Practices: Based on the idea that anxiety and depression, which often co-occur in various relationships are all examples of hypersensitivity of the nervous system which causes to effects:
- hyper-reactivity (either up or down)
- disengagement (retreat from one's body and bodily experience)
Inside each of us, there's a mind-body communications network that contributes to the patterns of anxiety and depression. This network includes the autonomic nervous system, the enteric nervous system (also called the gut microbiome), the immune system, pain modulation pathways, and the connective tissue matrix.
Treatment Perspective: Reduce hyper-reactivity and disembodiment through practices that increase embodied awareness and internal control.
- asana
- in truth, any asana which challenges, but does not frustrate a student can work toward these joint goals. But the following postures tend to increase specific emotional and mental responses, so can be used to direct responses in clients:
- energizing (used when mood is low, energy is low, feelings of powerlessness
- backbends!
- any movement or action involving the upper body
- expanding the chest
- lengthening the spine
- uddiyana banda
- standing postures in extension
- eyes open
- rigorous practices which increase endorphins and reduce stress hormones
- Grounding postures (used when mood is anxious, irritable, feelings of spiraling out of control)
- forward bends
- balancing
- mula banda
- standing postures in flexion
- closing the eyes or focusing drishti
- RESTORATIVE postures and practices.
- inversions (non-challenging)
- pranayama
- energizing
- bastrika
- kapalabhati
- ujjayi
- rapid breathing and breath holding on inhalation (kumbacka)
- adjusting the DESHA (for inhale)
- calming
- nadi shodana
- slow breathing and breath holding on the exhalation
- ujjayi
- adjusting the DESHSA (for exhale)
- Visualization and other meditative techniques (good for all mindfulness training/improvement of a sense of embodiment once symptoms of anxiety or depression are alleviated)
- breath awareness
- breath meditation
- breath visualization (including adjusting visualization to control the impact of breath)
- Nonattached observation techniques
Mindfulness is the ability to inhabit the body and be present with bodily sensation as it fluctuates from one moment to the next. Physical exercises that increase awareness of sensations arising from within the physical body can help people to feel in control of their bodies and re-inhabit themselves in ways that encourage feelings of control.
Classes/yoga practice should always move slowly and are geared toward increasing awareness inside the body. They must integrate breath with each movement, since the breath is the connection between the mind and the body. This is the key to teaching mindfulness and learning embodiment.
Additionally, because tension in our muscles and connective tissue, or fascia, amplifies nervous system activation, practice should release connective tissue and give people an experience of 'not depression' and 'not anxiety'.
This is the same with the pain response, people need to learn to experience NOT PAIN, inorder to gain a sense of embodiment and control over pain.
This is the same with the pain response, people need to learn to experience NOT PAIN, inorder to gain a sense of embodiment and control over pain.
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