As mental health professionals, our primary goal is to effectively treat and support individuals grappling with a wide range of mental and emotional health issues. The traditional clinical model predominantly categorizes and treats these issues through cognitive and pharmacological interventions. However, emerging research and practices in the field of mindfulness and yoga therapy are showing promising results by integrating body awareness into treatment protocols. This article explores how mindfulness practices that emphasize self-awareness of the somatic basis of our feelings and emotions can significantly enhance our ability to achieve self-regulation and self-control, thereby offering a more holistic and empowering approach to mental health care.
Rethinking Traditional Models:
Current mental health practices often lump together cognitive dysfunctions and emotional disorders, ranging from Alzheimer’s and ADHD to bipolar disorder and depression, under the singular umbrella of mental health issues. Treatment typically focuses on the head—that is, on cognitive processes and neurochemical imbalances in the brain. However, this approach might overlook the somatic experiences that are the intrinsic foundation of our feelings and emotions. As experienced practitioners, it’s crucial to recognize that emotions and feelings are not just mental states, but are rooted in bodily sensations.
Integrating Mindfulness and Body Awareness:
Mindfulness and yoga therapy provide powerful tools for tapping into the body’s role in emotion regulation and mental health. These practices direct attention to the physical sensations associated with emotional states—such as the tightness in one’s chest with anxiety,/ or the palpable tension during stress. This method allows for a deeper exploration of how emotions and feelings manifest physically within the body. Once we can locate the sensate basis of an emotion, we can control this emotion.
Research consistently shows that mindfulness practices enhance self-awareness, which is pivotal in identifying and modifying emotional experiences. Self-awareness through mindfulness does not merely observe emotions but engages with them on a physiological level, leading to improved self-regulation and control. This is achieved through practices that encourage individuals to notice, interact with, and alter their emotional responses by understanding their physical roots.
Empirical Support for Mindfulness Practices:
Numerous studies underscore the effectiveness of mindfulness in fostering self-regulation. These include research on the vagal nerve, which illustrates how mindfulness techniques can influence autonomic nervous system responses, thereby enhancing emotional regulation. My own research, along with contributions from others in the field, supports the notion that increased bodily awareness leads to significant improvements in emotion-regulation and self-control.
Practical Application in Therapy:
For mental health providers, incorporating body awareness practices such as mindfulness and yoga therapy into our therapeutic approaches can profoundly impact treatment outcomes. This could involve:
Integrative Sessions: Combining traditional psychotherapeutic techniques with mindfulness practices that focus on bodily sensations.
Tailored Mindfulness Exercises: Designing mindfulness exercises that clients can use to explore the physical foundations of their feelings and emotions, fostering greater emotional awareness and control.
Educational Workshops: Offering workshops to teach clients about the interconnection between their physical and emotional health, empowering them with tools to manage their conditions.
Conclusion:
The integration of mindfulness and yoga therapy into mental health treatment represents a significant shift towards a more holistic approach. As seasoned professionals, it is our responsibility to continually adapt and embrace methods that not only address the symptoms but also the underlying physical basis of mental health issues. By doing so, we can provide our clients with comprehensive, evidence-based tools for managing their mental and emotional well-being, ultimately leading to more effective and sustainable treatment outcomes in behavioral health. This approach not only enriches our practice but also aligns closely with the lived experiences of our clients, promoting a deeper understanding and management of our well-being in the modern world.
A total solar eclipse will occur on August 21, 2017, and cross the United States from coast to coast. Many are interested in the physical and psychological effects of this celestial event. All planetary and related astronomical cycles affect us physically and therefore psychologically. The most common effects are so routine that we take them for granted, such as the daily rotation of the earth affecting our sleep-wake cycles; the orbit of the earth around the sun giving us seasons and affecting our metabolism and moods; and of course the hormonal shifts related to the 28-day orbit of the moon around the earth. These celestial cycles affect not only humans, but also all of the other living things in our environment. We see evidence of this from the cycle of animals shedding, and hibernating or migrating for the winter, and trees dropping their leaves in the Fall.
Less frequent or intermittent celestial cycles such as solar eclipses can also affect us in unique and subtle ways. We know of at least three ways in which a solar eclipse alters our physical environment, and thus may influence us physically. The most obvious physical phenomenon is the darkening that occurs as the moon passes between the sun and the earth, blocking the sunlight that touches the earth. The presence of light has a powerful influence on animal behavior and hormones. Anyone who breeds horses knows that the estrous cycle of a horse can be regulated by simply artificially adjusting the lights.
Studies of wild animals show that they are significantly affected by the appearance of darkness during a total eclipse.¹ Bird calls by doves, starlings and many other birds cease during the dark phase of the eclipse, and resume in full cacophony as if dawn during the return of daylight following the eclipse. Birds such as egrets and herons have been seen flying to roost at the totality, and making a U-turn back to the water to feed as the light returned minutes later. Frogs, which normally sing only at night, begin to croak during the totality, and then become quiet again when the light returns.
