Lisa Rapaport  4 MIN READ

People who get to do yoga at work may be less stressed out than their peers who don’t, a research review suggests. 
People practice Yoga on International Yoga Day in a port of Tel Aviv, Israel, June 21, 2018. REUTERS/Corinna KernAt any given time, as many as one in six working people suffer from stress and other symptoms related to mental illness, researchers note in Occupational Medicine. Yoga is one of many approaches a growing number of employers are using to combat stress and improve workers’ mental health, but research to date has offered a mixed picture of how well these efforts are working. 
For the current study, researchers examined data from 13 trials with about 1,300 participants. Some workers in these trials were randomly assigned to participate in workplace yoga programs while others were not. 
Yoga didn’t appear to influence heart health, but workplace yoga did have a positive effect on mental health and in stress reduction in particular. 
“Yoga at work could be one of the chosen programs to reduce stress levels, and usually requires low investment, with minimal equipment,” said lead study author Laura Maria Puerto Valencia of the Bavarian Health and Food and Safety Authority in Munich, Germany. 
It’s hard to say, however, how much the yoga itself is responsible rather than the workplace culture at companies that were willing to give workplace yoga a try, said Puerto Valencia said by email. 
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“Usually a company that allowed or planned a randomized controlled trial of yoga at work is interested in reducing stress levels, increasing job satisfaction and productivity; in consequence, it could be a place with a lower stress environment (compared to) other companies in general,” Puerto Valencia said. 
Still, more companies are expanding their approach to occupational health to include not just efforts to avoid accidents and injuries but also services to promote mental health as well as good eating and exercise habits. And the results should encourage companies to include yoga as part of their approach to workplace wellness, the study team concludes. 
Mind-body medicine can include a range of health practices that combine efforts to focus the mind, control breathing and move the body in ways that promote relaxation. Yoga is often a component of this approach to wellness. Regular yoga practice has long been linked to better sleep, lower blood pressure, and improvements in mobility and flexibility. 
However, the study wasn’t a controlled experiment designed to prove how yoga might directly alter stress levels. Researchers also didn’t calculate the magnitude of stress reduction caused by yoga across all of the smaller studies included in the analysis. 
“The take-home message seems to be that yoga is a good practice in the workplace as a means of reducing stress,” said Stacy Hunter, a researcher at Texas State University in San Marcos who wasn’t involved in the study. 
Workers who don’t get yoga on the job can still find a way to practice, Hunter said by email. 
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“Even if yoga classes aren’t provided in the workplace, simple pranayama (yogic breathing) techniques can be practiced at a desk in a cubicle or an office,” Hunter advised. “While most studies in this review included yoga postures, slow, deep, yogic breathing has also shown to elicit a relaxation response which could contribute to a reduction in stress in the workplace.” 
SOURCE: bit.ly/2VrU8RQ Occupational Medicine, online March 14, 2019.
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

By Sonali Bansal
“So, spine is one dimension of you, which determines which direction you go. How your spine is functioning; how the energies in your spine are functioning right now determines almost everything about where you go.” ~ Sadhguru
The seat of major energy meridians, chakras and neurons, the Spinal cord defines the quality of our lives. In a mother’s womb, the spine is the first thing that is formed and then the body, limbs etc takes root.
From a physical point of view the spinal column is an important channel for all the bodily stimuli that are transferred via the nerves to the brain. It is part of our central nervous system along with the brain. But also on a spiritual level, the spine is the source of all our energy. It is where the three major energy channels or nadis in our body lie.
Starting from the base of the spine, the Ida and Pingala nadis move in spirals like the DNA helix, crossing at each chakra or energy portal. The third nadi, Sushumna is the central channel of energy in the human body that runs from the base of the spine to the crown of the head and carries Kundalini energy, the primal evolutionary force within.
The seven major chakras, on the other hand, are located at the intersection of the Ida, Pingala and Sushumna. These chakras are further responsible for our relationship to ourselves, others, defines our spiritual growth, our nature, thoughts and so on.
Spine is referred to as Meru Danda in Sanskrit, where Meru also means the sacred mountain Meru from the Hindu Mythology, which was considered to be the axis of the Earth having an entire solar system revolving around it. In other words, spine is the axis for the human body, which acts as a connecting link between Earth and the heaven.
According to Hindu mythology once gods and demon wanted to extract nectar of immortality or ‘amrita’ and so they gathered near Mount Meru and started pulling the serpent coiled around Mount Meru back and forth. Thus churning the ocean of life to bring out the nectar of immortality. According to the Vedas our spine is like Mount Meru and when churned, the nectar of immortality and bliss, in terms of a disease free & a blissful life can be extracted.

The Sacrum – The center of gravity
The spine has five different parts, cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum and coccyx, out of this the most significant one is the sacrum. It lies at the base of the spine and joins the upper and lower halves of the body. Judith Harris in her book, ‘Jung and yoga: The psyche body connection’ said, “The center of gravity is located at the top of the sacrum, which thus makes sacrum the focal point of our relationship to the ground, to the body, and to our human reality. “
As the gravity passes through our body from the head to the knees and the feet, sacrum acts as a pivotal center for the flow of energy in opposite directions. Harris added, “Gravity will draw feet into the floor, giving us the anchor that we need to live in the world” yet it is “counteracted by the tendency of living things to expand and grow upward toward the sun.”
In Hatha yoga, sacrum is considered a sacred bone, because it literally connects the lower half of our body to the upper half. It is seen as a place of transformation, where the union of upper and lower, of above and below, of the divine and the human occurs.
The fact that most of us are suffering from lower back pain is because of neglecting this area and being disconnected with the center of ourselves. Here is a simple spinal meditation to keep your spine healthy and free of blockages with healthy wiring and firing of neuron transmissions.
Meditation also requires us to keep our spine straight and in line with the head and neck, to experience the goals, set at the start of a meditation. Therefore, ensuring a proper posture for uninterrupted flow of the Prana in our body is a must.

Activating the Spine with Meditation
You’re only as old as your spine is flexible.” ~ Joseph Pilates. This holds true in its entirety, as our age is not defined by the number of years we have spent on the material plane, but it is based on the wear and tear of the various organs of the body, the ability of our cell to regenerate and keep us supple and flexible.
With the help of yoga and meditation, the age process can be reversed. Like the five Tibetan rites result in youthfulness and longevity, spine meditation can lead to a healthy and a balanced life with an unrestricted flow of Prana in our system.

Here’s a step-by-step procedure to start Spine meditation

Step 1: Sit comfortably on a chair or on the floor in an easy pose, with your back erect and preferably away from the wall. Bring your hands in Meru Mudra, fold all your fingers towards your palm, while keeping just your thumb straight, pointing towards the sky in a thumb’s up position. Now, rest the hands on your thigh and stay here for a while.

Step 2: Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath. Feel the breath touching the tips of your nostrils, passing through the nasal passages to the lungs, diaphragm, abdomen and all the way out.

Step 3: Gradually move your awareness to the spine and visualize it. The long structure with curves and vertebrae, the spine will be easily visible in its perfect form. Look at your spine as an observer and gently move your awareness up and down, analyzing the curves of the spinal column.

Step 4: As you move your awareness in the spine, acknowledge a thread or the silver cord in the center of the spine, running from the base of the spine to its tip. This cord is the sutratma or the thread of life, which connects us to our higher self, reaching us in our physical body. Also, it connects all our bodies together, starting from the physical body to the ethereal body to the astral body, so on and so forth.

​Step 5: Keep visualizing this silver thread and feel it lighting, which further fills your entire body with a new upsurge of energy. The silver cord removes any blockages in your spine from the light emitting from it as it heals all obstructions in the free flow of the prana or the life force, leaving you energized and recharged.
Keep at the meditation for as long as you want and recharge yourself completely. With regular practice, visualizing the spine, the silver cord and the light would become easier and quicker.
The spine is the axis on which the human body revolves. Keeping your axis supple, healthy, flexible and hydrated will reap long-term benefits both materially and metaphysically. But its important to keep a good posture and practice this meditation as and when you can.

