The events of the last several years in this country have brought increased levels of anxiety and stress to all of us. Regardless of who you are and what you believe, you will likely be affected by what's happening politically, economically, and socially at both the national and local levels.
Our nervous system responds to real or perceived threats by shifting into what is known as the "fight-flight-freeze-collapse" response. The physical effects include increased heart rate, raised blood pressure, digestive issues, sleeplessness, or fatigue, depression, and much more. While this response of our nervous system may be appropriate if there is a real threat, we are often locked in those hyper-aroused or hypo-aroused states chronically. This can have detrimental effects to our physical, mental, and emotional health.
What is Resilience?
"Resilience is the capacity to quickly and effectively respond to stressors (internal and external, physical and psychological) as they arise, and return to a state of balance and clarity. Intentional movement of the body is important in creating greater resilience and yoga practice gives many options. The condition of the nervous system, the state of mind, and the optimization of the respiratory system are also essential." -Kristine Kaoverii Weber, founder of Subtle Yoga (www.subtleyoga.com)
Nervous system resilience is about moving out of the "fight-flight-freeze-collapse" mode and into the "rest and digest" mode, into greater balance. It's a healthier place for us to be, both short-term and long-term. When we are in balance, we are healthier physically, and we can better think, love, learn, be curious, reflect…be our personal best and also SERVE OTHERS.
The slow, mindful style of yoga that I offer supports nervous system resilience and is based on the ever-growing body of evidence of the effectiveness of movement, breath, and meditation on our physiological and mental health. Through regular practice, we can build skills that enable us to better recognize when we are in "fight-flight-freeze-collapse" and respond with self-compassion to shift us into a state of greater balance physically, physiologically, mentally, and emotionally.
Interested in building your resilience for our times?