WHY YOGA?!

I watch eyes glaze over when I mention the word “yoga”.
My favourite response and the one that motivated me enough to write this blog is: “but I am already seeing you, that should be enough”.
You get a thumb’s up AND a high five for getting adjusted by a chiropractor, but what you may not realise is that chiropractic (once into maintenance care) is like taking your car in for a routine service. And yoga is like going to the petrol station. Does your car run without petrol? No. Does your car break more often and become less reliable without regular servicing? Yes.
If we are using our bodies then we need to look after them. I can feel your eyes glazing over already, but let me explain.

FIGHT AND FLIGHT MODE EXPLAINED:
You think you are out hunting food, but you catch a glimpse of a Tiger and realise you are the one being hunted. You leap into action and kill it, run away or get killed. You can imagine the sensation in the mind and body when this is happening. It is the same sensation you get when you have a near miss car accident, or when someone gives you a fright. Your heart races, your senses are heightened and you become wired. This is called fight and flight mode. Did you know the brain actually gets addicted to this sensation? Humans get addicted to this “stress mode” like a Labrador dog is addicted to food. “I’m not stressed, I’m just busy”.

Busy is a new “buzz word” for people feeling like it’s socially acceptable to be in a low level constant state of stress all the time, this becomes your new normal. It might also be the reason that when those roadworks hold you up by 5 minutes on your way to work the WHOLE day turns to s**t. Your body is living close to the line between excessive stress and “normal” stress and is easily tipped over the edge. You can go from “normal busy” to “normal stressed” in a matter of 5 seconds, and it is very difficult to recover and get out of that “normal stressed” mode for the rest of the day.

“I’m not stressed, I’m just busy”.

If you spend too long in fight and flight mode your body cannot repair itself and over time it begins to break down, this displays in many different ways and can range from symptoms like sleepless nights, anxiety, depression, gut issues, body pain, headaches, sickness and many more. These things may be occurring to try and get you to slow down, so remember to listen!

Did you know that by just getting out of fight and flight mode you may actually lose weight? (Now you want to read more!)

HOW YOGA CORRELATES WITH FIGHT AND FLIGHT MODE:
Deep diaphragmatic breathing (breathing using your diaphragm) is actually one of the few conscious ways you can bring your physical body out of fight and flight mode.
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Yoga uses deep diaphragmatic breathing with gentle movements to release tension from the physical body and mind. The combination of movement and deep breathing means that stress levels in the body DROP meaning you are able to move out of fight and flight mode and into rest and digest mode (the mode you want to spend MOST of your time in). Rest and digest mode allows your body to repair itself, this is necessary because as complex humans we need A LOT of repair work from just living. Over time consistency with yoga, (even once a week) allows your body to become stronger, less tense and your mind to become calm. You actually train your body to lower your own stress levels and carry that with you into life.
There is no process that does not require time (chiropractic principle number 6) so you need to remember that you have not gotten into your current situation by just waking up one morning. It has been a gradual process and one which you may not have been aware of. It also means it takes consistency and time to relearn the calmness which you most likely (hopefully) had as a child.
Training the mind is most likely the biggest hurdle each human comes across. You can make the choice about whether you want to tame it and in doing so tame your physical response to stress, or you can let the “busy” and the “stress” dictate your mind, body and soul.

COMMON MYTHS ABOUT YOGA:
“I’m not flexible enough” – you don’t need to be flexible, get a good yoga teacher who can help you get into postures using different props or techniques.

“I don’t have time” – yes you do

“I’m not stressed” - I call bullshit, you are interested in this blog to read it to the end.

“Yoga is for hippies” – no. yoga is for everyone, don’t judge hippies, or anyone else for that matter. 

“I have an injury which means I can’t do yoga” – does that injury also stop you from sitting on your couch (with terrible posture) in all your spare time?

“I like to sweat for a work out” – yeah I know you do, because sweating in every work out stimulates your cortisol levels further and allows you to feed that addiction like the Labrador dog is addicted to food.
*disclaimer: sweating is good! And regular exercise producing sweat is healthy, but an inability to spend time being calm and doing things like yoga is not healthy.

There is an abundance of great yoga teachers within NZ. 

If you are in the norwest Auckland region and after an instructor I would highly recommend Ella Richardson. Ella has a beautiful soul and an incredible energy, she teaches with the wisdom of the ancients and creates an environment that is safe to explore your own limits. Ella has a home based studio in Coatesville and takes small private classes consisting of 1-3 people at a time in either Iyenga, vinyasa, hatha, yin and a few other Yoga styles (although Iyenga is one of Ella’s favourite yoga styles to teach).

https://www.facebook.com/sunnysideyogawithella/

DISCLAIMER: please remember that while most people can do yoga, if you have any serious medical conditions or injuries please make sure you discuss this with your yoga instructor and or Doctor.

Below on the Left is a photo of what I do in Yoga class. Yes I am stretching in this posture. Yes I am inflexible, I am working on that. I know what you are thinking, those tights are amazing, yest they are, go check out this link for ethically made, fun tights https://www.zeenya.co.nz/
Below on the right is what I will be able to do one day with Ella’s guidance. This is Ella showing off her incredible ZEN, STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY and general awesomeness. 

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