Mindbody

It's one of those things that we all know intuitively, but never talk about. The mind-body connection.

I've recently taken up Bikram Yoga, a rather challenging form of yoga which involves 26 postures to be completed in a room heated to roughly 42 degrees or 107 Fahrenheit. One of the final poses is, I find, the most challenging. It's a very simple back bend, done while standing on your knees. It's designed to open the chest and the heart chakra. They call it the Camel. I call it my nemesis. It occurs roughly 80 minutes into the class, and it's known to trigger the 'fight or flight' response.

The first time I did that posture I cried. Just a few tears, but it was shocking enough. The second time I did it I felt like I was going to throw up, and as I pushed through it, a tingling sensation crept over my whole chest - a very strange sensation I can't describe accurately. I have done this pose now over a dozen times with varying results. The tingling one being the most common side-effect.

The last time I did it, however, was interesting to me, because the minute the instructor announced Camel to be the next posture, the tingling sensation began. I hadn't even done the posture. The very thought of this next posture invoked the same reaction in my body as if I had actually done it.

It reminded me of a recent study of brain development I read about - people who visualized themselves playing chess, or doing complicated math equations formed the same neural pathways as the people who were actually doing those things. What does this mean?

Could I do my yoga asanas (postures) entirely in my mind with the same benefits? No, probably not... BUT it does serve as a powerful reminder of just how connected the brain and the body are.

Those of us who are stressed out all the time aren't doing ourselves (or our bodies) any favours. As we continue to repress, internalize and deny ourselves our emotions, all we're doing is forcing them to retreat somewhere into the body where they become ulcers, or fat deposits, or tumors.

So let's visualize ourselves completely relaxed, calm and able to take on the day's stresses in stride. And I'll work on visualizing myself getting through that damned Camel posture.

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UPDATE: Just finished what I would easily consider my BEST yoga class EVER. Not only did I do Camel... I did it further and with more ease than I ever thought possible. The trick? I saw myself doing it with ease just seconds before I actually did it. I always say the proof is in the pudding... (because I love handy cliches) and boy was there ever good puddin' today.