So, what are the benefits of practicing yoga in the workplace?
10 Benefits of Yoga in the Workplace

1. Reduce Stress: It’s no secret that work can be stressful, and yoga is the perfect antidote. Stress alone leads to changes in mood, poor performance, and anxiety. Looking for ways to reduce employee stress so they can be more productive, have more positive interactions with coworkers, and stay focused pays off for organizations.
2. Increase Focus: By combining movement and breath, your yoga practice does not allow for a wandering mind. By being present “in the moment” you’ll learn to control your mind so you can focus on the task at hand. A vitally useful skill to have in a fast-paced workplace where multitasking is a way of life.
3. Boost Immunity: Yoga activates your immune system, gets your blood flowing and stimulates your lymphatic system. Yoga also supports healthy bones through weight-bearing exercises. That’s a lot of health benefits that lead to less sick days and higher performance amongst employees.
4. Improve Posture: Sitting all day wreaks havoc on your posture and the natural curves of the spine slowly start to reverse as you hunch over your computer desk (lucky for us we all have standing desks). A huge benefit of yoga is finding the natural curves of the spine by lengthening the sides of the waist, tilting the pelvis and broadening the back body. Yoga also stretches major muscles groups and increases joint mobility to prevent joint aches and stiffness.
5. Increase Confidence: When you are confident in your body, it bleeds over to other areas of your life. Yoga increases body confidence by showing you just how strong and nimble you can be. The poses are designed to increase flexibility while building muscle strength and oftentimes cardiovascular health. Small changes lead to major results and soon your confidence in your body’s ability is skyrocketing.
6. Boost Morale: Who doesn’t love having fun activities offered at work? Getting to try a yoga class for free, while bonding with your co-workers is a benefit that far exceeds the hour spent in the room together.
7. Improve Digestion: Stress and anxiety, sitting all day and not moving around enough, mindlessly eating at your desk or on the fly, all cause digestive distress but many yoga postures aid in digestion. Stress reduction can decrease acidity, heartburn, and indigestion. Deep leg folds and twists can turn on your digestive fire, aid in detoxification, and wring out any toxins stored in the intestines. Once your digestion is back on track, you’ll be able to tune into those gut feelings in your second brain (the gut) to help aid you in making important decisions at work and in life.
8. Increase Energy: Exercise has been proven to increase your energy. It’s easy to become sedentary when trying to balance out the demands of work and family life but it’s actually counter-productive. The less active you are, the quicker you fatigue and the less energy you’ll have to tackle everything. Taking the time to focus on yourself, even for a short period of time, is just the boost you need to tackle the rest of your day with vigor.
9. Improve Breathing: Yoga supports you to bring awareness to your breathing. When you are not breathing fully, and shortening your breath, it depletes your energy and can make you feel light-headed and sluggish because your vital organs (think brain) are not getting the oxygen they need. Yoga teaches you how to breathe deeply and use your breath to relax or energize your system, as needed.
10. Increase Flexibility: By increasing flexibility in your body, you also learn how to increase flexibility in other key areas of your life. Suddenly the things that you were feeling rigid about, are not as important anymore. Learning how to go with the flow helps to decrease stress and anxiety and helps you roll with the punches in an ever-changing work environment.

Learn about even more benefits of workplace yoga in this Gaia post.

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Tony Crisp, Prevent Disease | Are you the same person now that you were fifteen years ago? In fact, are you the same person you were just seven years ago? Most of us have heard the old saying that every cell in the body is changed over a period of seven years; but recent investigation has uncovered facts of far more significance to us as human beings. This concerns the emotional, physical and mental changes that seem to occur in approximate seven-year intervals. Of course there are no fixed boundaries and so one may achieve these levels of maturity at any period of our life. so what follows are simply the general changes you may find.

Rudolph Steiner, the great teacher of Anthroposophy said that the seven-year cycles continue throughout life, and are of the utmost importance to doctors, teachers, psychiatrists and the social sciences. Without some smattering of these changes it is difficult for anyone to understand the relationship of any given individual with his or her environment. So I have tried to summarise what Steiner and others have said about the cycles.
Before the definition is started, I feel it is important to say that as humans, in fact as any life form, we are creatures of great polarities. Or as the philosopher Erwin Goodenough said, “A book on love, loyalty or justice would gain little but pedantry by starting out with a concise definition of the term. Only as we describe the various conflicting elements associated with such words can we finally arrive at a meaning that includes these complexities; for important matters we understand, not as we simplify, but as we tolerate the paradoxical.”
One of the great paradoxes of our lives are that we constantly go through such enormous such massive changes every day. Daily we pass through an extraordinary change that we often take so much for granted we miss the wonder of it. The change occurs between sleeping and waking. For most of us being awake is when we most fully feel ourselves. Compared with this sleeping is a period during which we lose any focused awareness of being an individual, and we sink into what is generally called unconsciousness — the lack of personal awareness.
This swing between waking and sleeping can be seen as the extremes within the possibilities of our experience. Sleeping and waking are the polarities, the North and South Poles of what we can confront. In quite a real sense we can say there is nothing beyond what is included in those polarities. But there is an enormous difference between waking experience and the experience of dreamless sleep. Yes, one can have an experience of what is considered deep unconsciousness. In waking we have a sensation of time, of being in a locality, of separateness and even isolation. But at the other end of that polarity we have a sense of timelessness and non-locality. What was a sense of self merges into an ocean of awareness. 

0-7 years; One of the most important of these cycles is the first, from birth to seven years of age. Its importance lies in the fact that it is the beginning of everything, the foundation upon which the later structure will be built. Birth gives individual life to an infant body. Even at birth, this small being already has its given potential of intelligence, creativity and personality. But this potential has to come to terms with its environment, which includes its own body. In a human being we cannot have awareness without consciousness; we cannot have thinking without the tools of thought such as language, concepts or ideas. So during our early years we are largely moved by the instincts of hunger, need for love, protection and support, along with pain and the impact of our environment. All this while we build up the inner, mental structures that in later years will allow us to think, to feel, and to be aware of ourselves as an individual.
One of the most important of these inputs is that of the unconscious behavioural responses we learn. From the moment you are born, perhaps even prior to that, you are learning, or there are pressed upon you, responses to what you are experiencing. The culture you are born into is a huge ready-made set of behavioural responses. For instance, an Australian aborigine would easily respond to a huge living grub/caterpillar by eating it. This would be a very difficult behavioural response for most Northern Europeans or Americans. As babies we learnt everything from whether you respond to opportunity with fear or eagerness; to love with fear of warmth; to food as a glutton or with healthy appetite.

At birth there is a very different physical and glandular system than in later years. For a start the sexual organs have not developed, meaning responses to sex and sensation are very global. Also the thymus is very large and in later years becomes smaller. It has been said this, in these early years, gives the child a very primitive response to truth, right and wrong, and what later become moral codes. So the child only slowly develops any real sense of social morality.
But something so mysterious happens to us during this first seven years that once done it can never be undone. The Roman Catholic Church recognizes this by saying that if they can have the first seven years of a child’s life, that is all they need to insure a lifelong influence. Napoleon also observed that as the twig is bent, so the tree will grow. This is borne out by seeing the cases of children who have been lost and brought up by animals during these formative years. Even with the best tuition they never learn to become a self aware personality as we know it. Time is a mystery to them, and even though their brain size and function is normal, they never approach the usual capabilities that education gives to modern women and men.
So, in the first cycle we pass through an incredible process of learning. This includes motor movements, speech, relationship to ourselves and to our environment. And that means learning a vast amount about what is useful, entertaining or harmful; about what responses we get from others, and developing habits of response that may be difficult to change in later years. We learn a sense of personal awareness and move toward becoming an individual. In other words, we learn to say “I” and know what we mean.
The learning of language is like a powerful computer program that gives us the ability to develop an identity and self awareness. This is shown again by children reared by animals. Language also adds limitations which we can overcome if we recognise them.
Steiner also says that during this first stage of development the developing inner forces are working to transform the body of the child from one that was inherited from the parents, to one that represents the full personality of the child. 
Something often overlooked about the stages of growth are ones emotional age.
From age zero we are completely dependent upon the loved person for our needs, physical, emotional and social. Great anger, jealousy or pain are felt if the loved one relates to anyone else, is lost, or threatens to leave. If we do not mature beyond this emotional age, in adulthood this enormous feeling reaction may also be felt at a time of emotional withdrawal of the partner, even if there is no sign of them withdrawing physically. In the infant and toddler there is a desire for unconditional love and a need to be always with the loved one. In an adult with this level of love, sex may be a part of the relationship, but the main need is a bonded connection. This is sometimes felt as a need to have the loved person want you as much, or as desperately, as you want/need them. Possibly the greatest fear, one that can trigger great anger or an enormous desire to placate or earn love, is the threat or fear of being abandoned. 

7-14 years; The second cycle, from seven to fourteen, continues this growth. The concepts and association of ideas and emotions that began in the first cycle begin to be discovered by the child. The physical changes also prepare the growing personality for the next stage. The thymus gland decreases rapidly in size, allowing the development of a sense of right and wrong, and social responsibility. A sign of this physical and psychological growth is the losing of the milk teeth and the emergence of our adult teeth. This marks an entrance into a new maturity.
The child has learned, with the advent of its concepts and developing emotions, to create an inner world of its own. It is a world of heroes, danger and vivid imagination. As the thymus fades, and the sexual organs develop, the personality glides into the turbulent world of puberty and adolescence.
Sometimes it is already evident, even from the preceding cycle, the direction of interest and activity the child will take in maturity. Although for the very observant this might be seen in very early years, it becomes more evident as one approaches puberty.
In all a time of inner expansion. You begin to experience and test abilities in the broader sense of the outside world. You may learn to share and interact, controlling earlier instincts in favour of group dynamics. The habits learned in the first period are now part of the character of the growing child.