In humans, studies have shown that prolactin levels are elevated immediately subsequent to a solar eclipse. Prolactin is a hormone that regulates metabolism, the immune system, and development of the pancreas. Elevated prolactin levels following an eclipse mirror the rise in prolactin that typically peaks during REM sleep, and with the dawning light.
Another physical change that occurs during an eclipse is a subtle but measureable change in the gravitational force exerted on the earth. The gravitational force of the moon is strong enough to pull the oceans back and forth across the face of the earth, causing the tides to rise and fall, and is a force that regulates the hormones of many animals. Studies show that as with the tides, the feeding and reproductive hormones of animals are directly influenced by shifts in the gravitational force of the moon. During a solar eclipse the gravitational pull of the moon and sun line up so that the Earth feels a combined force of both at the same time. The exact hormonal and behavioral effects of this unusual gravitational force are unknown and may or may not be noticeable to the observer.
The third change in physical force that occurs on the earth during a solar eclipse is a shift in the electromagnetic field in the earth’s ionosphere. This electromagnetic field exists because of an electrical tension between the negative charge of the earth’s surface and the positive electrical charge of the earth’s surrounding atmosphere. The global electromagnetic resonance is typically measured at 7.83 Hz, ranging from roughly 3-60 Hz, and is referred to as the Schumann resonance after Winfried Schumann who discovered it. Previous experiments show that during an eclipse, there is an increase in the electrical tension in our atmosphere. The shadow of the eclipse can cause changes to the ionosphere significant enough to affect radio wave propagation, and possibly human physiology as well.
The human nervous system also functions by a system of polarization and depolarization of electrical charges within the neurons, which cause neurons to fire and transmit information such as sensations, thoughts and feelings. Much like the surface of the earth, neurons are negatively charged within the cell, with a positive charge that exists in the surrounding area outside of the cell. Furthermore, the electromagnetic field of the brain (and the heart) functions in a similar range as that of the earth’s ionosphere, at approximately 0.5-100 Hz.
Although I could find no research on the effects of a solar eclipse on the electroencephalography (EEG) of the brain, considerable data does show that fluctuations in the electromagnetic field in the ionosphere, such as those expected during a solar eclipse, precipitate significant bioelectric changes in both the brain and heart. Specifically, alterations in the Schumann resonance cause alterations in EEG patterns of human brain waves and electrocardiography (EKG) patterns of the heart. Calcium ion uptake is altered affecting both the brain and heart. Hormone levels of melatonin and growth hormones are also affected. Other effects associated with changes in solar geomagnetic activity include increased blood pressure, reproductive, immune system, cardiac and neurological effects, effects on mental health, as well as countless other stress-related conditions.² Similar types of physical and psychological effects could possibly be expected to occur during the solar eclipse.
Long-term effects of a solar eclipse are less straightforward to predict. It is clear from studying the cyclic nature of celestial phenomenon that significant events can be pivotal moments in the beginning of a new cycle. The solstices are an example of a transition from one cycle to another, as the seasons shift, and the daylight hours shift from lengthening to shortening or visa versa, and a cascade of hormonal and other physical and psychological shifts begin to unfold. Again, we are so familiar with the physical and psychological changes that occur during these shifts in the cycle, that we come to take them for granted. They are, none-the-less, caused by a pivotal moment in the cycle of celestial events. More research on the physical and psychological effects at the pivotal event of a solar eclipse is necessary to reveal if this will be the beginning of a new cycle (see Saros Series 145³) or “season” affecting humankind.
We cannot avoid the unfolding of the orbital nature of the universe. The one thing that is certain is change itself. Whether it is daily, lunar or seasonal changes, or the more rare eclipses that occur with the alignment of the sun, the moon and the earth, the key to moving smoothly through these cyclic transitions is mindfulness. Mindfulness allows us to stay in the flow during times of change. Mindfulness is a character that develops from mind-body practices, like strength develops from exercise.
Mind-body practices such as meditation are a practice of conscious awareness of shifts in our moods and our feelings. We consciously process the experiential effects of changes in our environment and in our life. During the eclipse, and the surrounding days, be aware of any changes in your emotions or feelings. Some days your energy may seem to shift down, and other days it may shift up. Some days we may feel more energetically expansive, and other days we may feel like drawing in and quieting. Don’t shy away from the experience, but rather, breath deeply and consciously, and let it move through you. It is a natural part of life. This process of awareness is appropriate at all times, however, the days surrounding the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, are a unique opportunity for you to check in on yourself and to honor any feelings that do or do not arise for you at this potentially pivotal point in time. Through these practices, we cultivate the capacity to align ourselves with the universe around us, and to ride the waves of change. In the flow, we feel greater comfort and ease.
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REFERENCES
¹ Murdin, P. Effects of the 2001 total solar eclipse on African wildlife Astronomy & Geophysics, 2001, Aug;42(4):4.
