Stress is our natural response to life’s changes and challenges. Stress itself is not unhealthy. But staying in the stress response without pause is unhealthy. Where we hold tension in our muscles and our mind, and how quickly we release it, determines what happens in our body. Over time we each develop an individual stress response; our own personal pattern of holding onto tension that determines how much energy we have and how healthy we stay.
Effective Breathing
Throughout the day, notice your breathing pattern and where you hold tension in your body. Do you hold your breath when thinking? When listening? When performing certain tasks? Do you lift your shoulders, clench your teeth or tighten your stomach? These are all part of your personal stress response pattern. Being aware of your stress response is key to beginning to change unhealthy patterns and becoming calmer, happier, more successful.
The various breathing techniques we use in Kundalini Yoga strengthen our nervous system and balance the functioning of our glandular system. These two systems are key to our stress response. Making them strong through proper breathing breaks previous patterns of tension and builds a healthy stress response. For example, by breathing from the abdomen we develop a deeper relationship with the core of the body, bringing greater confidence and calmness. Breath is our direct link to our spirit, mood and energy.
Effective Body Movement
What makes Kundalini Yoga more effective for stress reduction than, say, 20 minutes on a machine at the gym? While most forms of exercise will reduce stress, Kundalini Yoga provides a complete system of effective movement for the body. It is uniquely suited to reducing stress because of its positive effects on the glands and nerves.
The movements of Kundalini Yoga, set in specified sequences of exercises (Kriya), directly release the muscle and breath tension patterns we have built up over time. Even sweating during practice is different to other forms of exercise because it is a result of a deep glandular experience, not just the body’s response to exertion.
With a regular practice of Kundalini Yoga and the unique combination of breath, meditation and movement that comes with it, we can reverse the ill effects of long-term stress and create an internal biochemistry of calm, inner balance, and depth of self.
Alison Strawford teaches Yoga and Meditation in the form of classes, workshops and one to one sessions. She loves helping her students grow more comfortable and confident in themselves as they learn these uplifting and life enhancing practices and discover their own true potential.