14-21 years; This is the third cycle, from fourteen to twenty-one. During it we become conscious of ourselves in a new way, and with a different relationship to life. One might say we become “self conscious.” The emotional range expands in all directions, and with this a new appreciation of music, art, literature and people begins. It is found for instance that at puberty the ability to distinguish subtler tones of colour and sound develops. Besides this the person might go through the difficult struggle of breaking away from home life and/or parental influence. It naturally produces conflict as the person learns some degree of independence. Also, the opposite sex, or sex as a urgent impulse, usually becomes all important as the new emotions pour in upon our personality. 
Because of the new range of feelings, many youths experience a different relationship to religion and life’s mysteries. All this, as one approaches twenty-one, produces an individual with some sense of social and individual responsibility, or if not that the beginning or a sense of a direction or life purpose. This might not be recognised as such at the time. But it is a time of searching for life purpose, independence, a realization of choices plus a testing of social and personal limitations as well as an awareness of a burgeoning sexuality. As this is a traumatic period of life for most of us, it is also likely to be a time of many unforgettable dreams.
The period is a time of adding maturity, dignity and poise to the person. If these changes have not occurred by twenty-one, then the person has in some way not covered necessary aspects of development, and both psychology and the law recognises that they are lacking maturity.
This period is one of great and sweeping changes, physically, emotionally, morally and mentally. Such enormous changes often do not occur without an experience of loss. In this case the world of childhood is fading, or it might even be torn away, leaving scars.
It is also a time when many new features of the personality have their beginning, i.e. the religious sense, appreciation of the beautiful, etc. Although such things have their beginnings here, they sometimes remain undeveloped until later years. Because of these changes, and because such a lot is being revealed in these years, it is obvious why so much thought should be given to early marriage. Because of one’s changing viewpoint, the particular partner one would choose at seventeen or eighteen, is likely to be different to the partner chosen at twenty-one and beyond.
The emotional development at this age is possibly seen as initial uncertainty or clumsiness concerning emotional and sexual contact. It often involves desire to explore many relationships, unless there are forces of introversion or personal and social uncertainty at work. We are still finding out what our boundaries and needs are, and the sexual drive as at full flood.. Any partner we have at this time may be loved for ones own needs – rather than out of recognition of who the other person is. Great romantic feelings and spontaneous love which are often difficult to maintain in face of difficulties. 

21-28 years; The cycle that follows from twenty-one to twenty-eight, can more or less be called a process of enlargement and refinement. It is the period that we mentally and emotionally enter into adulthood. We start to build the foundations of our careers and intimate relationships with a driving energy that we hope will gain us entry and respect in the larger world.
One of the most marked features is the developing sense of discrimination. The faculties of insight, intuition, judgement and understanding begin to come to the fore. The personality softens and begins to mellow. The sparks of interest that were awakened in the previous cycles begin to be developed along more definite lines. The abilities of the last cycle also flourish. The adult emotional age may begin to emerges if one has successfully grown through the previous levels. This shows as a growing sense of recognizing needs of one's partner yet not denying ones own. It is followed by an ability to be something for the partners sake without losing ones own independence or will. One becomes more aware of the issues that colour or influence relationship, and meeting them in cooperation with others. Independence and connection can appear together instead of opposite ends of a spectrum. You move toward becoming caring sexual partners through discovering each others needs and vulnerability.
In this period you will begin to confront the issue that you were either born with, or arose through the challenges and pains of your infancy and childhood. These usually show as the way you handle intimate relationships, whether you can really meet in partnership with the opposite sex, and how you respond to the external world, its challenges and opportunities.
At this time what is revealed may not be addressed as a personal problem or issues to be healed or re-evaluated. They will be faced more directly later if they are not dealt with now.

28-35 years; The changes become more subtle as the years pass. The next cycle from twenty eight to thirty-five, for instance, is one where the creative process of mind becomes most active. Researchers and inventors seem to make their greatest advances during these years. It is interesting to note that physical science finds evidence of the reason for this in the fact that the association centres of the brain come to their peak efficiency at about thirty-five years of age.
This is even more interesting when we see that most of the great religious teachers and philosophers came to some vital experience at thirty-five. Jesus, Buddha, Paul, Dante and Jacob Behmen were all in the region of thirty-five at the point of their greatest insights. It would seem then, that if there is an inspirational influence at work in the life, it would possibly reach its peak during these years in and around thirty-five.
Here we take stock of ourselves and the emotional influences that have shaped our personality. We begin to determine what is us and what traits we have been pressured by family, peers or society to adopt.

35-42 years; From the thirty-fifth to the forty-second year, depending upon one’s personality and what one’s circumstances allow, one begins to feel a new restlessness. In some degree a desire to share whatever one has gained through life with others comes to the surface. Thus we find many successful business men building libraries, or aiding colleges and the arts at this period in their life. What has been developed or realized can be taken to greater subtlety during this period. This is almost like unfolding something, perhaps similar to the way a flower unfolds a bud that has been developing in earlier phases of its growth.
This is when we reassess the results of what we are doing externally in our life. Our relationships, careers, habits and the ways we interact are all put under scrutiny and modified or changed. It’s a time of facing up to what does and what doesn’t satisfy us.You may reach heights or realization and creativity not touched previously. The profound breakthrough of ones innate genius that emerges around this time will no doubt be expressed in some degree. However, whatever is attained or realized will be enlarged and synthesized in later periods.

42-49 years; In the next cycle from forty-two until forty-nine a major change usually takes place. It is as if one takes all of one’s life experience up till this age and begins to digest it, and extract from it new ideals and a new direction in life. There is often tremendous unrest in this period and that following it. The un-lived aspects of life cry out to be recognized and allowed. The desire to make a mark in life if it has not already been achieved presses for action here.
At this point it appears to many of us that we have reached the mid point of our life and from here on there will be a decline. Even if this is not so it is often felt very strongly and acted upon in one way of another. People change partners, life directions, and even attempt major personal changes, although these latter may have begun in the last cycle.
Also, the emotional age and the maturing of love may at last show signs of an unconditional love. If this is not appearing in small degree, it might be one is still locked in earlier ages. Strangely, many of us maintain the emotional age of a child right into mature years, feeling all the fear of abandonment, jealousy and possessiveness of our childhood. Many divorces and new directions appear around this period.
In these years we move from old stereotypical roles with a new found confidence in our individuality. We are prepared to please our self, rather than society and gain a real understanding of our uniqueness, accompanied by a sense of urgency to express our true self before it gets too late.

I put the following dreams in to illustrate some of what is met in this and perhaps the next period.
“Last night I had a dream which shook me somewhat, and I wonder what you make of it. I am a mature 40 year -old, don’t normally dream, and am not unduly fanciful, but this dream has really shaken me. It felt like death. In the dream, my husband and I are at some sort of social club. The people there are ex-workmates of mine and I am having a wonderful time and am very popular. My husband is enjoying my enjoyment. Then he and I are traveling down a country lane in an open horse-drawn carriage. It is very dark and is in the area we used to live in. We come to a bridge, and as we arrive at the brow of the bridge a voice says, ‘Fair lady, come to me.’ My body is suddenly lying flat and starts to rise. I float and everything is black, warm and peaceful. Then great fear comes over me and I cry out my husband’s name over and over. I get colder and slip in and out of the blackness. Then I start to wake up. It takes a tremendous effort, as my body is very heavy. I am extremely cold and absolutely terrified, with a feeling of horror. There seems to be something evil here. I force myself to get up in the dark and go downstairs. Even with the light on I feel the presence of great evil.”
The first part of this woman’s dream and what she says of herself shows her as an outgoing person, with a happy disposition. She likes people, and they like her; she is probably good looking, and healthy. She feels herself successful at what she has worked, and has left having acquired friends. The relationship she has with her husband is also depicted as one in which pleasure can be allowed within caring independence. Her dream image of herself is therefore created out of her own confidence. Dreams frequently summarise the quality of ones life and the ‘story so far’ in their first scene.
The second scene is made up of several parts – the journey, the woman’s relationship with her husband, the force of nature symbolised by the horses and the countryside, and the unknown seen as the bridge and the voice. To understand what this reveals of the dreamer, look at the vital clues: what she has said about herself and what she felt in the dream. If you strip away images to see what attitudes or emotions are exposed, you can see the forces behind the dream plot. The most poignant statement she makes is in saying, “It felt like death.”
If we consider the central image of the dream, the hump-backed bridge, in relation to what she says about her age, the feelings of death’s approach make sense. When you approach a hump-backed bridge you climb, but at the very brow, the descent begins. Isn’t that a powerful symbol of life? In our younger years our strength, sexuality and ability to meet life with resourcefulness and independence increase, until middle age, when the decline sets in. You cross over – as this woman crosses the bridge – from one type of experience or view of life to another. The passage of time is seen here as the horses pulling her carriage inexorably towards the change.
But the dream’s beauty, its depth and drama, are in the voice, and in the discovery of how death ‘feels’. They tell us something about women’s inner lives, PLURAL. They reveal how, in her prime, a woman confronts change and the view of death in a way few men do. “Fair lady” the voice of change calls, “come to me.” And it beckons the dreamer towards a hefty mid-life crisis, asking her to exchange her sexual peak, her firm body, her fertility, for the different perspective of post-menopause.
Many women – men too of course – gain their sense of value as a person from their ‘attractiveness’. Losing whatever it is that makes them sexually desirable and socially popular – or fearing that they are losing it – will lead to a significant change in their way of life and their feelings about themselves. This is what makes the dreamer call for her husband. This is what produces the feeling of isolation and terror. A woman needs reassurance and love at this point in her life. She may behave indecisively and deflect the advances of her man through a lack of self-esteem.
Fortunately the human personality is resilient. Even though we are reared to identify ourselves with what our body looks like, what it can do, what sex it is, what age it is, and how others react to it, we CAN grow to mature independence without constant reassurance.
Some people create these nocturnal horror movies when leaving school or sitting exams. But middle age is just another phase of life, with as much potential for growth and love as any other phase – and as much room for failure. This woman fears what she imagines middle age will do to her. The dream isn’t an intuition of her future.