² Boral GC(1), Mishra DC, Pal SK, Effects of total solar eclipse on mental patients-a clinicobiochemical correlation. Indian J Psychiatry. 1981 Apr;23(2):160-3.
In 1996, Debbie was diagnosed with severe fibromyalgia, which left her in chronic pain; doctors said there was no cure and nothing could be done. Debbie, a research scientist, began researching the underlying causes of her condition and took up practices to reverse these causes. Debbie began doing things to gradually increase her physical, mental and emotional well-being, including gentle yoga for the physical pain, nutritional changes to increase her energy and meditation to relieve stress. By incorporating these practices, Debbie reversed her condition and returned to an active, healthy life. After an accident in 1999, Debbie suffered a traumatic brain injury and was diagnosed with seizures, impaired vision and chronic headaches. Once again, Debbie researched ways to heal herself using mind and body practices, and once again, Debbie was able to heal herself and live a healthy life free of seizures and pain. In her practice, Dr. Norris draws on both her scientific research and ancient wisdom to integrate lifestyle elements of meditation, physical exercise, spiritual development, relaxation therapy, nutrition and herbs for maximal health and happiness!
“It began in mystery, and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between.” ~ Diane Ackerman
Life is often described as a journey. Particularly during trying times or otherwise remarkable periods, we reflect upon life as a right-of-passage where lessons are learned, discoveries are made, and we find ourselves exploring both the outer and the inner landscape of experience.
Many people cite an illness or other health crisis as an impetus for this journey. I hear often of the journey as a climb out of darkness towards healthier living, and what I refer to as Optimal Living. Optimal living is not always pain free, but it is the best that we can have at the moment. Indeed, the reminder that one is still breathing at this moment can sometimes provide the greatest relief. It reminds us that as of This Moment we are still on the journey!
I have spent my life exploring the journeys, both my own, and those of others, curious about the qualities that people find rewarding, and also those which people prefer to avoid. Right off, I’ll tell you that it is different for everyone. As much as we look different from each other, similarly our personal circumstances and experiences are never quite the same. What works for one person on the journey may or may not work for others. I’ve seen someone who recovered from multiple sclerosis (MS) by going on a macrobiotic diet. She swore that everyone with any condition should go on a macrobiotic diet. Yet another woman recovered from MS by doing yoga. She swears that everyone should do yoga. But there are those who have tried yoga and various diets and more, and not found the positive effects on their health that others have claimed.
And yet we seek to discover the broader patterns that we all share as similarities, both in the way that we look, and the circumstances that make us healthier and happier. We are generally designed to have two arms and two legs, walk upright, with a head on top. Hair grows somewhere around the head, and a few other common places, and we have about 10 toes and 10 fingers. So there are some expectable similarities. So it is, I have found, with the steps along the journey that lead to optimal well-being. The following are six lifestyle factors that I find are common themes in the journey of well-being; adequate nutrition and hydration, some form of exercise, adequate sleep, stress management and spiritual discovery. Each of these is a land of its own to explore, full of valleys and mountains, vast stretches of unexplored territories and treasures.
In our Journey to Well-being, we will be exploring these areas of well-being; a guided tour, if you will, through the land of opportunity. It will be literally bountiful with fresh fruits and vegetables, pure spring water, room to move, fresh air to breathe, and safe havens for rest and recovery. It will also be a journey inward, facing our fears and our pains, continuing on through them to the core of our consciousness. The journey into the consciousness is where we will find the foundations for behavioral change. Exploring the consciousness leads to a greater capacity for self-regulation and the comfort of a sense of having more self-control. As the consciousness expands, we experience a sense of freedom, both in our ability to make our own decisions and choices, and a sense of freedom in the ability to let go and take things as they come – experiences of acceptance and trust – open to the inquisitive nature of a journeyer.
The Journey to Well-being, with Dr. Debbie Norris and Aurora Hutchinson, provides tips and tricks for exploration every two weeks. Please share your discoveries along the way!
In 1996, Debbie was diagnosed with severe fibromyalgia, which left her in chronic pain; doctors said there was no cure and nothing could be done. Debbie, a research scientist, began researching the underlying causes of her condition and took up practices to reverse these causes. Debbie began doing things to gradually increase her physical, mental and emotional well-being, including gentle yoga for the physical pain, nutritional changes to increase her energy and meditation to relieve stress. By incorporating these practices, Debbie reversed her condition and returned to an active, healthy life. After an accident in 1999, Debbie suffered a traumatic brain injury and was diagnosed with seizures, impaired vision and chronic headaches. Once again, Debbie researched ways to heal herself using mind and body practices, and once again, Debbie was able to heal herself and live a healthy life free of seizures and pain. In her practice, Dr. Norris draws on both her scientific research and ancient wisdom to integrate lifestyle elements of meditation, physical exercise, spiritual development, relaxation therapy, nutrition and herbs for maximal health and happiness!
