“Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional and mental states.” ~Carol Welch
I am thinking about this topic as I lie on my yoga mat in my studio. It is 9 pm and I have the twinkly star lights on, which bath my creative room in a warm glow. I am following a yoga flow movement for the hips, an area of my body that is chronically tight from years of sitting. This nightly yoga routine has become a cherished ritual where I unwind, deep breathe, and move into a mind space where I can transition to sleep.
Over this last year, I practice yoga more regularly. I am not particularly flexible, although over time, as the muscle tension works out of my body, I can go a little deeper. I don’t have the body type that one might think of as a typical practitioner of yoga. I am heavier and curvier. Luckily, yoga can be done by everyone because it not only involves the poses that require the most flexibility and strength but also includes many gentle, small movements (as well as meditation and breathwork).
I have become particularly fond of somatic yoga. I was reading about the evolution of somatic yoga on the website of a yoga and meditation retreat located in Guatemala. Their blog post, “The Ultimate Guide: Five Things to Know about the History of Somatic Yoga,” discusses what modern somatic yoga entails: “Today’s practitioners utilize various innovative methods such as somatic experiencing, alignment-based yoga, and integrative body-mind training to promote health and well-being” (Deia, n.d.).
My favourite online somatic yoga teacher has a channel, Yoga by Rachel, which includes a series, The Seven Day Nervous System Reset. You can find her page here if you are interested in learning more: https://www.youtube.com/c/YogawithRachel
Yoga helps my mental health through releasing tension (both muscular and stress-related), lowering my stress response and promoting deep relaxation, encouraging me to be present, increasing my flexibility and strength, and addressing chronic pain areas. The movements are designed for the practitioner to go inward to become aware of body sensations and to listen to what the body is asking for in terms of movement and physical and emotional release.
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