Here is a dream from a man in the same age period.
I recently reached my fortieth birthday and dreamt I was walking uphill. It was quite tough going. When I got to the top I saw the road on the other side was very steep. I felt frightened of going down it. I looked around and saw that the top of the hill stretched away on each side, so there was plenty of space, like a plateau. I realise that I can walk around and there is no hurry to go down the hill. – John H. London.
I commented on this dream by saying that before you actually got to middle age you obviously had the idea that it leads directly to a fast decline – going down hill. Your dream corrects this by showing that in fact you have worked hard to climb to a plateau of ability and possibilities that you can now explore. Each portion of life has its rewards, and in fact you depict this period of your life as more relaxed than the first half.
To balance this view a little, if there are still past difficulties to be faced, these will certainly present themselves. But a drive in many people is in some way to actualise themselves, to express themselves in a satisfying way. If we use the analogy of a plant, it is as if they have grown and reached full stature, but for some reason have not flowered and spread seeds. They have not produced fruit.
There is no one way in which people feel or seek this fruition prior to death. But it does become an imperative for many. It may involve receiving or giving love. It might be a need for expressing in one of the arts, or simply in breaking away from habits and roaming the world. The next dream illustrates this theme.
I flew over a farmyard and a large pig saw me and began to chase me as a dog might, but with the sense that he/she wanted to eat me. She chased me snapping and leaping into the air trying to ‘get’ me. I felt a bit apprehensive at times that she would get my leg. This lowered my confidence in flying and I began to worry about altitude, and flew over a barbed wire fence and the pig and her young could not follow. I flew low over small trees that were just coming into leaf. They were beautiful soft green leaves. I knew it was autumn and the leaves were only just coming out because it had been a cloudy, overcast summer. I felt the leaves would have time to mature because the sun would be out in the autumn, and the trees would not die.
The dreamer was in his fifties at the time of the dream, and had distinct feelings of something missing from his life. He felt very clearly that the late autumn expressed how he felt, that the best of his life, his fruition had not yet occurred. This was because ‘it had been a cloudy, overcast summer.’ By this he meant his life had so many difficulties, he had not had a chance to ‘flower’. But the dream promised there was still time. In fact ‘he actualised’ so much from there on.

And here is another dream example showing the same thing.
I am in a bicycle race with many other people. I came to a very long hill. It is difficult and I have to push my bicycle. It takes me until midday. When at the top I meet a lot of family. Then I cycle on, realising that because the road is flat, I can go much further before nightfall than I covered in the morning.
The man was in his late forties at the time of the dream. It shows him feeling as if the first half of his life has been a long difficult climb. His assessment or intuition of the second half of his life is that it will achieve much more, or cover more ground and he will have more human and warm relationships, represented by his family. The bicycle represents his personal efforts to deal with life and his place in the human race; and as it suggests, he can go much further before nightfall – death – than he achieved in the morning of his life.

49-56 years; In this, and the next cycle from forty-nine to fifty-six, and the periods that follow, the physical changes bring about a mental or spiritual climax. The decline of physical prowess and vitality, forces the person to direct their attention inwards more frequently. Any problems of our personality, such as maladjustment and our repressions, will undoubtedly become more urgent in these years. This reacts upon one’s marriage and professional life alike. The problem is that we have to learn to live with ourselves in a new way. We slowly have to adapt to our new-old body, and habits of long-standing do not die easily.
This is when we take an inventory of our life. It’s a time of spiritual questioning and review of our life purpose. If we haven’t successfully understood who we are by this stage and achieved our goals, then depression, moodiness and turmoil will plague both our waking life and our dreams.

56-63 years; This period is often a time of inner tranquility and acceptance. At peace with oneself and more accepting of where we are and what we have achieved marks this period. But many things that were lying un-lived within you might arise at this time, either as a form of unrest, or as directly living out those things that duty or work – or even self restraints – kept you from doing or being.
Usually your life situation begins to change in this stage. There is the start of a great shift and adjustment, both in terms of external activities, but also in how you deal with and feel about relationships. Part of the difficulty is that you have lived a long life as a younger person, and the old ways of dealing with things is often difficult to let go of as things change. The opportunity to experiment more fully in life helps you to reassess yourself and what new way of relating and being suits you or is satisfying.
The psychiatrist Carl Jung and others such as Nietzsche developed a whole theory about this period of life that he called Individuation. Perhaps the influence of this began in the last periods during the forties, but becomes more marked now. As an individual we may come to recognise that our make-up is formed out of the collective experience of our family and the culture we have been exposed to. The question, “Who am I,” leads us to look more fully into what makes us who we are. This awareness and the insight gained from it transforms us. The change is that of becoming more fully independent of the forces that formed us. This means we create something new of who we are, and perhaps leave something of this new self in the world by what we do, create or live. Not every one undertakes this diving into the depths of self to discover ones core being.
To quote from the website Soul-Guidance, “Individuation means that one becomes a person, an individual, a totally integrated personality. It is a process of self realization during which one integrates those contents of the psyche that have the ability to become conscious. It is a search for totality. It is an experience that could be formulated as the discovery of the divine in yourself, or the discovery of the totality of your Self. This does not always happen without pain, but it is necessary to accept many things that normally we would shy away from. Once a person has accepted the contents of his unconsciousness and has reached the goal of the individuation process, he is conscious of his relationships with everything that lives, with the entire cosmos.”

63-70 years; Now we have deeper acceptance and understanding of the people in our life. We appreciate the differences between us and our friends and look to the good rather than the bad in people. This is a period where our accumulated experience seeks new creative outlets.
A particularly noticeable process that occurs here is a conscious or unconscious sifting of life experience and moving toward what is the essence and best of what one has been and learned from the years and experiences. Sometimes, if you can actually be aware of and work with this process, it leads to a sense of being lost or uncertain. By this is meant that for most of us external needs have dictated the direction of much that we have done or was needed of us. Now a great deal of this external pressure is removed. With its loss you realize that a great many choices or directions are open to you. It is like standing at cross roads with many directions. Which one do you want to take? Often it needs you to stand and observe before any direction from your own core wishes emerges. If during your life you have never worked at dealing with the difficulties and weaknesses or pains innate in you, then this period can lead to great confusion and the meeting of many shadows that you may not yet have developed the skills to deal with previously.
This is also a time in life when natural inner processes can lead you to a greater awareness of what lies beyond death. Things fall away naturally if you let them. A greater detachment from things of the world arises and this in itself is a foretaste of death in which you can let go of all that you have held on to.

70-77 years; Of course there are no fixed boundaries and so one may achieve this level of maturity at another period. But if the issues met in the previous cycle have been dealt with, then there is a new awareness of the subtle sides of life, and a changed relationship with those you love or come in contact with. There is a greater unconditional love and acceptance. By this is meant that awareness of the depths and subtleties of ones own self are known more fully. If you are a person who has an active inner life, it can happen that the huge harvest of gathered life experience that was sifted and synthesized into clearer and more streamlined, or simpler concepts and meanings, is now expressed in your life and dealings with others. You may not be as powerful and active in the outer world, but you are gaining strength and effectiveness on people’s inner life if you are still healthy.
But such changes, as always, depend upon how well you have dealt with the problems, trauma as ability to grow during your life. If these are met, then this letter is an excellent example.

