How Yoga Eases Life's Challenges

by Celia Hirsch, owner SPACE/Pilates,Yoga & Beyond

Yoga is an invaluable therapeutic tool because of its broad range.  Since it has become so popular, more people are familiar with the physiological benefits that lead to long, lean muscles, freedom in the joints, and more stable bones.  Eventually through the breath, imagery and concentration it becomes clear that the benefits transcend into other areas of the body including mental efficiency, emotional stability and increased neurological functioning.  

Yoga is a Sanskrit word that means “union”, it was created specifically to join and unite all the aspects of our lives.  Even though it is an ancient practice, it is extremely relevant today as it relates to our internal functioning. Through the practice of asana, you learn to align, fold and twist your body in order to achieve complex poses but that requires learning how to navigate internal spaces.  Our culture encourages the opposite, we are an externally driven society, which has served us well but has taken a toll.  Many people complain of feeling disconnected and out of touch, the antithesis of the integration that they crave.

In order to do yoga successfully, it is imperative to acknowledge that there is a learning curve and that the postures take time to master not unlike learning to speak a new language.  The mental and neurological benefits of language are very well documented.  In a yoga practice, you learn to learn.  Through learning the most efficient placement of joints and muscles, you learn to track mentally which uses previously unexplored areas of the brain.  The sense of achievement encourages motivation and incentive that results in positive thinking.

Any discussion about yoga is not complete without including the use of the breath. As it relates to mental health, the benefits are endless.  There are as many breathing patterns as there are yoga poses and when they are mastered the result is stability, integration and a sense of well being.  The breath is the gateway to our internal world without which we are incomplete and unbalanced.  The more familiar we are with the workings of our mind, understanding the ins and outs of our emotions and the role that our neurology plays the more in control we feel, the more empowered we become and the more easily we can breathe in light of all our challenges.

Celia Hirsch is a yoga teacher and yoga therapist who has just opened a new studio in Bedford Hills, SPACE/Pilates,Yoga & Beyond.

How Yoga Can Help Change Thoughts, Moods and Behavior

By Ellen Patrick, E-RYT 500 & Yoga Therapist, owner and director of  The Yoga Sanctuary in Mamaroneck, NY

When it comes to our mental well-being, yoga therapy offers an overview of what is affected, as well as the tools we can use to become active participants in maintaining this well-being.   The anxieties and bouts of varying degrees of depression that one may experience during a lifetime affect our sense of self, which is know as Svabhava in Sanskrit.  Our sense of self is made up our thoughts, moods and behaviors.  Additionally, we may be affected on the physiological level.  With the guidance of a trained yoga therapist, you can greatly influence your mental well-being, creating more stability, enjoyment and contentment in your life and your relationships.

PHYSIOLOGY

An individual’s mental health may be affected by an imbalance within one’s physiological nervous system.  A personalized asana (postures) practice that incorporates breath with movement and specific breathing techniques (pranayama) is a powerful strategy to either build energy in cases of depression, or calm energy in cases of anxiety.

SVABHAVA – SENSE OF SELF

·         Thoughts

Meditation techniques are invaluable in creating a one-pointed focus for the mind that can halt the self-destructive spiral of thoughts that contribute to anxiety and depression.  Such meditation techniques include inquiry, self-reflection and cognitive reframing.

·         Mood

Our moods are affected by how we emotionally respond to what is happening in the present moment.   These emotions are stimulated by memories and unconscious conditioning from our past.   To help break these emotionally-charged reactions, meditation, chanting, prayer or mantra are profound tools to cultivate more uplifting feelings and attitudes. 

·         BehaviorA disciplined and personalized yoga practice, utilizing the various tools already mentioned, cultivates will-power and impulse control so that your will and intention become stronger than your habits and reactions.

An emerging profession, yoga therapy is founded on the belief that our physical condition, emotional states, attitudes, diet, behavioral patterns, lifestyle, personal associations, and the environment in which we live and work are all intimately linked to the state of our health.  Yoga Therapy is based on empowering an individual to take an active role in wellness and holistic self-care.  One of the fundamental goals in yoga and yoga therapy is to become free from the negative journey of our thoughts, feelings, desires, conflicts, distractions, and habitual and dysfunctional behavioral and movement patterns—all of which dissipate our energy and creates dis-ease.

Ellen Patrick has been practicing yoga for over 30 years, teaching for 12 years and studying Yoga Therapy for 10 years.  Certified as a Yoga Therapist through the American Viniyoga Institute (www.avi.org), Ellen offers individuals private yoga therapy sessions.  For more information go to www.YogaSanctuary.net or info@YogaSanctuary.net.

