the teacher questions regarding the style of yoga they teach, how long they have been practicing etc, so you can make an informed choice of engaging in the practice. A trained yoga teacher will be able to explain the effects of each posture or breathing exercise, and design the most helpful sequence of postures and pranayama for their student.
Yoga practice is not a substitute for professional psychological or psychiatric care, which may first be required to stabilize and alleviate some people's distress or self-destructive patterns. An integrative approach may suit some people, bringing together the complementary and distinct benefits of each modality.
About the author
Brigitte Sistig is a NZ-registered health professional and yoga teacher, with a focus on mental health and related issues. She brings yoga to Auckland mental health services in a way that makes these ancient techniques accessible to our modern day world requirements. Her innovative and fun yoga work has been experienced by many, supporting people with severe mental distress to find calm and joy in their daily lives.
Brigitte's contribution to the Auckland mental health sector includes work with service users, peer & whanau/ family support. She also trains staff in simple yoga techniques, which benefit staff, service users, and consequently their interpersonal relationships as well as the whole working environment.
Contact details:
021-113 4171
Brigitte has a website under construction to provide information on Yoga as well as Yoga classes / seminars for mental health service users, peer supporters, whaunau/ family members, mental health staff as well as Community Yoga classes.
Note: This is only a short introduction to the broad topic of yoga. For further information visit www.yogajournal.com
References
Swami Prabhavananda and Isherwood, Ch., (trans.) (1995) Bhagavadgita - The Song of God, New York: Signet Classic
Van der Kolk, B., BA (2006) Clinical Implications of Neuroscience Research in PTSD in Annals New York Academy of Sciences, (1071), pp. 277-293
Williams, M., Teasdale, J., Segal, Z. & Kabat-Zinn, J. (2007) The Mindful Way through Depression - Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness, New York: The Guilford Press
Winnicott, D. W., (C. Winnicott, ed.) (1986). Home Is Where We start From. Essays by a Psychoanalyst., New York/London: Penguin