77-84 years onwards; During the three preceding periods a new self was developed. This emerged out of a summary and synthesis or all that you had lived. Perhaps, if you gave attention to your inner life, doorways of perception were opened through which you saw how your present life is a continuum of the long past, of ancestors and other influences. From this new self and widened perceptions you are acting and living in the world in a different way. The essence of the purpose, love and ideas you lived by is given new expression.
As we have seen, the various physical changes have interacted with the spark of awareness lit at birth, causing changes in consciousness and attitude. Might we not speculate then, by saying that the biggest physical change of all-death – may be but a pre-requisite for yet another cycle of life; an initiation into an entirely new type of awareness? In fact it can happen that from the last cycle onwards, if you dare to experience your inner life reasonably fully, you will already have experienced what naked awareness is like, or have penetrated what is called death in some way.
Sources: dreamhawk.com


​

By: 
B Grace Bullock, PhD, E-RYT 500
 
Prolonged stress can have a deleterious effect on the brain, reducing your ability to think, plan and reason effectively. This is particularly true for the elderly. Now, a new study published in Biological Psychology finds that yoga may moderate the stress response and improve executive function in older adults, building on prior research that finds that yoga is good for your brain.
Neuroendocrine research finds that brain exposure to higher concentrations of cortisol – a key marker of stress – increases the risk for cognitive deficits as we age. Chronic stress magnifies this effect, placing undue wear and tear on the brain and the autonomic nervous system, and increasing the risk for disease.
Yoga, which emphasizes mind-body integration, is theorized to attenuate these effects by increasing the relaxation response through activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. This, in turn, decreases cortisol levels and inflammation, and returns the mind, body and brain to a state of balance, which can enhance cognitive functioning.
New Study Explores the Effect of Yoga on Memory and Cognitive FunctionTo test this theory, researchers randomly assigned 118, sedentary, community dwelling older adults (mean age = 62.02 years) to either an 8-week Hatha yoga intervention (n=61) or a stretching control group (n=57). The majority of study adults were female, married, working full-time, well educated and moderately affluent. Ethnic minorities comprised 20% of the overall sample. A proportion of the full sample had prior experience with yoga, however none of the participants currently maintained a regular yoga practice.
Each adult in the study completed an assessment before and after the intervention consisting of self-report questionnaires measuring stress and anxiety. They were then given tests of executive function and asked to provide samples of salivary cortisol. 
Members of both groups attended hour-long classes 3 times per week for 8-weeks. Yoga classes were designed for beginners, and led by a certified yoga instructor. Classes included “new postures, breathing and meditative exercises”. Postures included “warrior pose, easy lotus pose and sun salutations”, whereas breathing exercises included alternate nostril breathing. Meditative components involved focusing on “thoughts, breath and mantra repetitions”. No mention was made of the yoga tradition informing these practices.
The stretching group attended hour-long sessions, 3 times per week for 8-weeks that excluded any form of yoga postures, breathing exercises or meditative practices. Movements included stretching and strengthening maneuvers that met the Center for Disease Control anaerobic recommendations. Classes included warm-up and cool-down periods, and repetition of 8-10 different exercises taught by a certified personal trainer.
 A total of 108 adults completed the study (attrition rate of 8.47%) suggesting that both the yoga and stretching programs were feasible. There were no differences between those who completed the intervention and those who dropped out on any of the baseline demographic or cognitive measures. Participation in the groups was relatively equivalent.
Yoga Reduces Stress and Improves Executive FunctionAt the conclusion of the 8-week intervention, yoga participants demonstrated less physiological stress (as indicated by lower concentrations of salivary cortisol) than the stretching control group whose salivary cortisol actually increased. The yoga group also reported feeling less stress and anxiety at the end of 8 weeks.
Greater improvements in cognitive functioning at the end of training were also indicated for the yoga group compared to stretching controls. Specifically, yoga participants demonstrated significantly improved working memory capacity and cognitive flexibility relative to the control group. This is particularly encouraging news for older adults, and those experiencing high levels of persistent stress, both of which are at risk for declining cognitive function.
How Yoga Benefits Mental FunctioningYoga involves the integration of physical movement with breath awareness and focused attention. Unlike most other disciplines, yoga facilitates neural communication between the brain and body, and the integration of both top-down and bottom-up cognitive processing.
Top-down processing refers to conceptually driven mental events that are influenced by thoughts, expectations, values, and beliefs. When engaging in top down processing you use existing knowledge and seek out information and experiences that “fill in the blanks”. This allows you to use accumulated knowledge as a frame of reference, rather than figuring out each situation from scratch.  It also means that you are better able to regulate emotions such as fear and anxiety.
In bottom-up processing, information from the external environment is filtered through the brain’s emotional circuitry prior to being projected to higher order “thinking” centers for interpretation. For example, when a pedestrian steps in the path of your car, you slam on the brakes to avert an accident. It isn’t until after an accident has been averted that you interpret the details of the event. Top-down processing allows you to maintain composure while tackling complex problems. Bottom-up processing aids in your immediate survival. Both systems are necessary to maintain a healthy emotional balance.
Yoga is proposed to engage both the top-down and bottom-up systems. By coordinating breath with movement, you become increasingly more aware of the physical and mental events that shape your experience, and are better able to focus and sustain attention. Try standing on one foot while solving a complex problem, and you will notice that it is very difficult to do both well. Yoga enables you to train and refine your mental energy and harness it in appropriate ways when you need to.
This ability to integrate mind and body in the service of sustained focus, self-awareness, and mental regulation may be why studies consistently find that practices such as yoga and meditation enhance cognitive capacities and impact the brain networks that enhance our capacity for mindful awareness, self-reflection, emotion regulation, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and other competencies that are key to successful living and healthy aging.  In the years to come we will undoubtedly continue to learn how and why yoga can enable us to thrive throughout the lifespan.
Another article from YogaUOnline and B Grace Bullock, PhD - Yoga and Meditation Boost Brain Function in Aging Adults New Study Shows.Study with B Grace Bullock, PhD and YogaUOnline - Breathe: Yogic Tools for Happy, Healthy & Fulfilling Relationships.

B Grace Bullock, PhD, E-RYT 500 is a psychologist, research scientist, educator, yoga and mindfulness expert and author of Mindful Relationships: Seven Skills for Success - Integrating the Science of Mind, Body and Brain. Her mission is to reduce stress, increase health and well-being and improve the quality of relationships. She offers classes, workshops, writing and research that combine the wisdom of applied neuroscience, psychophysiology, psychology and contemplative science and practice. Her goal is to empower individuals, groups, leaders and organizations to reduce chronic stress and increase awareness, attention, compassion, mindfulness and effective communication to strengthen relationships, release dysfunctional patterns and unlock new and healthy ways of being. Dr. Bullock is also the Founding Director and Principal Consultant of the International Science & Education Alliance, an organization devoted to exceptional research, program evaluation, assessment design, strategic planning and capacity building to support equity, programmatic diversity and scientific integrity, and promote effective leadership, decision-making and social change. Bullock is a Certified Viniyoga Therapist and Faculty at the Integrated Health Yoga Therapy (IHYT) Training program. She is the former Senior Research Scientist at the Mind & Life Institute and former Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy. For more information see www.bgracebullock.com.
SourcesGothe, N.P., Kramer, A.F. & McAuley, E. (2014). The effects of an 8-week Hatha Yoga intervention on executive function on older adults. Journals of Gerontology A Biol Sci Med Sci, 69(9), 1109-1116.
Gothe, N., Keswani, R.K. & McAuley, E. (2016). Yoga practice improves executive function by attenuating stress levels. Biol Psychol. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2016.10.010

Paths to Surrender
​How many items in your wardrobe do you never wear? Is there pointless paperwork lurking beneath your desk? Do you have social media “friends” who no longer bring you joy?
Humans have a tendency to hoard surrounding ourselves with things. Consider the bulging handbag the average woman takes every time she leaves the house. When we outgrow things we often find it hard to let them go. I’m talking about the shoes that are so painful they are worn once and never again or the toiletries too fancy to finish, sitting half empty on a bathroom shelf. All these items are symbols of our inability to let go.
And let’s not kid ourselves we do not only hoard possessions. What about the toxic friendship we just can’t give up? Or that unhealthy habit we can’t seem to kick?

It is natural to struggle with this kind of mental OCD; repeating thought patterns about ourselves and our lives. And to let that clutter go, it can be scary. This is the material we have built our lives around, giving us security, identity and power, or so we think. We fear letting go because without all of it…who the hell am I?  
The question we have to ask ourselves is…what are we afraid of? What story about ourselves are we unwilling to let go?
Try to recall how good it felt the last time spring cleaning was finished. Maybe you got rid of an old habit or cleared out your fridge. How light did you feel without that old baggage? And the new stuff that came in, wasn’t it much better than what you had before? So there’s the truth; we must clear out to make space for the new. Having a practice of surrender in your life will make space for your growth and personal truth.