To fear something is to believe in it. If you do not believe in something, it cannot make you afraid. That is why religions suggest that we fear God, not because God is scary or that we should be afraid that God would hurt us, but because to fear something, you must believe in it. Fear is belief with uncertainty. It invokes an active physiological state in preparation for responding. In everyday life, we experience fear as a physical phenomenon in our bodies, referred to as the “fear response”, the “fight-or-flight response”, or the “stress-response”. Whatever the label for this experience, it is activated by our brain affecting our bodies for the purpose of some potential action, heightening our alertness and awareness. It is this greater consciousness of and indeed gratitude for being that we experience in our fear. It is ultimately belief in ourselves that provides us with fear. We believe that we exist. To fear God is to believe in God. To fear dying or danger is to believe in existing. That is the gift of fear.
In 1996, Debbie was diagnosed with severe fibromyalgia, which left her in chronic pain; doctors said there was no cure and nothing could be done. Debbie, a research scientist, began researching the underlying causes of her condition and took up practices to reverse these causes. Debbie began doing things to gradually increase her physical, mental and emotional well-being, including gentle yoga for the physical pain, nutritional changes to increase her energy and meditation to relieve stress. By incorporating these practices, Debbie reversed her condition and returned to an active, healthy life. After an accident in 1999, Debbie suffered a traumatic brain injury and was diagnosed with seizures, impaired vision and chronic headaches. Once again, Debbie researched ways to heal herself using mind and body practices, and once again, Debbie was able to heal herself and live a healthy life free of seizures and pain. In her practice, Dr. Norris draws on both her scientific research and ancient wisdom to integrate lifestyle elements of meditation, physical exercise, spiritual development, relaxation therapy, nutrition and herbs for maximal health and happiness!
Now that scientific evidence has shown many health benefits of acupuncture, the question for consumers remains, “Should I use acupuncture to treat my health condition?” Acupuncture was one of the first complementary medical practices to be approved by most health insurance companies for coverage, with studies finding that acupuncture and acupressure help significantly in the treatment of many conditions. As evidence mounted that acupuncture could be used to treat symptoms of pain, anxiety, mood disorders, to balance hormones, and to improve sleep, researchers began to wonder about the mechanisms of action by which acupuncture worked. The National Institute of Health stated on their website, “Nobody knows how acupuncture works.” Interestingly, there were many acupuncturists at that time in the U.S., who knew quite well how acupuncture works. They simply spoke a different language from medical researchers. Acupuncturists understand the mechanisms of their treatment as working with energy fields that flow through the body, referred to as meridians. While medical researchers explored the biochemical changes in endorphins (the body’s own painkillers), and serotonin (the body’s own mood regulator and a key player in our immune system), and used CAT scans and MRI’s, mammograms, EKG’s and EEG’s to measure the flow of electro-magnetic fields. Interestingly, current studies of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are finding that mind-body practices are capable of changing the very structure of our brains. The fact that acupuncture increases serotonin levels by enhancing the body’s own serotonin production and the discovery of the role of serotonin in the immune system may explain why acupuncture is useful in treating numerous conditions. A study by the University College of London Medical School, found that serotonin significantly inhibited bladder cancer cell growth. Eager to find ways to increase serotonin levels for the treatment of cancer, researchers quickly explored the effects of anti-depressant medications such as SSRI’s on serotonin’s anti-cancer effects. The results unexpectedly showed the reverse. SSRI’s actually blocked the beneficial effects of serotonin in killing cancer cells. The question remained, how do we increase serotonin without drugs? One answer is acupuncture (meditation, tai chi and yoga have all also been shown to naturally increase serotonin levels). This may explain how acupuncture may increase rates of survival in patients being treated for cancer. A recent revolution in genetics research has opened up a whole new field of epigentics – exploring the potential for our genes to change in our own lifetime, and for these traits to be passed on to future generations. Exploring the genetics of cancer, researchers have searched for a way to improve the lifespan of the DNA in our healthy cells, while decreasing the lifespan of cancer cells. Many mind-body practices have been shown to increase the longevity of our chromosomes, by increasing levels of an enzyme called telomerase – an enzyme responsible for putting telomeres back on the ends of our chromosomes, thus, effectively, reversing what we have previously thought of as the aging process. But researchers have been concerned that if we increase telomerase levels in cancer cells, these unwanted cells may also persist. An important study by Dr. Omura from the Heart Disease Research Foundation found that acupuncture differentially effects telomerase levels in healthy cells versus cancer cells, causing cancer cells to decline and literally self-destruct, while our healthy cells thrive. Further research should continue to explore the clinical benefits of acupuncture, not just as a palliative option in cancer care, but as part of the protocol for treatment. The summation of current research on acupuncture shows it is helpful for treating any number of conditions and may in fact be beneficial for treating any and all conditions, based on its beneficial impact on the fundamental structures of our brain, genes, cells, endocrine, nervous and immune systems.