Life Works Better on "SLOW"

By Stephanie Filardi, Bronxville Wellness Sanctuary

 I have a personal practice of Bikram (hot) Yoga.  Classes are 90 minutes long and consist of 26 poses which are done in rooms about 105 degrees Fahrenheit with 40% humidity.  For me,  Bikram Yoga is an incredible physical and mental work out.  There is nothing quite like it to both bring out, and quiet, my inner critic….

The other day in class I wasn’t feeling my usual strong self.  In addition,  according to my inner critic the teacher was speaking too much, too fast, and was holding us in the poses longer than usual…none of this fun for me on a “good” day.  I noticed myself getting really frustrated– my mind was racing, my heart was beating out of my chest and it was getting harder and harder to breathe and focus.

Half way through the class I realized I would have to sit the rest of the class out if I didn’t adjust my attitude and tame my inner critic.  Since I didn’t want to “sit out”, I said to myself, “Stephanie, the slower you go, the better you will do”. I had no choice but to  slow everything down….slow my mind, slow my heart, slow my breath.  I suddenly accepted the fact that no matter how I felt about the teacher, I had a choice of how I was going to be.  I decided I didn’t have to let the teacher affect my own experience.  And guess what?  I made it through the class just fine.

At the end of class while resting in meditation I realized how this notion of slowing down and doing better is so relevant for my life outside the yoga studio when that inner critic makes an appearance.  How so? Outside the yoga studio, in the external world, whatever is going on does not have to take control of my internal world, or what is happening inside of me.  In one moment, I can make the choice to notice the critic, slow down, breath and choose to be better and do better.  Pretty powerful.

How a Therapist Uses Yoga in Her Practice

I recall the day R visited my office, tucked away in the ground-floor level of the group home where he resided with several other boys, receiving intensive treatment for mental illness and trauma.  He arrived at my door, sullen, agitated and anxious after a day of difficult interactions with peers, staff, and teachers.  He had no intention to “talk” about his day, and he was not receptive to offers to utilize the therapy toys, stuffed animals, or sand tray that I kept on hand for non-verbal clients.  The only piece of information that he shared with me was that he was dreading the bed time routine as he has difficulty falling asleep.  Other than this, I was met with silence. 

I watched R sitting on the carpeted floor in my office, and decided to become creative.  I offered R some body positions that I hoped would help him find what he needs to induce sleep, and he began to imitate me as I moved through cat and cow, a bent-kneed, wide-legged, hanging rag-doll forward bend; tree pose; knees to chest; reclined supine twist; and finally ending with legs at the wall.  To my surprise, as we worked through the poses, he slowly engaged, began to giggle, and stated that he knows this is “yoga”, which he had learned during a previous psychiatric hospitalization.  He was eager to jump up and show off some other asanas he recalled. Out of the poses we practiced, he chose his favorite ones to practice in his room before bed time. 

I watched R leave my office seemingly calmer, his mood lighter, less anxious, and realized that the magic of yoga just added a powerful option into my bag of tried-and-true therapy tools.

By Wendy A. Terra, LCSW-R, a therapist in private practice in Westchester, NY.

The Experience of Yoga in the Body

By Betsy Kase, Owner/Director of Yoga Haven

Every yoga class at the studio begins with five to ten minutes of “centering”.  This time is for everyone in the room--including the teacher.  Most have rushed in to class from a very busy day.  All sorts of things have just happened (i.e: quick trip to the supermarket, dropped one of the kids off at school, last minute phone call, the traffic getting there was horrendous, and the Bronx River Parkway was closed and you are going to be late!).

The process of taking a seat and sitting quietly is a necessary step in the process of a yoga practice.  The teacher says, “Sit up tall, stretch your spine long, relax your belly and close your eyes.” She continues with something like, “Notice how the body feels right now, what is happening inside of you?”  As the student, I say to myself, “Why can’t I take a deep breath or why do my eyes keep fluttering? Why doesn’t my body respond quickly to the calmness within the yoga studio?”  As encouragement, the teacher continues, “Watch your body inhale and exhale without any effort.  Notice how the breath moves in the body.  Try not to pass judgment on yourself regarding what is happening right now.”  I think to myself, “How did she know I can’t take a deep breath. And I am the owner of this yoga studio?”  How CRAZY is this!