This is when Yin Yoga can make a big difference in the process of surrender. When we practice Yin Yoga, we actually practice the art of letting go. Yin is to enjoy a shape that is authentic, without forcing your body to change. It is to relax into the bones; to be still and kind. To give up holding on.
A regular practice of Yin Yoga will certainly release muscular pain. But it accesses a deeper level than the more dynamic, “Yang” styles of yoga. Yin Yoga works the connective tissues of our ligaments, joints, and bones. It accesses the deep fascial networks that run through every element of our body. This is a continuous connective tissue that exists from head to toe, so that a restriction in one part will affect every other part, and fascia is where our trauma is stored. Physical tension is the manifestation of emotional trauma.  Our biography is our biology and fascia stores all pain from the landscape of our lives. Just as a broken bone creates scar tissue, emotional trauma is also ingrained in the history of our body. This is why emotions like anxiety, anger or grief are felt at specific physical locations. And even after the situation has passed our bodies hold onto the memories, until we let them go.

In this way Yin Yoga creates a space to surrender inhibiting mind patterns.  As the fascia is released so are the psychological traumas it contains. This is why certain poses can bring a surge of emotion as stored energies are unblocked and let go. And without those thought patterns, we can discover the core of who we are. Not who we were, not who we will be but the ever changing kaleidoscope of your present and beautiful self, right now. And then we will no longer need to cling to the out-dated possessions, people, or mind. Because right there on that mat, in the stillness and peace, we will remember that we are enough. We will always be enough. Trust yourself. You are more complete than you know. Within you is a power beyond your wildest dreams. And your true nature is unconditionally happy and at peace. Perhaps you forgot this. But don’t worry, Yin Yoga will help you to recall.


Resources : 
www.howng.com/

​Inflammatory responses play a central role in the development and persistence of many diseases and can lead to debilitating chronic pain. In many cases, inflammation is your body's response tostress. Therefore, reducing "fight-or-flight" responses in the nervous system and lowering biological markers for stress can also reduce inflammation.
Typically, doctors prescribe medications to combat inflammation. However, there's growing evidence that another way to combat inflammation is by engaging the vagus nerve and improving “vagal tone.” This can be achieved through daily habits such as yoga and meditation—or in more extreme cases of inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—by using an implanted device for vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).
The vagus nerve is known as the "wandering nerve" because it has multiple branches that diverge from two thick stems rooted in the cerebellum and brainstem that wander to the lowest viscera of your abdomen touching your heart and most major organs along the way. Vagus means "wandering" in Latin. The words vagabond, vague, and vagrant are all derived from the same Latin root.
In 1921, a German physiologist named Otto Loewi discovered that stimulating the vagus nerve caused a reduction in heart rate by triggering the release of a substance he coinedVagusstoff (German for "Vagus Substance”). The “vagus substance” was later identified as acetylcholine and became the first neurotransmitter ever identified by scientists.
Vagusstoff (acetylcholine) is like a tranquilizer that you can self-administer simply by taking a few deep breaths with long exhales. Consciously tapping into the power of your vagus nerve can create a state of inner-calm while taming your inflammation reflex.
The vagus nerve is the prime component of the parasympathetic nervous system which regulates the “rest-and-digest” or “tend-and-befriend” responses. On the flip side, to maintain homeostasis, the sympathetic nervous system drives the “fight-or-flight” response.
Healthy Vagal Tone Is Part of a Feedback Loop Linked to Positive Emotions
Early anatomical drawing of the vagus nerve.
Source: Wellcome Library/Public DomainHealthy vagal tone is indicated by a slight increase of heart rate when you inhale, and a decrease of heart rate when you exhale. Deep diaphragmatic breathing—with a long, slow exhale—is key to stimulating the vagus nerve and slowing heart rate and blood pressure, especially in times of performance anxiety.
A higher vagal tone index is linked to physical and psychological well-being. Conversely, a low vagal tone index is associated with inflammation, depression, negative moods, loneliness, heart attacks, and stroke.
A 2010 study, “How Positive Emotions Build Physical Health: Perceived Positive Social Connections Account for the Upward Spiral Between Positive Emotions and Vagal Tone,” was published inPsychological Science. For this research, Barbara Fredrickson and Bethany Kok of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill honed in on the vagus nerve and discovered that a high vagal tone index was part of a feedback loop between positive emotions, physical health, and positive social connections.
Their research suggests that positive emotions, robust social connections, and physical health influence one another in a self-sustaining upward spiral dynamic and feedback loop that scientists are just beginning to understand. 
For this experiment, Frederickson and Kok used a Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM) technique to help participants become better at self-generating positive emotions. However, they also found that simply reflecting on positive social connections and working to improve close-knit human bonds also caused improvements in vagal tone.  
In 2014, I wrote a Psychology Today blog post, “How Does the Vagus Nerve Convey Gut Instincts to the Brain?" based on findings by researchers in Switzerland who identified how the vagus nerve conveys “gut feelings” of anxiety and fear to the brain. Clinical and experimental studies indicate that stress and depression are associated with the up-regulation of the immune system, including increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
When administered to patients or laboratory animals, cytokines have been found to induce typical symptoms of depression. Therefore some cases of low mood, low energy, and lack of motivation may be due to elevated levels of cytokine proteins.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Dramatically Reduces Arthritic Inflammation
Source: Alila Medical Media/ShutterstockRecently, an international team of researchers from Amsterdam and the United States conducted a clinical trial which demonstrates that stimulating the vagus nerve with a small implanted device significantly reduced inflammation and improved outcomes for patients with rheumatoid arthritis by inhibiting cytokine production.
RA is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects approximately 1.3 million people in the United States and costs tens of billions of dollars to treat each year, according to the researchers. 
The neuroscientists and immunology experts involved in this study used state-of-the-art technology to map the neural circuitry that regulates inflammation. In one circuit—termed “the inflammatory reflex”—action potentials transmitted in the vagus nerve inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.  
The July 2016 study, "Vagus Nerve Stimulation Inhibits Cytokine Production and Attenuates Disease Severity in Rheumatoid Arthritis," appears online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and will be published in an upcoming print issue.
This is the first human study designed to reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis by stimulating the vagus nerve with a small implanted device which triggered a chain reaction that reduced cytokine levels and inflammation. Although this study focused on rheumatoid arthritis, the trial's results may have implications for patients suffering from other inflammatory diseases, including Parkinson's, Crohn’s, and Alzheimer's.
In a statement, Paul-Peter Tak, the international principal investigator and lead author of the paper from the Division of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology of the Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam, said,
"This is the first study to evaluate whether stimulating the inflammatory reflex directly with an implanted electronic device can treat RA in humans. We have previously shown that targeting the inflammatory reflex may reduce inflammation in animal models and in vitro models of RA . . . which might be relevant for other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases as well."
These findings suggest a new approach to fighting diseases that are currently treated with relatively expensive drugs that have a host of side effects. VNS gives healthcare providers a potentially more effective way to improve the lives of people suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases.
Conclusion: VNS Is a Potent Drug-Free Alternative for Treating InflammationIn conclusion, co-author Kevin J. Tracey, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and the person who discovered the inflammatory reflex, said,
"This is a real breakthrough in our ability to help people suffering from inflammatory diseases. While we've previously studied animal models of inflammation, until now we had no proof that electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve can indeed inhibit cytokine production and reduce disease severity in humans. I believe this study will change the way we see modern medicine, helping us understand that our nerves can, with a little help, make the drugs that we need to help our body heal itself."
The emerging field of bioelectronic integrative medicine targets a variety of disorders traditionally treated with pharmaceuticals by using advanced neuromodulation devices. Stimulating the vagus nerve offers significant advantages to the use of drugs—such as lower cost and fewer side effects. Stay tuned for more on these exciting breakthroughs! 
To read more on the vagus nerve, check out my Psychology Today blog posts, 

• "The Neurobiology of Grace Under Pressure"
• "How Does the Vagus Nerve Convey Gut Instincts to the Brain?"
• "Cortisol: Why "The Stress Hormone" Is Public Enemy No. 1"
• "The Neuroscience of Calming a Baby"
• "Mindfulness Meditation and the Vagus Nerve Share Many Powers"
• "Psychotherapy Can Dramatically Improve Your Gut-Brain Axis"
• "Don't Panic! Stress Is Contagious"

© 2016 Christopher Bergland. All rights reserved.
Follow me on Twitter @ckbergland for updates on The Athlete’s Way blog posts.
The Athlete's Way ® is a registered trademark of Christopher Bergland.

