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An explorer
A wanderer is the soul on these shores In a land with directions none, no doors. Fleeting shapes on fine sand, we explore Further we look, vaster the seas endure.
A nomad is the soul under twilight skies Absorbed in hues are the heart and eyes. Into the colours of the far horizon, we delve Longer we look, the closer the valleys shelve.
A traveller is the soul of this vast creation, A shadow, a light with tones of reflection. A frequency imbues the stars and trees Deeper we look, the finer are bodies at ease.
A yogi, a painter, both, play my soul Learning every day, the art of the whole An explorer I remain, to know and flow All else a belief, broken to bits as we go.
Dear friends,
Mental health has seen lots of research being done from the point of view of physiology, neuro-biology and pharmacology. Mental health is also a subject that needs urgent attention at the global level.
To be able to do justice to an exploration of how Yoga can heal mental problems that plague our modern society. We needed to first refer to the scientific enquiry that has gone into it, we have tried to keep it light.
Find Inner Peace and Balance
YOGA – The Super Science
The talk around the town (and the globe and the wild world web) among the best and well-known neuroscientists, psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health professionals, therapists, trauma specialists and the nerds and the geeks of the community when it comes to the treatment of mental health conditions, improving brain-mind-body function, for better outcomes in many neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders is how YOGA is helping and benefiting millions of people worldwide affected by adverse mental health and brain health in improving the quality of their lives by affording better management and reduction in their symptoms and in some cases fully overcoming them to lead a normal life. Of course, this fervour is backed by an enormous body of research over the last several decades and while the scientists spell this out in their own language they are directly or indirectly referring to Yoga and its various modalities which include yoga (in this context they are referring to the physical dimension of yoga known as Asanas – the practice of dynamic and static yoga poses), stretching, breathing, relaxation techniques, yoga nidra, mindfulness, and meditation. While the above modalities have given profound results, there is much more to yoga than a mere practice of these modalities in isolation. In fact, some of the yoga techniques such as kriyas (cleansing/detox techniques for the mind-body), bandhas (neuro-muscular locks that influence endocrinal system and optimise hormonal balance), mudras (hand and body gestures to induce a positive and a serene state of mind and emotion) that are known to produce altered states of mind and raised level of consciousness i.e. better self-awareness and improved perception of our internal and external environments (interoception and exteroception), which can all be a vital and powerful tools of intervention for better cognitive development and potential repair have yet not been explored through the lens of research by the scientific community. The full potential of yoga and the many possibilities it offers in healing the mind-body-brain and elevating our being is yet vastly underexplored. And not to mention, the many esoteric and spiritual dimensions of yoga are beyond the reach and comprehension of the scientific community as of now and certainly not within the scope of what we are here to learn for a better mental wellbeing. And mind you, the scientific community has only researched and discovered the efficacy of yoga in enhancing the body-brain-mind function in the last several decades with further research underway, the techniques originated and were mastered by the yogis over the last several thousand years if not more, and handed down the generations of those truly seeking to delve deeper into this science of liberation. Our attempt here is to demystify the layers of yoga to improve mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing using evidence backed research in neuroscience and years of experience in helping many to achieve that while we continue to improve our understanding of this subject matter. This is not a goal but an ongoing journey, for as long as humanity exists, the vagaries of the human mind are bound to distract and deviates us from arguably living the best version of ourselves.
Yoga and Neuroplasticity (Brain plasticity)
The human brain learns from experience and it is capable of changing and adapting based on learning derived from experience. Yoga with its myriad techniques has an uncanny ability in promoting the neuroplasticity, although now some of these techniques and how they work are more comprehensible based on our current understanding of the brain and the nervous system. The age-old yogic adage that ‘a flexible body leads to a flexible mind’ isn’t without its merits as does another yoga saying ‘how young or old you are, isn’t a function of your biological age but rather how flexible your spine is’. The young and old in this context not merely refer to the age in years, external appearance, and physical fitness but also to a person’s cognitive abilities and mental well-being.
To appreciate how yoga improves neuroplastic changes, new learning, and better memory let us consider the principle of Top down regulation/approach and Bottom up regulation/approach that have formed the foundation of yoga traditions for millenniums but only seen in this light by modern researchers in the recent decades. The concept of mental health being closely intertwined with physical health has only gained recognition, acceptance, and popularity worldwide, also in the last few decades. This, however, was not unknown to the yoga practitioners of the yore. When Patanjali, the founder of modern yoga, created his systemic eight step method of Ashtanga yoga (Ashta=eight; anga=part or step) that prioritised the body, physical fitness and health before recommending practices for enhancing cognitive function; his deep insights into the tunnels of human psyche and his vision for the individuals’ wellbeing and fulfilment of ultimate potential become evident. The physical practices including Asanas (postures) and the mental cognitive practices including Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) where bridged by practices involving another very critical aspect of our physiology aka Breathe, and practices to regulate sensory perceptions known as Pratyahara (this also includes practices of what is widely known as mindfulness).