Whether you’re new to Mindfulness practices, or have been practicing for years, let Mind-Body Journal be your destination for ideas, information and the latest research on the effectiveness of mind-body therapies. Mind-Body Journal aims to reach people who may not have regular access to The Mindfulness Center, and to spread the knowledge and expertise of this center to people on a global basis. This blog features posts about mindfulness, wellness, lifestyle and health, providing information on living a healthier and more mindful life. Take part in our Journey to Well-being challenges to enhance your practice, health and general well-being.
Please leave comments below with any questions you have about mindfulness, meditation, or anything health related. Our experts will provide you the tools for healing and living an optimal life!
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Deborah Norris, Ph.D. is a yoga professional instructor, trainer and teacher at The Mindfulness Center, ™, based in Washington, D.C. She is Psychologist-in-Residence and Director of the Psychobiology of Healing Program at American University, and past professor at Georgetown University Medical School and is renowned for her online meditation teacher programs, The Science of Mindful Awareness (SOMA). Dr. Norris tells us the many different types of yoga.
Plain and simple, yoga is the union between the body, mind, and spirit. It is a place of discovery and connection with your own body that encompasses balance, proper stretching techniques, breathing, meditation, centering the mind and spirit — that’s yoga in its real form.”
However, you’ll find that every type of yoga has a slightly different definition or interpretation. That is why we see things like goat yoga (a.k.a. doing yoga with goats running and jumping around) popping up alongside traditional forms like Iyengar and ashtanga.
But above all, yoga ignores the “no pain, no gain” philosophy that’s rife in fitness communities. Yoga is not a place to push through, go beyond your edge, or ignore your body. The primary tenet is ahimsa, or non-harming, and that starts with choosing the right type of yoga for you.
Vigorous Vinyasas
Vinyasa-style yoga combines a series of flowing postures with rhythmic breathing for an intense body-mind workout. Here are a few different types:
Ashtanga
The practice of Ashtanga that’s getting mainstream attention today is a fast-paced series of sequential postures practiced by the late yoga master K. Pattabhi Jois, who lived in Mysore, India. Jois was later accused of assault, but yogis continue to practice Ashtanga worldwide, making it one of the most popular schools of yoga around.
The system is based on six series of asanas which increase in difficulty, allowing students to work at their own pace. In class, you’ll be led nonstop through one or more of the series. There’s no time for adjustments with this type of yoga—you’ll be encouraged to breathe as you move from pose to pose. Be prepared to sweat.
Power Yoga
In 1995, Bender Birch set out to challenge Americans’ understanding of what it really means to be fit with her book Power Yoga. Bender Birch’s intention was to give a Western spin to the practice of Ashtanga Yoga, a challenging and disciplined series of poses designed to create heat and energy flow.
“Most people wouldn’t take a class called Ashtanga Yoga, because they had no idea what it meant. Power Yoga, on the other hand, was something Americans could relate to and know that they’d get a good workout,” says Bender Birch.
This type of yoga’s popularity has spread to health clubs across the country and has taken on a broad range of applications. The common thread is a rigorous workout that develops strength and flexibility while keeping students on the move. For specifics, consult individual instructors before signing up for a class. For more information visit Thom Birch and Beryl Bender Birch’s website, power-yoga.com.
Kundalini Yoga
Yogi Bhajan, teacher, and spiritual leader, brought this style of yoga to the West in the late 1960s. “Kundalini” in Sanskrit translates to “life force energy” (known as prana or chi in the yoga community), which is thought to be tightly coiled at the base of the spine. These yoga sequences are carefully designed to stimulate or unlock this energy and to reduce stress and negative thinking. “You get to elevate your consciousness and feel great,” says Veronica Parker, an E-RYT 200, and a certified kundalini yoga teacher.
This is accomplished by challenging both mind and body with chanting, singing, meditation, and kriyas (specific series of poses paired with breath work and chanting). You might notice everyone is wearing white, as it’s believed to deflect negativity and increase your aura. Typically, a kundalini class starts with a mantra (a focus for the class), then includes breathing exercises, warmups to get the body moving, increasingly more challenging poses, and a final relaxation and meditation, says Parker.
Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga derives its name from the Sanskrit words for sun and moon, and it’s designed to balance opposing forces. The balance in hatha yoga might come from strength and flexibility, physical and mental energy, or breath and the body. “Hatha is a blanket term for many different ‘styles’ and schools that use the body as a means for self-inquiry,” says Jennifer Campbell-Overbeeke, E-RYT 500.
It’s often used as a catch-all term for the physical side of yoga, is more traditional in nature, or is billed as yoga for beginners.
To be considered hatha, classes must include a mix of asana (poses), pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation, so other types of yoga — like Iyengar, ashtanga, or Bikram — are technically considered to be hatha yoga as well.
Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga consists of six series of specific poses taught in order. Each pose and each series is “given” to a student when their teacher decides they have mastered the previous one. This is a very physical, flow-style yoga with spiritual components — you might remember it as the type Madonna did in the late ’90s. Ashtanga teachers give hands-on adjustments, and in Mysore-style studios (named after the city where the practice’s guru, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, lived and taught), each student has a unique practice.
Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is often taught as “led” classes in the West, where the first or second series is taught from start to finish over the course of 90 minutes to two hours. There is no music played in ashtanga classes.
Yin Yoga
Yin yoga is a slower style of yoga in which poses are held for a minute and eventually up to five minutes or more. It is a type of yoga with roots in martial arts as well as yoga, and it’s designed to increase circulation in the joints and improve flexibility. The practice focuses on the hips, lower back, and thighs and uses props like bolsters, blankets, and blocks to let gravity do the work, helping to relax. While other forms of yoga focus on the major muscle groups, yin yoga targets the body’s connective tissues.
Yin also aids recovery from hard workouts. “Adding a deep stretch and holding class like yin can be extremely beneficial to a strong body,” says Megan Kearney, a Yoga Medicine instructor. Holding poses longer benefits the mind as well as the body, providing a chance to practice being still. “This is a beautiful practice that honors stillness,” says Moore-Tucker. “This style of practice is a great balance for vinyasa flow.”
Virtual Qi Gong
Iyengar Yoga
This type of yoga became popular in the US in the 1970s. Iyengar yoga is known for the high level of training required of its teachers and for its resourceful use of props. While considered optional in many practices, multiple props are used in Iyengar classes — including chairs, walls, and benches, in addition to more common ones like straps, blocks, and bolsters.
Paul Keoni Chun, an E-RYT 200, likes this more static form of yoga for older adults, since it “emphsizes detailed alignment and longer holds of positions.” Iyengar yoga is usually less intense than other types of yoga, although that can vary based on the instructor or class. But generally, it’s suitable for people of all ages and skill levels.
Bikram Yoga
Bikram Choudhury developed Bikram yoga. It is a form of hot yoga. These classes, like ashtanga classes, consist of a set series of poses performed in the same order, and the practice has strict rules. Each class is 90 minutes, with 26 postures and two breathing exercises, and the room must be 105° Fahrenheit with 40 percent humidity. Additionally, instructors do not adjust students.
Since Bikram yoga has so many rules, many studios simply call their classes “hot yoga” so they can customize their offerings. Devotees of hot yoga tout the massive amount of sweat and the added flexibility the practice gives them.
“Practicing yoga in a heated environment allows students to get deeper into postures, improves circulation, and aids in detoxifying the body,” says Natalie Sleik, RYT 200, who teaches hot power yoga.
Power Yoga
Like vinyasa yoga, power yoga traces its roots to ashtanga but is less regimented and is more open to interpretation by individual teachers. “Power yoga is generally more active and is done at a quicker pace than other styles of yoga,” says Chun.
Sleik adds that “power yoga strengthens the muscles while also increasing flexibility. The variation of sequences keeps the brain engaged while you work all muscle groups in the body.”
Power yoga can be hot yoga or not, and some studios offer a mix of power and slow flow yoga to ease students into this intense practice. Fans of power yoga may also like buti yoga, which is just as physical but also includes tribal dance, primal movements, and plenty of core work.
Who Might Like It: Those who like ashtanga but want less rigidity, anyone who wants a good workout, and anyone who wants a less spiritual yoga practice.
Sivananda Yoga
Sivananda yoga is a form of hatha yoga based on the teachings of Hindu spiritual teacher Swami Sivananda. Classes are generally relaxing: while most yoga classes end with savasana (a final relaxation/corpse pose), Sivananda starts with this pose, then moves into breathing exercises, sun salutations, and then 12 basic asanas.
Designed to support overall health and wellness, Sivananda yoga is appropriate for all levels and ages.
Who Might Like It: Those looking for a gentler form of yoga, anyone who wants a more spiritual practice.
Restorative Yoga
If you walked by a restorative yoga class, you might think everyone was taking a nap on their mats. This form of yoga uses props to support the body. The goal is to completely relax into poses, which are held for at least five minutes but often longer. This means that you might only do a handful of poses in a class, and it’s perfectly acceptable to drift into sleep during them.
Some teachers might even lead you through yoga nidra – a guided meditation that allows you to hover blissfully between sleep and wake. One hour in yoga nidra is said to equal a few hours of shuteye, and while that can be a good self-care tool, it can’t replace a healthy night’s sleep.
Though all different types of yoga can aid stress relief and brain health, restorative yoga places its focus on down-regulating the nervous system. Restorative yoga can benefit those who need to chill out and de-stress, and it can also be used as part of your rest-day self-care.
Who Might Like It: Anyone who needs to de-stress, those dealing with pain, and someone who struggles to relax.
Prenatal Yoga
Yoga can be a wonderful workout for moms-to-be. It often focuses on easing pains associated with pregnancy, such as sore hips or an aching low back. Prenatal yogaprovides stress relief, exercise, and self-care in one session, and the breathing exercises can come in handy during labor and delivery.
