I think lockdown has given everyone an opportunity to pause and better appreciate the importance of taking care of their own health, in particular their mental health, as well as the mental wellbeing of those around them. And, as a teacher, I have definitely witnessed an increased appetite for the more restorative and mindfulness practices of Yoga, both of which offer simple but effective ways to manage anxiety and reduce stress during the uncertainty of Covid-19 and beyond.
So what exactly is restorative Yoga?
Restorative Yoga might also be called Yoga for deep relaxation! It offers your body and mind an opportunity to rest very deeply and enables your nervous system to re-set helping it to rebalance and recalibrate. It differs from other Yoga practices you might be familiar with as it involves holding poses for several minutes to give the body supported rest and the mind an opportunity to settle in stillness.
As the image above shows, in restorative Yoga we use lots of lovely props - bolsters, blocks, straps, blankets and pillows - and create a relaxed mood with subdued lighting, gentle music and aromatherapy oils. The props are there to release your muscles and bones of their usual roles of support and the less stimulating environment means that your nervous system is quieter and so can enjoy rest too. In fact, you can often actually feel the layers of physical and mental tension melt away as you work with the different poses.
If you would like to find out more about restorative Yoga and/or would like to attend the evening Restorative class I teach weekly via Zoom, please contact me at brendayoga@mail.com for more details. You will walk in and float out!
What exactly is mindfulness?
Another aspect of Yoga that can help to support our mental health is mindfulness. So what exactly is mindfulness and how does it work? In essence, mindfulness means to be present, to be in the here and the now, with the mind resting in its natural state of peace and tranquillity. Mindfulness fosters an awareness that, whatever else may be going on in our life, there is a place within us of stillness and calm. Our contemporary life is so busy and we have so many demands upon our time and energy, that we may well have forgotten this.
A lot of my mindfulness teaching references the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) of Jon Kabat-Zin, one of the most studied and successful forms of meditation in the West. It is supported by a strong body of science to the extent that mindfulness is being used to treat a wide range of stress-related symptoms including chronic anxiety, depression, addiction, insomnia and OCD.
How does mindfulness work?
One of the principal ways mindfulness supports good mental health is by calming our nervous system. In particular, it enables us, via the breath, to take conscious control of our autonomic nervous system allowing us to quieten the sympathetic side (which governs the fight or flight response) and activate the parasympathetic side (which governs the activities associated with rest and digest).
As a result of this, we have a very effective personal tool we can use to restore our mind to a more calm and peaceful state and control negative thought patterns. There is evidence that a regular practice can also help to reduce the production of cortisol, the primary stress hormone, helping us to manage anxiety and even panic attacks.
Try this
Find a quiet place where you will be undisturbed. Sit or lie down and begin to notice your breath. Feel the breath flowing into and out of your nostrils. Next become aware of your abdomen and notice how this area feels - when we are anxious or stressed, this part of the body tends to become tight and restricted. If so, invite softness into your abdomen and then allow it to gently expand as you 4 breathe in and release back towards your spine as you breathe out. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath.
Finally, take your right hand and place it over your navel and then your left hand over the centre of your chest. Notice the more pronounced movement of your abdomen under your right hand and the much more subtle movement of the chest under your left hand. Stay with this for a couple of minutes before gently releasing.
This simple practice is called the Anchoring Breath and it can be a very effective tool in helping us to manage anxiety and panic attacks.
How do I learn more about mindfulness?
To begin with, it is often easier to learn mindfulness in a group. I am a passionate advocate and so, at the beginning of each of my Yoga classes, I spend a little time teaching its simple techniques to help my students develop this skill. If you would like to find out more about these techniques and/or would like to attend one of my daily classes (via Zoom), please contact me at brendayoga@mail.com for more details.
Gratitude
Another important element of mindfulness is gratitude and, again, this is a practice I am keen to encourage my students to develop so, in my Yoga classes, I will often use it as a theme.
A gratitude practice with a focus on the heart centre can be particularly powerful. It simply involves saying a silent thank you for all the people, places and experiences that bring joy to, and enrich, your life as opposed to focusing on those things that deplete your energy and cause you to suffer.
Expressing gratitude can be deeply empowering and healing. If we commit to doing it regularly, it can shift our perspective to the extent that we begin to see our life in a completely different way. In fact, studies have shown that practising gratitude on a regular basis can have a long-term, very positive effect on our mental and emotional well-being and help to allay depression and anxiety.
To get you started, I’ve posted a simple, beautiful gratitude practice on my website, which I’d encourage you to do regularly.
One final important note
Finally, I would add that mental health issues are often complex and varied and manifest in a multitude of symptoms. Yoga and mindfulness can offer a range of powerful tools to help and support you in your journey back to health but if your symptoms are severe, please seek professional medical help to support you through this time.
Brenda qualified with the British Wheel of Yoga in 2004 and since then has been teaching Yoga to people of all ages and abilities. She believes passionately that the Yoga mat is a place where we can gently switch off from the outside world and recharge both physically and mentally. In addition to her daily mixed-ability Zoom classes, she also teaches children’s Yoga and mindfulness classes, runs retreats on the stunning Amalfi coast and hosts regular Yoga and wellness workshops at historic Lytham Hall. She also runs the BWY Foundation Course (both in-person and distance learning) for those who want to deepen their knowledge and/or are thinking about teaching themselves. For more details of these or any of her other Yoga courses, please contact Brenda at brendayoga@mail.com or visit her website.