UncensoredBlog 
TheIBS/SIBO-Psoas Connection and Why It’s Important for Highly Sensitive People
​MAY 28, 2015
Note to the reader – this is one motherload of an article. Grab some coffee and a low-fodmap cookie and let’s dive in.
In my personal experience with SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth), back and hip injury, and with my experience working with highly sensitive people (HSP) with similar issues, a pattern has emerged that feels much too important not to talk about. So far, I haven’t really seen anyone having this conversation (not to say that it isn’t happening, I just haven’t come across it yet) so here I go, in hopes of starting one.
My lens as both an Ayurvedic health counselor and an energy medicine practitioner is one of seeing the body holistically, of noticing how different parts of the physical body interact, how different parts of the subtle body interact, and how the physical and subtle bodies interact. When working with digestive issues like IBS and SIBO, taking a big picture look at how the systems of the body interact is important. Through my lens as a highly sensitive person I have come to see the nervous system and subtle body as the center of the highly sensitive world – the central point which governs everything and through which all issues or discomforts must be addressed.
Other HSP researchers, including Elaine Aron and Ane Axford, have noticed common physical issues that HSP’s, as a group, tend to share. These include things like connective tissue disorders, scoliosis and other spinal issues, pelvic issues (bowel, bladder, menstrual, low back), digestive issues (IBS, SIBO, food sensitivities, leaky gut), and gut flora imbalances. Because the nervous system is the main focus with high sensitivity, we must start here when seeing how these issues may be linked for the HSP. The nervous system is incredibly complex and literally connects everything in the body together through a system of communication. It is also through the nervous system that us HSP’s take in sensory information and process it. Deeply.  This very strong microphone of a nervous system, which connects to everything in the body, must be considered a central anchor in regards to physical and subtle issues in the HSP body.
If we think of the nervous system as the network of information that connects the body together, similar to our global information system, then we can start to see how the infrastructure through which the nervous system operates is important for the function of the whole system. Having a blocked infrastructure can cause problems with communication. Conversely, too much communication in the system (additional stress in the nervous system, for example) can short-circuit the infrastructure (kind of like running too much power through an energy circuit – you can flip a breaker). Consider using this metaphor as we look at the ways in which our muscle, connective tissue and digestive distresses are linked and how this can be a bigger problem for HSP’s.
In my Sensitive Self Intelligence course (soon being renamed as Flight School), we cover a lot of these connections. Here, I’ll mostly just be talking about the connections between IBS/SIBO and the Psoas.
Getting to Know the PsoasThe Illiopsoas Complex
Two muscles, the psoas major and the illacus, together make up what is known as the illiopsoas complex or simply, the psoas. This muscle group is one of the most important in the entire body, and especially so for the HSP body. Because of its location, it is one of the major muscles that allows us to stand upright, connecting our spine to our legs from the front. The psoas begins at the long head of the femur (thigh) bone and wraps up over the front of the pelvis. The illiacus then attaches to the inside of the pelvis, while the psoas major draws back and connects to the sides of our lumbar vertebrae. Functionally, this is the muscle that pulls our knees towards our chest. It is also one of the main core muscles involved in body’s “fight, flight or fetal” response. (*Note – this response is called the “Red Light Reflex” in the study of Somatics. I highly recommend reading Somatics by Tommas Hannah for more information).
Our body has a physical response to stress that prepares the body to fight, flee or go fetal – curl into the fetal position. The psoas is the muscle responsible for all three – readying our body in a fighting stance, driving our body forward in a run, or curling us into a tight ball.
Additionally, large nerve bundles (transmission lines) that supply the digestive system with nerve impulses (communication/information) must pass through the psoas muscle, giving it an even more important job – messenger muscle, or, referring to our metaphor – an environment through which our transmission lines run. Liz Koch, an expert in pelvic wellness, says:
Although the psoas has been thought to serve the spine as a guide wire creating stabilization, its main job is to message subtle changes in weight, location, and safety. The psoas bridges the belly enteric brain, central, and autonomic nervous systems. The large nerve ganglion located within the belly core going to the digestive and reproductive organs passes over, embeds into, and through the psoas. Serving as messenger of the core our psoas translates and transmits all expressions of safety, harmony, and integrity; signaling whether or not we are centered and congruent or encumbered and vulnerable.i
When the psoas muscle is constantly charged with feelings of fear, or it’s holding a past trauma, it may become chronically short, tight and dry. It can also react this way when there is dysfunction in the pelvis – the psoas will react to take up any slack in pelvic stability. So if the pelvis is weak from inactivity, singular repetitive movements or trauma, the psoas will step in and do the job of stabilization, while continuing its more primitive and important work as messenger.
Many HSP’s suffer from low back pain, scoliosis and other spinal problems. While there is no major research on the link between HSP back pain and the psoas, I see more HSP clients with psoas issues than any other sub group of yoga students.
Stress affects the psoas, shortening it and pulling the body forward. The psoas provides the basket in which the digestive organs sit.vIf you think of the psoas as the bowl in which our softest most primal organs sit, you can see that it forms a sort of foundational layer within our body. This foundation, related in energy medicine to our first, second and third chakras, are often the areas that HSP’s struggle with most – issues with survival and money, trouble in identifying like-minded tribe or family, in relating with others and in self empowerment. Physically, a tight psoas can affect how well we digest food, the comfort of our menstrual cycle and how well we eliminate and remove waste from the body. When looking at issues in the gut, including IBS/SIBO, I think the psoas may be a big contributor.
A bit about Connective TissueHSP’s tend to have more connective tissue disorders, or problems with the fascia, than hardy people. Fascia is a type of connective tissue that acts like a spiderweb or network in the body. Fascia surrounds all of our organs and covers all of our muscles, effectively connecting our innards together in a web-like sheath, kind of like plastic wrap. But different from plastic wrap is the way that fascia acts like a network of information, relaying nerve impulses and reacting to stress and tension in the body. When flexible, our fascia is healthy and unrestricted. When unhealthy, the fascia becomes restricted and sticky.
Mainstream medicine still considers fascia a relative mystery, and largely ignores it in treatments for physical pain. What is known, but not really understood, is that within the body, fascia has a slippery quality, holding the organs but allowing them to glide over one another – allowing what visceral manipulation practitioners call “mobility” of organs. When fascia is unhealthy, largely due to inflammation or injury, it becomes sticky and can form adhesions – areas of drier tissue, causing tension that you can imagine by stretching plastic wrap tight around an object, then pinching it on one side – it stretches and gets tighter in some areas to account for the pinch.
Many sources cause the inflammation that leads to adhesions, the most obvious being direct injury or trauma. Other factors include infection, repetitive movement, poor diet, toxins, poor posture and emotional stress. Because fascia provides the atmosphere through which nerve interactions happen, it responds to stress and tension. Additionally, during an injury, it’s common for fascia to constrict around the injury in order to provide structured protection, tightening the whole fascial system and potentially causing pain and discomfort in an area of the body not associated with the injury.
For HSP’s with digestive and/or other pelvic imbalances, considering inflammation or stress-induced adhesions may be an important factor for treatment and relief. As we’ll see as we look at IBS and SIBO specifically, the small intestine is really long and loops its way through the abdomen, connected to our insides through several connection points. There are many opportunities for small adhesions to bind up the small intestine and inhibit motility and mobility. For example, the right sacro-illiac joint is the attachment point for the end of the small intestine. When the sacrum is out of place, the end of the small intestine can’t empty properly into the colon – and this works both ways. Disruptions in the psoas can cause inflammation, leading to small internal adhesions anywhere in the gut, and likely in some of the meters of small intestine. This sticky connective tissue can pull on the side of the sacro-illiac joint, internally causing rotation.
The Digestive System-Nervous System ConnectionRemember that we are using the nervous system as an anchor or lens through which to link the psoas and digestive disturbances. I believe that a huge part of the reason HSP’s experience increased digestive discomfort (like IBS) is because of how the nervous system and gut communicate and because of the environment through which the transmission wires reach the digestive system. As stated earlier, the nervous system rules the roost; it plays a huge role in several digestive system processes. Some of the control the nervous system has over digestion comes from links between the digestive system and the central nervous system (CNS), however, the digestive system also has its own, local nervous system. This is called the enteric or intrinsic nervous system. We are only beginning to understand the complexity and magnitude of this immense nervous system – but we do know that it contains as many neurons as the spinal chord.ii
The enteric nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system, along with the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The enteric nervous system has two main networks of neurons (transmissions) embedded into the wall of the digestive tract from esophagus to anus. These exert control over the motility of the digestive tract (how well each organ moves of its own accord – primarily the act of pushing food and digestive juices through it) and in sensing the system environment in order to regulate blood flow and control cell function.
Within these plexuses are several types of neurons (communication centers) which receive sensory information from the mucosa and the muscle and respond both to the internal, chemical stimuli like digestive fluids and muscular stimuli like stress and tension. Other neurons respond to the motility and secretion of the digestive organs, and others integrate this information.
The enteric nervous system functions autonomously (without us thinking about it), but requires communication between this system and the CNS through sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers connecting the two (transmission wires). Through these links, the two systems can speak to each other. For example, when we see appealing food (sight is a sensory information coming in through the CNS), it signals the stomach to start secretions. Generally, sympathetic stimulation (usually a stress response, indicating activity) inhibits gastrointestinal secretions and causes the digestive tract to constrict or close down. Parasympathetic stimuli (our “rest and digest” system) stimulates digestive activities.
Stress and Digestion What this tells us is that when we are chronically stressed, we don’t digest food as well. Additionally, because us HSP’s continuously take in sensory information, when we eat, we aren’t just digesting the food – we are digesting the entire atmosphere of the room, including conversation, emotions and the look and feel of our location. Eating in a stress-free environment is SO important for proper digestion and absorption of food, especially for HSP’s. The first and easiest thing can do to reduce gut disturbances is to learn how to manage stress and eat undistracted in a calm atmosphere. 
When we experience chronic stress to the point that our fight, flight or fetal response is triggered, even at a low level, for long periods of time, the psoas muscle become short, dry and tight. Remember that the psoas is like the basket for our digestive organs and provides the atmosphere or environment through which our nerve transmissions run from our CNS to our enteric nervous system. If our psoas is short and tight, it signals to the CNS that we are somehow not safe, secure or calm. This information will be relayed to the enteric nervous system and be present as we eat. If we are continuously stressed or otherwise not managing our gift of high sensitivity well, our gut may be consistently receiving messages to shut the system down (so that we can run or fight or fetal).
The IBS/SIBO ConnectionIBS was once thought to be a diagnosis for gut disturbances that didn’t have any other cause. When flexible fiberoptic cameras became the rage in the endoscopy world, the whole practice shifted to focus on diseases that you could see with the naked eye. Patients whose problems couldn’t be identified via scope were often thought of as difficult because answers took effort and solutions were less lucrative; they were often diagnosed with IBS. Due to new research primarily being conducted by Dr. Mark Pimentel at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, we are now developing a new understanding of the causes of IBS.
Even though I just got done talking about digestion and stress, I want to clarify that I don’t believe that stress is the cause of IBS – in fact, it’s been proven not to be. However, especially for HSP’s, management of both the psoas muscle and stress-induced inflammation in connective tissue are a piece of the puzzle that remain important for healing and management, especially for those IBS sufferers who also deal with low back/hip/pelvis issues.
IBS is now thought to primarily be caused by bacterial overgrowth. The theory goes something like this: At some point, an otherwise healthy person gets food poisoning. Due to factors that are not yet understood (possibly genetics), the body does a poor job of completely eradicating the offending bacteria. This bacteria sticks around and its first order of business is to disrupt the cycle the regular cleansing waves of the digestive system. The digestive system must cleanse itself through peristalsis in order to move food through the system and repair. After these waves are disrupted (resulting in either too many or not enough), not only does food back up in the system but also the bacteria, colonizing in areas where few bacteria should live – namely, the small intestine (bacteria should primarily be found in the large intestine). Once bacteria have moved into the small intestine, they act as little thieves, stealing nutrients meant for the host and feeding on highly fermentable foods. Their by-product is methane. This whole process results in either too much or too little movement in the gut (diarrhea or constipation, or a combination of both) and severe bloating.
When people are diagnosed with SIBO, attention is usually put on the overgrowth of bacteria. While this is a problem, it’s not the main problem – the main problem is that the motility of the digestive organs is out of whack. The bacteria have messed with the nervous system impulses needed to keep the system moving. Yes, we must get rid of the bacteria, but only as a starting point. The real issue is in restoring motility so that the the whole problem doesn’t happen again.
In step one of SIBO treatment, an antibacterial drug or herbs are given. This is often the focus of treatment, but again, I want to reiterate that this is really just the starting point – this is how we wipe the slate clean in order to restore the system. Once the bacteria are gone, we can move into the important process of restoring proper digestion. This is where things like digestive enzymes, which work internally to restore proper digestive juices, come into play. One may also be prescribed an internal motility agent like small doses of erythromycin. This is also the phase of healing where management of stress as it pertains to the psoas and connective tissue comes into play.
Addressing Additional Causes of Poor MotilityWhile bacteria may have been the leading cause of poor motility within the system, there may be other factors. As HSP’s, there is a good chance that small adhesions within the fascia and/or a tight, dry psoas could be contributing to poor digestion and/or lack of motility. The primary ways I have found to address these is through regular (for me, this means monthly) trips to a good visceral manipulation therapist and through practicing constructive rest pose.
You can find a certified visceral manipulation therapist through the Barral Institute website. If you are in the Seattle area, I recommend Michael Hahn – he books out a month in advance but is well worth it.
Constructive Rest Pose 
Constructive Rest Pose
This position, coined by somatic educator Lulu Sweigard, is a position that uses gravity to release muscle tension in the psoas in order to support a neutral spine. Remember, tension in the psoas can build up over time and is often caused not just through physical activities, but through stress and feelings of tension, or lack of safety and security. Because of this, we are likely releasing tension that has been stored for a very long time.
CRP is done laying down with knees bent and feet on the floor. Place your hands just inside of your front hip bones to draw attention to the layers of muscle and tissue within the pelvis. If this is uncomfortable, place arms along your sides. If this position causes back pain, you may put your feet up on a chair or block, creating a 90 degree angle with your knees (not pictured). You may also put a small towel (no more than 1 ½ inches high) under the head.
Separate feet hip-width apart. Make sure your head is neutral and does not tip forward or back. Allow your eyes to gently close or remain soft but open. Rest for 10-20 minutes. As you rest, allow yourself to notice the sensations within the deeper layers of your tissue. Because the psoas will release excess primal energy, there is the potential for sensations of vulnerability, emotional pain or memory to flow through the body. Stay centered and allow for this release to happen. Notice what they are but do not become absorbed by them. Balance internal sensations by noticing sensations in your outer world, like air currents, warmth, comfort, sounds, smells, etc. Through moving between the inner releasing world and outer present-time world, you’ll create a balance of stimuli in the body.
If at any time your body spontaneously moves, flinches or changes positions, do not change it or tidy it up. Allow the muscles to guide their own release. You can do this pose any time. The best times are in the morning and before dinner, as it can help you release tension in the digestive system and energize you.
ConclusionCongratulations, you made it all the way through is thesis of a blog post. Whew! You better stand up and stretch your psoas and thank your body for getting you through it! But in all seriousness, the connections that I have laid out here just scratch the surface of connections that can be made between the nervous system and high sensitivity, IBO/SIBO, the psoas and connective tissue and stress. There is so much information to learn and to put together. My hope with this article is that I have made connections for at least one person who might be struggling to find that missing, elusive piece to their recovery. I know that understanding this piece has been critical in my road to recovery and in my continued healing.


