About Yoga for the Mind
The process of emotional healing must include the body and the mind as both are influenced when we are stressed, depressed, or anxious. If we only work with the body we miss the thought patterns that cause stress, and if we only deal with thoughts we ignore our biochemistry and physiology, which often changes during prolonged emotional distress. Appreciating the deep mind-body connection, Yoga for the Mind combines yoga movement, with breath regulation, and self-awareness practice.
The yoga postures (asanas) help to replenish the systems of the body increasing blood flow, overall bodily function, and improved functioning of the nervous system. In general asana helps to improve well-being. This means going to any yoga class can boost positive feelings. Yoga for the Mind, however, is unique in that it uses sequences which are specifically geared towards mental health and improved equilibrium in the brain.
Breath regulation (pranayama) allows us to retrain and also regulate the nervous system. Often when we are unhappy for extended periods of time the nervous system remains on constant alert. Through breath-work we can undo this patterning and teach the nervous system to better manage stress. Yoga for the Mind works with breath that both calms the system, and helps to increase feelings of joy.
Self-awareness or mindfulness practice is a method of watching and better understanding our thoughts and feelings. Through this awareness we are able to see through our perceptions and conditioning to allow us to let go of negative thoughts and feeling about ourselves and the world. In every Yoga for the Mind session we engage in mindfulness practice during postures and also include specialized mindfulness exercises based on the (The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program) MBSR. MBSR is a highly acclaimed evidenced based program for the treatment of stress and depression.
Philosophy
If you are suffering from depression or anxiety you are not alone. In the modern age with all of our conveniences and advances many of us struggle to try to find happiness and ease in life. Sadly, our societies rarely address the issue of how to create and maintain inner peace and so most of us are left uncertain, worried or restless. Television advertising and the media insist that if we are not happy there is something inherently wrong with us and ironically it always seems to offer a solution that can be bought. If we had more money, more courage, more friends, a better partner, looked better....then life would be better.
The problem here is two-fold. First of all suffering is a natural part of life and no one can always be happy. We need to honour how we feel, rather than idealising how we should feel. In fact, our suffering often offers the ground for transformation and when we deny our painful feelings and try to exterminate them we prevent any change or growth from happening.
Secondly, we must come to understand that well-being can not be bought or given to us by another person. This misconception causes us to look outside to heal the rift within. Even if we quell the difficult feelings for moment with something external, sooner or later the same feeling will arise often leading us to be even more despondent than before. The journey towards well-being is an internal quest.
The Yoga for the Mind philosophy is that pose and each breath is an opportunity to see how respond, what we believe, and what we resist. The practise is therefore everything a person thinks, feels, and experiences on the yoga mat. Nothing is rejected and everything can offer fodder for insight and learning. Additionally each posture opens us to how we can let go, where we can find lightness, and how growth is possible.
Private Sessions and Group Classes
Heather offers both private sessions and courses for individuals suffering from depression and or anxiety. Private sessions are best if you want an individual regimen, which can be built together over time. Also if you have a severe injury, private sessions are recommended so that you can work on your own pace and develop something that can really work for you. Courses on the other hand offer a specific form and format with like minded people. Courses are wonderful for experiencing the full Yoga for the Mind approach and provide an arena for introducing practises into daily life in a community environment.