The teacher knows this because we all have these experiences.  She is going to lead us through this class encouraging us to keep focus throughout.   As we progress, the directions from the teacher become more interactive. We are instructed to take deep breaths into our body: “Consciously, take a deeper breath in and allow for the breath to move to all parts of your torso. As you exhale, consciously, allow the breath to leave, squeezing out the last bit of breath, by drawing your belly button back towards your spine.”   She continues with something like, “Allow the thoughts and events of the day to pass through you. Start the practice of coming to the present moment.”  In my head, the voice is saying “Don’t do that!  You have to keep thinking about what already happened today and how are you going to continue to obsess about it!”

The teacher here is the guide and her prompts and suggestions slowly quiet me a bit.  But now, I have to move.  Sitting is too hard, my body is getting achy and I am tired.  So the warm-ups begin.  Thank God!

As the class moves through the warm up, directions are given: When to breathe, when to monitor your body, etc.  My brain says something like, “Wow are you stiff!  When was the last time you did yoga?  Can’t you get to class more often?  After all these years, why does it still feel like we keep starting at the beginning again?”  I then say to myself, “This is a serious mind-trip!”  Gratefully, the teacher reminds me to breathe in and then out, and I allow myself to close my eyes and experience the sensation of the stretch.  Ok, now I am out of my crazy thoughts and into it. This is finally feeling good.

In yoga, the physical postures are called ASANAS.  Asanas are standing and balancing poses, backbend and forward bends, twists, hip-openers, and inversions. This part of every class lasts about 45 minutes.  Throughout the whole class the teacher continues to remind me where we are moving to, how to do it, what parts of my body to focus on….and don’t forget to breathe! During these 45 minutes, my mind probably goes on vacation 20-30 times.  I can’t even recall where I go, but the body moves and the mind has no idea how this is happening.  You know, it is like driving a car somewhere and you have no idea how you got there, but you did!  Between those “interludes”, there are times when I am focusing on my big toe, stretching my fingers, opening up the back of my knees, allowing my head to hang heavy along with 1000 other instructions that are said to keep me focused.  

Some days are easier. Some days are harder.  But, the longer I’ve practiced, I do find that there are increasingly stretches of time when I am able to sense my whole body, completely integrated and present. No pain, no stiffness, a great ability to breathe, a sense of ease, so much so, that I feel I might even be able to hold this pose forever.  A lightness comes and everything integrates…mind, body, breath.   Was that a little bit of full consciousness I might have been feeling?  Some may call it a connection with everything in the universe, or a total and complete awareness that brings every cell of your body into full alignment. Some even say they feel a palpable feeling of energy pulsing through the body. Who knows?  But I must say, I sense a fullness of experience reaching out to my fingers and toes and a slowing down of  thoughts moving through the mind. I am absolutely content.  There is a feeling that all is perfect.  Is this what my teachers from many moons ago spoke about?  I watched it on their faces as they practiced in front of me.  Teaching me not with their words, but with an intimate display of the essence of what practicing yoga is for them.  And that is…pure joy.

About Betsy:

Betsy Kase, Director/Owner of Yoga Haven has been practicing yoga since 1991. She began a consistent practice at Integral Yoga in New York City during a personally difficult time in her life. With encouragement from her teachers, she entered the yoga teacher training in 1995 with no real intention of teaching yoga! However, with her background in patient education in hemophilia, HIV/AIDS and reproductive technologies, teaching was second nature. Today, she is certified in Hatha Yoga and Prenatal Yoga. In 1995 Betsy moved to Westchester County where she began to teach full time in gyms and colleges, corporations and not-for profit organizations, as well as to private clients. While never intending to run her own business, Betsy always wanted to be involved with an organization that was based on holistic intentions and a sense of community.

In 1998, with the encouragement of her family and students she rented a small space in Tuckahoe, New York where she began holding yoga classes. Friends and family showed up to help renovate the space and over the opening weekend over 200 students attended; showing their support and encouragement for the first yoga center in their area. Over the last eleven years, Yoga Haven has grown to double its size. Yoga Haven offers over 50 classes per week, including multiple levels, prenatal and postnatal and restorative yoga, along with monthly workshops. Serving over 2000 students per month, Yoga Haven has over 22 teachers on staff and provides massage and acupuncture.  Betsy is thrilled with the community Yoga Haven provides, not only for the students and staff but, for herself as well. She has expanded her understanding of Yoga by studying a range of styles including Anusara, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kripalu, Viniyoga and Jivamukti yoga leading to a teaching practice that combines flow, breath and alignment, with a sense of lightness and laughter. Her pleasure is directing and teaching Yoga Haven’s 200 hour teacher training yearly.

