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Ask 'Flo'w

 

Hi Soul Flow Yogis,

 

We would like to introduce you to "Flo", as in Soul Flo'w', except we've personified our
fabulous logo and turned her into your yoga question guru. 
 
We realize that many people have questions and possibly a level of uncertainty that might hinder them from even walking through the door of a yoga studio for the first time.  Enter 'Flo'.
 
With every choice truly boiling down to either love or fear - don't be afraid of the unknown!  Open your heart and your mind will follow.  Because "if we always stand with our backs to one another, we'll never see eye to eye. " 
 
So, ask Flo!

Below are the questions Flo has answered through our monthly newsletter column "Ask Flo".  If you have a question you'd like answered either in the newsletter or on the site, just email Flo at yogi@soulflowyogi.com.

"What is Restorative Yoga?"(July 2010)

STRESS:
Before we can answer this, I feel like we should look first at what is stress?  Stress begins with a physiological response to what your body-mind perceives as life-threatening. 
For our ancestors, this may have been defending against a hungry animal.  For modern-day humans, this may be living with the fear of losing a job in a sagging economy, or the health crisis of a family member, etc. 

Whatever the stressor, the mind alerts the body that danger is present.  In response, the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, secrete catecholamine hormones.  These act upon the autonomic nervous system, as the body prepares for fight or flight. 
Heart rate, blood pressure, mental alertness, and muscle tension are increased.  The adrenal hormones cause metabolic changes that make energy stores available to each cell and the body begins to sweat.  The body also shuts down systems that are not a priority in the immediacy of the moment, including digestion, elimination, growth, repair, and reproduction.

For our ancestors, a stressful situation usually resolved itself quickly-you run away from the hungry bear and you're safe.  Modern man however is often unable to resolve his stress so directly and lives chronically stressed as a result. 
Still responding to the fight or flight response, the adrenals continue to pump stress hormones.  In a chronically stressed state, the body's capacity to heal itself is compromised, either inhibit recovery from an existing illness or injury or creating a new one including high blood pressure, ulcers, back pain, immune dysfunction, reproductive problems, and depression.  These conditions add stress of their own and the cycle continues.  

RELAXATION:
The antidote to stress is relaxation.  To relax is to rest deeply.  This rest is different from sleep.  Deep states of sleep include periods of dreaming which increase muscular tension, as well as other physiological signs of tension.  Relaxation is a state in which there is no movement, no effort and the brain is quiet.
Common to all stress reduction techniques is putting the body in a comfortable position, with gentle attention directed toward the breath.  Scientists have researched the effects of relaxation and report measurable benefits, including reduction in muscle tension and improved circulation. 
One of the foremost writers and researchers in the field of stress reduction today is Herbert Benson, MD, who coined the phrase "Relaxation Response" to describe the physiological and mental responses that occur when one consciously relaxes characterized by a slower heart rate, metabolism, rate of breathing, lower blood pressure, and slower brain wave patterns.

Relatively new in medicine is the specialty called psychoneuroimmunology, another way of saying that body and mind, nervous system, and immune system are connected.  This concept understands that the health of the psyche is reflected in,  and is partly created by, the health of the body and vice versa.  
 
RESTORATIVE YOGA:
The development of restorative poses is credited to BKS Iyengar whose early teaching experience showed him how pain or injury can result from a student straining in a yoga pose.  He experimented with 'props' modifying poses until the student could practice without strain.  Iyengar also explored how these modified poses could help people recover from illness or injury.
 
Restorative yoga poses are often referred to as 'active relaxation.'  In general, restorative poses are for those times when you feel weak, fatigued, or stressed from your daily activities.
 
Poses are held for up to twelve minutes each with the body fully supported by bolsters, blocks, blankets, neck rolls, etc in order for the muscles to completely relax and feel secure enough to open and expand.

 "Why do I have to do yoga barefoot?"(June 2010)

A few reasons actually:   "Yoga with shoes is like playing dodgeball with flippers."
 Yoga is about creating awareness within your body, connectivity to those around you and cleanliness of mind and body.
  • Yoga is meant to remove distractions and excess from your range of awareness.  You are also trying to create a connection with everything around you and experience the sensations of the body.
    Tip:  Try grounding through both of your feet and lifting just the toes, which you can't do with shoes.  It strengthens the arches and creates the connection to the earth below. 
  • We practice the postures to keep the body supple and open.  If, for our entire lives, we always have shoes on, there is never an opportunity to allow the bones and muscles of our feet to be free.  As our bodies get older and our feet stay closed, our walking gate turns to a shuffle and our stability wavers. 
Tip:  Try interlacing your fingers between your toes to create some space. 
  •  Yoga is about purity of body and mind.  And taking your shoes off is sort of the yogic equivalent to a sign I remember from swimming somewhere.  "We don't swim in your toilette so don't pee in our pool."  A bit crass but we try and keep everything clean for you so that mentality of constant cleanliness is ever present.  The experience of the studio should be pristine, both in spirit and practice, so we leave our shoes at the door, along with the "mind clutter".

 

                                                                                                  

 

 2811 Reidville Road . Suite 12 . Spartanburg . SC . 29301

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