Since this is a practice designed specifically for moms-to-be, it excludes poses that might be too taxing or unsafe for the changing body. (But make sure you check in with your doctor before beginning a yoga practice, if you are pregnant.) Yoga for pregnancy, such as the Active Maternity series on Beachbody On Demand, also often includes plenty of exercises to prepare your body for delivery, like squats and pelvic floor work.
Who Might Like It: Moms-to-be and new moms who are easing back into exercise.
Aerial Yoga
Aerial yoga — sometimes called anti-gravity yoga — is relatively new, but quickly catching on. It involves traditional yoga poses with the added support of a strong, silky hammock that hangs from the ceiling. The hammock is used as a supportive prop in poses like pigeon or downward dog, and helps you more easily perform inverted poses (like headstands and handstands) that might be beyond your abilities or comfort levels. It’s also used for a cocoon-like savasana (the final resting pose at the end of a yoga class). Classes can be either physically challenging or relaxing.
Acro yoga
Acro yoga takes familiar yoga poses — like downward dog or plank — and makes them double the fun (and sometimes double the work) by adding a partner. One partner serves as the “base” on the ground, while the other is the “flyer” who contorts themselves on the soles of the base’s feet. (A spotter should always be involved for safety).
This type of yoga helps you playfully explore your mind-body connection, develops effective communication skills with a partner, and aids in setting appropriate boundaries.
If you work as a base, it builds a strong lower body and core. Working as a flyer requires flexibility and strength, not to mention trust.
Who Might Like It: Those who enjoy practicing with a partner, couples looking to build trust and intimacy, or anyone with an adventurous streak who likes to go upside down.
While we hear the terms “mindfulness” and “meditation” almost interchangeably, there is an important difference and relationship between the two words. By understanding this relationship, we can deepen our comprehension of both the practice and its outcomes.
The difference between meditation and mindfulness is that one is a practice and the other is a state of being. Meditation is what we are doing when we are sitting on the cushion with our eyes closed, or however you practice. Mindfulness is what we gain as a result of the practice. Meditation is to strength training as mindfulness is to being strong. As a result of strength training, we become strong. As a result of practicing meditation, we become mindful. Just as being strong is a state of being, mindful is also a state of being. By closing your eyes and witnessing yourself breathing – meditating, palpable shifts begin occurring within you, potentially changing your state of being. Mindfulness is arising within you.
“Mindfulness” is now also used to refer to a specific type of meditation, as in Mindfulness Meditation, as opposed to Transcendental Meditation or Kundalini Meditation, and many other forms of practice. What all forms of meditation practice share in common is the use of a single point of focus to begin to still the mind. In closed-monitoring practices, one remains focused on that single point. What varies with the different practices is where we aim that point of focus. Transcendental meditation focuses on a mantra repeated over and over. Kundalini focuses on ecstatic awareness. Compassion meditation practices focus on sensations from the heart. Other forms of the practice may focus on a visual experience or point, such as a candle. And others may focus on a sound, such as a chime, or singing bowl. Transcendental Meditators remain in that closed-monitoring state, continually focused on their mantra.
In Mindfulness Meditation the point of focus is sensate awareness of interoceptive experiences. This can include the full gamut of sensations that may arise in the body, including sensations of the breath moving in, through and from the body, circulation, digestion, a specific body part, or the felt sense of thoughts flowing through the head. It may also include sensations of pain, or relief, hunger, or satiety, etc, noticing where in the body these sensations are arising. In Mindfulness Meditation, one can shift at any time to open monitoring – that is, letting go of the single point of focus, and noticing and experiencing anything that arises in the sensate awareness. One may start the practice focused on the sensations of breathing, and perhaps once the mind is stilled, shift to a broader perspective of anything that comes up. This is similar to focusing on a specific point on the horizon, and then stepping back, expanding both the breadth and the depth of the perception, and noticing the full horizon!
I define Mindfulness Meditation as being in a curious state of awareness. During the practice, we continually invite ourselves back to curiosity about the sensate experiences of being. What do I feel like, and where in the body do I feel it? This practice activates specific regions of the brain, and measureable growth occurs in these regions. Mindfulness Meditation is associated with activation and growth in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a part of the brain that regulates self-awareness, self-regulation and self-control. The behavioral consequence of this practice and growth of the ACC is greater feelings of self-integration, control, and resilience. We feel more open-minded, aware and present – more mindful.
Since different forms of meditation practice have been found to have different effects on the structure and function of our brain, our biochemistry, and behavioral outcomes, it is relevant to pick the type of meditation practice that works best for you. Mindfulness Meditation has been shown to be one of the most effective self-care practices for the relief of chronic pain. Something about directing our attention towards pain facilitates the actual resolution of pain. Mindfulness Meditation is also effective in rebalancing the brain biochemistry and even helping to restore balance to hormones such as cortisol, thyroid hormones, estrogen, testosterone, insulin, growth hormones, and mineral corticoids regulating bone density. (Yes, sitting on a cushion meditating has been found to improve insulin function, and in other studies, to increase bone density!)