Yoga's Core Value by Gwen Lawrence

Gwen with her New York Giants' yoga students. (Photograph: Matthias Clamer for ESPN)

                   By Get On Your Mat For Mental Health’s yoga teacher, Gwen Lawrence

A strong core helps us keep our balance, protect our backs and move with ease.  Yoga, through poses that twist, torque, bend and stretch, engages our core with every breath. However, some poses engage our abs more than others. Here are a few to try:

FOREARM PLANK:  This one’s essential whether you’re new to my class or one of my pro athletes. I include it in every session.  Complete three in a row, holding for one (full!) minute each time. Here’s how:  Place your forearms and knees on the mat, toes tucked under. Line your elbows up perfectly under your shoulders, aiming to get forearms as parallel as possible, palms flat on the floor.  When you are ready, straighten your legs, body in one straight line with bellybutton lifting to spine--no high butts, no sagging butts. Breathe evenly. Hold the pose, pressing your heels back as you stretch the crown of your head forward. Bend knees and lower down. Repeat at least twice more.

TIBETAN RITE LEG RAISE:  This exercise is part of the 5 Tibetan rites (see article at www.poweryogaforsports.com).  Lie on your back,  palms under your lower back to support and ease strain, palms face down.  Bring your legs up straight to the sky.  Glue one leg to the other, flex your feet and send energy out through your heels.  Lift your chin to your chest.  Slowly lower your legs and head at the same time. Just before touching the ground, exhale and lift the legs and head back up.  Repeat 1-2 minutes.  When you become stronger, try pressing the arms into the floor alongside your torso, palms down, lower back pressing into the floor. Lift and lower head and legs. Want more of a challenge?  Extend your arms overhead and keeping elbows close to ears, slowly raise and lower head and legs in sync with each other.

PLANK KNEE TO ELBOW:  Begin in plank pose, which can also be thought of as the top of a push up.  Be careful to perfectly align your shoulders over your elbows, over your wrists.  Send energy equally out through your heels and the crown of your head.  Lift belly firmly up to the spine. Bring your right knee to your right elbow and then back to plank position. Then right knee to forehead, back to plank. Finally, right knee to left elbow and back to plank. Rest in childs' pose.  Repeat on the other side.  Do these 1-3 minutes.

These may be a challenge now, but stay with them. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you progress.

About Gwen Lawrence

Gwen Lawrence has been a practicing fitness professional since 1990. Her current practice includes private yoga training, class instruction and her sport-specific Power Yoga for Sports training program www.poweryogaforsports.com. Gwen is the yoga instructor for several New York Yankees baseball players, team yoga instructor for the New York Giants, New York Knicks, New York Red Bulls, New York Rangers, several major college teams, including Yale and UNC, and  many youth teams in a variety of sports. She is also the official spokesperson for AFRIN PureSea, an ambassador for Lululemon and Manduka, Gaiam, and Yoga Earth. Her writing appears in Men's Health, Women's Health, Fitness Magazine, Shape Magazine, Yoga Journal, Details magazine, shape.com and espn.com.   She makes regular appearances on NBC TODAY show, Good Day NY and many TV news and national radio shows. Gwen is a featured teacher for Gaiam’s new yoga channel. 

All Together Now: Yoga Event Kick-off!

Westchester yoga studios and businesses gathered on Monday morning, March 26th to partner with MHA on the first mega-yoga event ever held in Westchester County. It was a passion for yoga and an understanding of its connection to mental health that brought the early morning crowd to MHA's Tarrytown office. Thanks to all who joined us: Lauri Nemetz, Co-President of Westchester's Yoga Teacher Association and owner of Wellness Bridge; Patty Holmes of Yoga Garden in White Plains; Carrie Van Schaick of Skinny Buddha in Mt. Kisco; Jane Kartsch and Katie Orchanian of Bikram Yoga Yorktown; Peter Iocovello and Stephanie Filardi of Balance Wellness Sanctuary in Bronxville; Ann Justi of Devoted Yoga in Yorktown; Patricia Fischer of Riverstone Yoga in Tarrytown; Ayla Dunn of Nyack Yoga @ 42 Main in Nyack and Dr. Naomi Pelzig of Nyack Integrative Health Services. We were also joined by Dana Boulanger, Publisher and Owner of Natural Awakenings Healthy Living Magazine; Jeffrey Zink, Event Committee Chair, of Croton; Heidi Widom of Chase Business Banking and Alissa Kosowsky, Manager of Community and Public Affairs of New York Presbyterian Hospital, one of the event's sponsors.

Dr. Amy Kohn, CEO of MHA Westchester, was delighted by the outpouring of enthusiasm: “With this amazing community event, we will raise awareness for mental health issues and treatment options and promote an understanding of the connection between physical and emotional well-being.”