Restoring Emotional Balance with Yoga Exercises
When we look for Yogic solutions to balancing emotional health, the largest obstacle is finding a yoga teacher who has the knowledge to…
When we look for Yogic solutions to balancing emotional health, the largest obstacle is finding a yoga teacher who has the knowledge to…
In the case of Yoga treating depression, this is a subject that needs to be focused on considering how individuals in a depressive state often question their significance, the meaning of life and what they can offer to this world and the people around them. The practice of Yoga enables us to slow down and more calmly respond to our thoughts, rather than impulsively react to them.
According to Buddha, “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” For centuries, Swamis, Gurus, and Buddhist monks have been teaching spiritual practices for overcoming anger, and recent research has affirmed the validity of these ancient teachings.
In addition, by teaching specific physical Yoga postures that release somatically-held negative emotions, such as grief and anger, you will further support your students in releasing negative emotions and memories that are no longer serving their highest good. Anger is often lodged in the throat chakra, shoulders, neck, and hip areas. Just think of the saying, “She swallowed her anger.” When we swallow our anger, we do so by constricting and closing the throat area. When this action of constricting the throat becomes habitual, the thyroid gland may be negatively affected over time.
Kids Yoga classes can also promote emotional healing by reducing anxiety and easing depressive symptoms. Many kids today suffer from…
“Yoga” comes from the Sanskrit word for “union” and refers to the science of uniting human awareness with divine reality. Based on ancient Vedic scriptures, Yoga provides the tools we need to cope with the stress of change in our physical bodies and our environment.
The daily practice, of Yoga, provides emotional healing and support for a variety of reasons. In Yogic philosophy, it is believed that the ego is a major player in creating emotional disturbances, because it draws all conscious attention into itself. During a daily Yoga session, the conscious attention is diverted from the ego, and in those moments, true emotion may be felt. Turning the conscious attention toward one’s true emotions is very healing – in and of itself. Very often, an objective look at reality is all that is needed to promote an internal and lasting change.
Do you know why students come to your classes? Do you ever ask? You might think stress or weight loss and you might be right, but the truth is there are many different reasons. Some students want to belong and some want a sanctuary from anxiety, depressed feelings and the pressure of life. Yoga teacher training has equipped instructors with the tools to offer a haven where students can recover and restore emotional health.
Unless you are a psychiatrist or psychologist, you should not be in the position of a consultant. Some new students may arrive due to referrals from professional counselors, but what do you do if one of your established students is suddenly in a state of depression? The logical course of action is to advise anyone who is suffering from depression to seek counseling from a professional first. Yoga is a wonderful adjunct therapy for emotional and mental health, but our field as Yoga teachers is not counseling.
The breathing exercises are an integral part of Yoga. It is one part of Yoga that can be done anywhere you are and no matter what you are doing. You will find that once you have the breathing down you will start to feel better and be able to deal with things better. Eventually you will find that you can easily add Yoga to your daily routine to help calm emotional turmoil.