All forms of meditation lead to enhanced states of being. Just like all forms of exercise improve overall well being. At different times in our lives, we may find different forms of exercise more appropriate for our condition. I encourage exploring the meditation practice that works for you. What makes you feel better? The exploration itself is part of the practice that leads to greater mindfulness.
Interested in Meditation Training? Learn more by watching our Meditation Training Playlist on Youtube!
In 1996, Debbie was diagnosed with severe fibromyalgia, which left her in chronic pain; doctors said there was no cure and nothing could be done. Debbie, a research scientist, began researching the underlying causes of her condition and took up practices to reverse these causes. Debbie began doing things to gradually increase her physical, mental and emotional well-being, including gentle yoga for the physical pain, nutritional changes to increase her energy and meditation to relieve stress. By incorporating these practices, Debbie reversed her condition and returned to an active, healthy life. After an accident in 1999, Debbie suffered a traumatic brain injury and was diagnosed with seizures, impaired vision and chronic headaches. Once again, Debbie researched ways to heal herself using mind and body practices, and once again, Debbie was able to heal herself and live a healthy life free of seizures and pain. In her practice, Dr. Norris draws on both her scientific research and ancient wisdom to integrate lifestyle elements of meditation, physical exercise, spiritual development, relaxation therapy, nutrition and herbs for maximal health and happiness!
THE 800 HR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS
Core Clinical Module: Professional Yoga Therapy BasicsThe Core Clinical Module provides training in the range of tools and practices available to the yoga therapist, including asana, bandhas, mudra, and pranayama. In this module, students learn the application of yoga therapy for specific health conditions including pain, trauma, hypertension, neurological conditions, the side effects of chemotherapy, and more. Yoga Therapy is an inherently integrative practice, simultaneously affecting the body, mind, cognition, emotions and the breath. Students learn different viewpoints of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual tools of yoga therapy. This module teaches the knowledge, skills, and ability of a professional yoga therapist to work with a range of clinical conditions, in groups or individually. Yoga therapy is considered a process for self-exploration, discovery, and transformation.
Yoga Research & Science Certificate ModuleStudents who complete this module on Bridging the Ancient Practice and Modern Science of Healing along with Research Methodology in Yoga and Mind-Body Medicine will receive a certificate in Yoga Research. This certificate module in Yoga Therapy Science and Research is appropriate for anyone interested in conducting or assisting with the conduct of research in mind-body or other integrative approaches to health and well-being. It is also appropriate for yoga and other integrative practitioners who are interested in staying up-to-date on the most current medical science available in order to integrate state-of-the-art care into their practice.
Yoga Therapy For Mental Health Certificate ModuleStudents who complete the two modules on Principles of the Therapeutic Relationship and Yoga Therapy Principles & Skills will receive a Certificate in Yoga Therapy for Mental Health. This certification program is appropriate for mental health providers interested in the yoga therapy perspective on behavioral health and well-being. As well as yoga instructors looking to incorporate a greater understanding of the mental health benefits of yoga and meditation into their teaching.
Meditation Teacher Certificate Module“Become certified as a Mindfulness Meditation Instructor, with a specific focus on the therapeutic benefits and clinical application of mindfulness, for group or one-on-one instruction.
Beginners Ayerveda Certificate ModuleStudents in The Science of Ayurveda: A Translation between Two Cultures will gain knowledge of Ayurveda, the sister science to yoga that informs yoga therapy. Students will learn Ayurvedic principles for categorizing illness as well as common pathologies and disorders of all the major systems, including symptoms, management, illness trajectories, and contraindications, as relevant to the work of a yoga therapist. Students learn about setting priorities: symptoms/pacification (shamana [short term]) and purification/ strengthening (shodhana).
MentorshipThe Professional Yoga Therapy Training Mentorship component ensures students feel comfortable and supported in leading their Yoga Therapy Practicum, in which program participants will practice yoga therapy in supervised and unsupervised environments. Mentorship will cover documentation of practicum as well as protocol development and more.
PracticumThe Mindfulness Center offers an opportunity for our yoga therapists in training to provide clinical services in a supervised clinical environment through The Mindfulness Center. As a not-for-profit charitable, educational and research organization, The Mindfulness Center provides wellness services to our community. Supervised clinical practice experience provides students with the opportunity to lead yoga therapy sessions for both group and one-on-one client sessions; while also affording our community in need with yoga therapy services and classes. Students are required to contribute a minimum of 150 clinical hours to the community.
Professional Yoga Therapist CertificateConduct research in complementary and alternative medicine, write grants and proposals for other scientific funding opportunities. Work closely with the Executive Director, Dr. Deborah Norris. Apply the broad realm of the science of mind-body therapies, including theory, practice, mechanisms of action, clinical measures and outcomes, research design. Familiarity with federal granting agencies, their application procedures and interests, as well as private foundation sources of support. Post-doctoral and other post-graduate students may apply directly to Deborah Norris, Ph.D., Executive Director.
