Seeing an animal that is resting completely relaxed and at ease always evokes images of contentment and health. We wish we could feel like this all the time.
The body is the repository of all stress, whether mental, emotional or physical. In our last post we looked at how this stress appears over time as bodily sensations, the visible, detectable aspect of energy. By working with sensation we can work with the mind and emotions in a non-mental manner helping to release that which prevents us from moving into balance and into that state of well being.
Yoga Therapy is an effective way of pushing through and dissolving energetic blocks. As these blocks are removed and possible new ones are perceived and resolved as situations appear, preventing them from getting stuck in the energetic body, balance is restored. The body begins to heal.
In Yoga Therapy the recipient who is completely passive, is guided by the giver/practitioner into a state of silent awareness and presence with sensations in the body. This quasi-trance allows the mind to rest while a witnessing Higher Self hones in on what it is the body is feeling.
As the body is guided into different poses, sensations begin to surface, or rather, one becomes aware of them. That which already existed but was not recognized now becomes the focus of attention. The longer the attention is held in that sensation, the more intense is the charge of energy.
Each sensation carries with it vibrational charges that are a result of unprocessed emotions. When focus is directed to that sensation, energy, which follows attention, begins to act upon the blocks that are creating it by dissolving them. The release of a blockage allows for the flow of energy to increase, rebalancing that area so that the feeling of discomfort, of dis-ease begins to disappear.
As with breathing, circulation, digestion and other “automatic” functions of the body, there is a higher wisdom within each one of us that guides the body back into balance.
Healing is natural for the body. Any cut or burn if unimpeded immediately begins to heal on its own. And so it is with disease. As with nature in general, the normal propensity of the body is to rebalance itself. The problem is that the mind stands in its way. In its incessant chatter are tendencies to distrust your own inner wisdom, insecurities that undermine this natural path to wholeness.
The ultimate objective of any self healing practice is to connect with the higher wisdom within allowing it to guide the flow of energy so as to rebalance the self. This is true of Yoga, Qigong and Tai Chi.
The advantage of Yoga Therapy is that it moves deeper into areas where established blocks prevent the receiver from holding a pose and feeling the sensation long enough so it begins to move. Our tendency is to avoid feelings of discomfort especially if they have the ability to elicit emotions that are unwelcome. So a sensation that is very uncomfortable would normally be circumvented in an individual practice. In Yoga Therapy that sensation is taken to an edge and held there, obliging one to be fully aware of it. This “mindful” presence is what ultimately heals.
While the understanding of the process is part of the equation, the actual realization of it is somewhat more complex. We have been programmed through years of scientific dogma to believe only in what can be proven through the known senses. When dealing with higher faculties such as intuition, we tend to distrust our own self. We stand in our own way of healing. By letting go of the mind, it becomes easier to tap into that inner wisdom, dropping mental barriers and addressing a problem created by the mind in a non-mental way.
Combining Yoga Therapy with a daily Healing Yoga practice allows us to maximize our self healing potential. Healing Yoga is a twofold process. In it we practice awareness to sensations in our body helping to release the energetic blocks that are causing them. This focused practice of awareness also helps us when we are off the mat to act in a conscious manner. Rather than simply reacting to daily experiences, we are able to choose how to respond to these triggers. This, in turn, stops other blocks from forming. Now we’re really moving towards a balanced, pain free and ease-full life.
Powerful! Thank you!!