Modern life is undeniably fast paced for many people – work, home life, education – and this places unique pressures on our Nervous Systems; the mechanisms which evolved to spring into action to protect us from attack by fierce creatures also cut in when we get a text message at an inopportune time or log on to find our inbox full.
Our Nervous System is working all the time in the background, mediating physiological responses in our body, acting as a silent watchdog and regulator, passing information between brain and body in a near instantaneous two-way street.
When too much is going on we can start to feel overwhelmed and out of control.
Yoga is a great way to help balance this out. It doesn’t have to be ambitious and advanced – some simple stretches and some attention to our breathing will do us the world of good to start with. Some people find learning about Mindfulness, Meditation or the Eastern concepts of the Energy Body help as well, although they are not an essential part of starting out with Yoga.
Although you can learn some simple calming Yoga from YouTube or a book, there is no substitute for working with an experienced teacher at the outset, as they can gently guide you in the direction of practices that might be helpful.
In time you can almost certainly pick up some simple routines to use at home – ten minutes of “Yoga first aid” can make a difference when life gets on top of you.
If you have a busy life, maybe home and care responsibilities, or a high paced job, then its worth remembering you can’t pour from an empty vessel – taking some time out for yourself isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.
As a Yoga Therapist as well as Yoga teacher, Stress and Overwhelm is a specialist area of mine. All my group classes are suitable for helping people calm and attend to themselves, and if you would like more personalised attention, I can help one on one as a Yoga Therapist.
You can learn more about my Yoga Classes at www.yinspire.co.uk, where you can book a class and find out more about my studio in Brading, Isle of Wight.
