Yoga for the body, yoga for the mind
Anything that happens in the mental universe must leave tracks in the physical one.
- Deepak Chopra
I believe in the power of the mind-body connection. When I discovered yoga in my early forties, I knew how special it was; and how important a tool it would be for the rest of my life. I now begin every day with yoga practice. No matter how tired or busy I am, I always take out that mat, move through the postures, and strive to improve. Each time, I feel better for it, both physically and mentally.
One of my yoga teachers told me that the body’s processes can influence the mind. As I have experienced, the body and the mind are in a constant state of communication. For instance, the five senses enable our mind to perceive. On the other hand, our body enables our mind to function. The central focus of yoga is thus not only to make our bodies strong, and our minds more at ease, but to achieve a sense of harmony and interconnectedness between the two. Rolf Gates, a great yogi, said: ”Yoga is not a work-out, it is a work-in. And this is the point of spiritual practice; to make us teachable; to open up our hearts and focus our awareness so that we can know what we already know and be who we already are.” I agree.
You might have experienced the mind-body connection when under extreme stress (your heart pounding), or when feeling nervous, or anxious (butterflies in your stomach). During yoga, the same system is activated. Only then, the asanas are meant to achieve a specific, positive mental benefit: enabling relaxation, releasing anger or sadness, influencing your digestion, and much more.
The movement and breathing done in yoga activates the relaxation, “rest-and-digest” response, enabling the body to avoid the stress-related, “fight-or-flight” response. One breakthrough study from 2015 found that mindfulness lengthened telomeres — protein complexes at the end of chromosomes — of breast cancer survivors. Longer telomeres are often associated with protection against various illnesses.
My vision of Wholistic Wellbeing is based on the interplay between different types of wellbeing, mental and physical. The mind-body connection is so important to my philosophy because it acknowledges that we cannot view these tenets separately. You don’t just exercise your body to look fit; it brings you many more benefits, not all physical. Analogically, meditation isn’t just a way to calm your mind; it can also prevent physical illness.
We tend to say “take a deep breath” when someone is stressed out, showing that, whether consciously or not, we all acknowledge the mind-body connection. Instead of looking at your wellbeing as a sum of separate parts, look at it wholistically. Step onto that yoga mat and watch how everything changes; all aspects of your wellbeing, in tandem.
