Yoga as a tool outside therapy

A topic we often avoid, because we don’t feel comfortable about it and while this article is not about changing your perspective around therapy, I hope it can contribute.

I started therapy during the pandemic. I had a previous experience in my twenties, after going through a breakup and my parent's divorce but it did not feel right or helpful at the time.

While I am obviously not a therapist and only speaking from my own experience, I have found that Yoga has been a great complement to whatever I have been exploring in therapy.  

Before we dive into this, I feel it’s important to remind you that Yoga is not only about frenetic movements on your mat, it can be breathwork, meditation, supine stretches, or staying in child pose for 20 minutes. It is what you need it to be.

Cultivate self-awareness 

The very first thing we do in a yoga class is notice what is it that the body needs today so we can then move in a way that is valuable to us. We also use this time to observe our inner chatter, Chitta vritti in Sanskrit. The way we talk to ourselves in a yoga class is very likely to be a reflection of how we talk to ourselves in real life. In life, if you want things to change you first need to become aware of what is it that is the problem.

Nurture self-compassion

Some days we feel crap, others we fly, it’s all about accepting that each day is a new day and that we are not machines. One day, one practice.

Being kinder to yourself is the very first step in nurturing good relationships, and it all starts with the relationship you have with yourself.

Connect to the body to leave the head

I don’t know about you but till very recently I ignored my body totally. I was mostly blaming it for not being this or that but never listened to what it had to say.

By tuning in to my body, I instantly leave my busy mind. I have realized that spending too much time in my head, wandering from one thing to another, was one of the main reasons why I felt overwhelmed and drained. Now I have this tool, which I can use anytime, instantly and it never let me down. Having tools to leave your head, calm the monkey mind and stop creating stories in your head is one of the healthiest ways of living. We spend so much time having paranoid fantasies (when you think you know what someone else thinks) so being able to stop the flow and pause is such a useful tool in between your therapy sessions.

Lower stress levels

Living in a fast-paced world, having to manage information overload and the downside of social media, stress is now a daily struggle. We need to find ways to reset our cortisol level (which stays in the body for 30minutes once there) so we can function properly. When you are stressed, your body is mobilizing for danger and some functions are shutting down (digestion, immune system,…). Letting the body in this state is not sustainable.

Often what stresses us out the most is that we constantly go from one thing to another. When you come on your mat, you focus on one thing, your practice. Whether it’s a moving one, breathwork or a meditation. Surely we cannot stop the mind, but we pause to create space in between our thoughts, allowing cortisol to drop.

So in short, Yoga is a way of continuing the work in a more gentle, less confronting way. I found it easy to be on high vibes after a session but life can quickly get in the way making it hard to stick to any new resolutions and easier to fall into bad thought patterns and behaviours. Because this is what we know and this feels safe. Having a yoga routine means that we have those pockets of RESET. Stepping on our mat is a daily reminder to connect with the body so we can rest, restore, rebalance, replenish and relax and keep learning about ourselves to make choices aligned with whom we want to be(come).