By Rina Thibault

Scientists, engineers, and society believe humankind has successfully evolved and adapted to every situation they encounter. By looking at our technological advancements, especially in medicine and science, we have managed to cure diseases, give the ability of greater access to education and health to underdeveloped countries, and more. But there are still things that have not changed which are inherent in mankind. Violence, poverty, war, and famine cause external and internal stress on the environment, societies, and individuals. These can be traced all the way back to the beginning of the dawn of man. As a society, we’ve developed the physical tools to survive the external elements but not the internals; to live in peace, love, and harmony with oneself and others.

Yoga is becoming popular in Western society because it is seen as a tool to reduce the everyday stresses of life. Through conscious effort of practicing asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing), and meditation, it balances mind, body, and spirit; one can become closer with their divine, true self.

Westerners experience the effects of stress on one’s life: in mental and physical health. This is reciprocated in an increase of blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, ignorance, greed, and illusion. Society copes with these daily stresses by ignoring it and letting it dwell within to let it fruit into trees of depression and exhaustion or through medication, and in some cases it causes more harm than good.

Using yoga to reduce stress, through purification of breath, meditation, nourishment, and postures, one can maintain the balance of mental and physical health.

Pranayama, or breath control is one of the tools used in Yoga to help reduce stress. When one faces a stressful situation, several things occur to the breath. There is an inefficient use of the lungs, causing shallow high-chest breathing. This causes the bloodstream to not receive enough oxygen and be able to purify the lungs. Food is also not adequately burned in the body in order to provide energy, which in turn creates fatigue, headaches, and neurasthenia. Its adequacy is reduced and the muscles have to work harder to get oxygen pumped into the blood stream. This causes the muscles in the ribcage and back to tense up, causing the spine to slouch and collapse the lungs; which is a result in the inefficiency and faulty breathing.

There are many reasons why society resorts to such measures. We were never taught proper breathing. This in turn conditions us to lose awareness of our breathing because we allow ourselves to be distracted from bodily defects, social pressures and tensions.

In Pranayama breathing there is a conscious focus and concentration on the rate of breathing. By bringing awareness into the breath during meditation and yoga practice, it improves the flow of oxygen into the lungs. The attention turns inwards. The lungs receive a healthy supply of oxygen through inhalation and it flushes out the toxins in the lung tissues during exhalation. This allows an increase of oxygen to enter the bloodstream and into the mind. The increase reserves of oxygen calms and tones the nervous system, improves energy and health, and brings a present and clear state of mind to be able to handle stressful situations. It also exercises the lungs and respiratory muscles by improving thoracic mobility and broadens the chest, improves digestion, and massages abdominal viscera. It also creates healthful breathing habits. Through conscious training, it trains the thoracic, diaphragmatic, and abdominal muscles. It cleanses the sinuses, cells and nerve channels as well.

“Pranayama is one of the most important practices in all forms of Yoga. By practicing pranayama, the Yogi is able to control the nervous system and thereby obtains gradual control over prana or vital energy and the mind.” Swami Vishnu-devananda, The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga, page 228.

Pranayama breathing is used for moments of need such as energizing and dispelling anxiety or fear and boosting courage. It is also used as a technique in yoga of latent energies, as breathing therapy, and for the preparation for Yoga of meditation.

Through the focus and concentration of meditation or Dhyana, one can achieve a state of relaxation. Meditation in Yoga is a type of mental discipline where thoughts are suspended and the mind is quiet in order to bring the self into a deeper state of relaxation. A different perspective is gained, bringing more awareness to the stressful situation; giving one the ability to solve their problems in a more harmonious way.

Stress is considered a major killer in society because of its effects on the mental and physical health. The intuitive solution for people is to focus on the external forces to cope with its challenges. Our minds are focused on the emotions and we try to rationalize problems by letting our inner chatter and personal attachments to overcome our state of clarity on the mind. Our mind becomes fatigued and tense.

With Yoga practice, one tunes their attention inward, which brings a sense of balance and helps reduce stress. Eventually, through practice, the inner chatter is reduced, leaving the mind and consciousness clear. This in turn affects the nervous system and the physiological processes by calming, toning, and relaxing it. It also cultivates a sense of serenity.

The practice of meditation begins by seating oneself in stillness and closing the eyes for fifteen to twenty minutes each day. During the meditation practice, one sits back and observes the flow of thoughts; no attachment is involved. The mind becomes focused, relaxed, and clears out negative thoughts.

Eventually, this cultivation of clarity heals and cleanses the mind, frees it from the fight or flight stress. This can bring one closer to a true intuitive self and ultimate knowledge, which helps one solve their everyday stresses with compassion and understanding.

“In terms of the Raja Yoga of Patanjali, meditation means sense withdrawal (pratyahara) and concentration (dhyana), with the aim of triggering a super-conscious state (Samadhi), which is one of intuitive realization of the identity of the individual soul or spirit and the cosmic soul of spirit.” Hewitt, James, The Complete Yoga Book, page 377.

The benefits of meditation can produce major healing in the mind by bringing about mental poise and calmness, refining and clearing consciousness. The mind is more focused, and develops intuitive enlightenment. The effects of stress are not only seen through our breathing and actions, but also through our postures.

The physical component of Yoga is called asanas or posturing. As the name indicates, the practice consists of the individual to hold a series of poses and bringing our attention inwards; listening to our body and silencing our mind. By focusing on our body, especially how our muscles react and feel, we can come to understand its damages and learn to correct those using appropriate asanas.

“There is not a single asana that is not intended directly or indirectly to quiet the mind.” Dr. Theos Bernard, The Complete Yoga Book, page 19.

By fostering an asana practice it also helps prepare the body for a mental and spiritual process. Because our society is busy with social life, work, food, entertainment, and sports, we have a hard time to relax. This has led us to lose sight of bringing awareness to our bodies. We end up using more energy to keep our muscles in continual readiness for work than needed.

“Even while resting, the average person expends much energy through needless physical and mental tension. Thus, most of the body’s energy is wasted.” Swami Vishnu-devananda, The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga, page xiii.

The benefits of posturing help alleviate stress on the spine’s discs and the body’s joints. The spinal column and muscles become strengthened and stretched which relieves the bodily tensions and toxins that are stored. This increases flexibility, strength, and poise, helping it to heal and cleanse itself. The release of muscular tension and constraints leads to improved stress management and a feeling of vitality. The reason being, as mentioned in the last paragraph is, society focuses their attention on the outward forces of stress. This in turn results in tension in the muscles, breathing becomes inefficient, and cultivates poor posture and headaches; an overall deteriorating health.

The rewards from asanas are: attainment of steadiness in body and mind, a feeling of lightness, improvement of health and suppleness, increase psycho-physical prose, benefits the nerves, glands, vital organs, and musculature system, evokes tranquility, psychic strength and lucidity of consciousness.

Stress and tension is stored within our body; mentally, physically, and spiritually. There are many ways we store and spend energy besides muscular movement; it is through muscular tension, emotions, mental fatigue, and keeping the muscles in continual readiness. The body is the temple of the spirit and it must be taken care of through listening, caring, understanding, and patience.

References

Hewitt, James, The Complete Yoga Book, Schocken Books Inc., New York, 1977.

Swami Vishnu-Devananda, The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga, Three Rivers Press, New York, 1988.

Rina Thibault is currently a Yoga teacher intern, who resides in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.