NOTES
iKoch, Liz. Psoas, Instinctive Responses & The Healthy Pelvis.1 November 2011 <https://wholewoman.com/blog/?p=931> 16 February 2015
iiBowen, R. The Enteric Nervous System. Control of Digestive System Function.<http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/basics/gi_nervous.html> June 24, 2006.

by Darou Wellness
​I read an article yesterday that has me extremely excited about the implications. The article is called “Hacking the Nervous System” by Gaia Vince (http://mosaicscience.com/story/hacking-nervous-system). In the article, the author describes the experience of a woman who suffered from severe, debilitating rheumatoid arthritis and her eventual treatment with a device which minimized inflammation by simply stimulating the vagus nerve. What this means, is that by activating the vagus nerve which works through the parasympathetic nervous system, we can greatly influence inflammation and the immune system. The role of the brain on body inflammation can be profound.
​ If you suffer from digestive complaints, high blood pressure, depression or any inflammatory condition, please read on. Let me explain the possible implications step by step.
What is the vagus nerve?First of all, the vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body which originates in the brain as cranial nerve ten, travels down the from go the neck and then passes around the digestive system, liver, spleen, pancreas, heart and lungs. This nerve is a major player in the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the ‘rest and digest’ part (opposite to the sympathetic nervous system which is ‘fight of flight’).
Vagal toneThe tone of the vagus nerve is key to activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Vagal tone is measured by tracking your heart-rate alongside your breathing rate. Your heart-rate speeds up a little when your breathe in, and slows down a little when you breathe out. The bigger the difference between your inhalation heart-rate and your exhalation heart-rate, the higher your vagal tone. Higher vagal tone means that your body can relax faster after stress.
What is high vagal tone associated with?High vagal tone improves the function of many body systems, causing better blood sugar regulation, reduced risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure, improved digestion via better production of stomach basic and digestive enzymes, and reduced migraines. Higher vagal tone is also associated with better mood, less anxiety and more stress resilience. One of the most interesting roles of the vagus nerve is that it essentially reads the gut microbiome and initiates a response to modulate inflammation based on whether or not it detects pathogenic versus non-pathogenic organisms. In this way, the gut microbiome can have an affect on your mood, stress levels and overall inflammation.
What is low vagal tone associated with?Low vagal tone is associated with cardiovascular conditions and strokes, depression, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, cognitive impairment, and much higher rates of inflammatory conditions. Inflammatory conditions include all autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, endometriosis, autoimmune thyroid conditions, lupus and more).
How do we increase vagal tone?In the article above, vagal tone was increased through a device that stimulated the vagus nerve. The good news is that you have access to this on your own, but it does require regular practice. To some degree, you are genetically predisposed to varying levels of vagal tone, but this still doesn’t mean that you can’t change it. Here are some ways to tone the vagus nerve:
1. Slow, rhythmic, diaphragmatic breathing. Breathing from your diaphragm, rather than shallowly from the top of the lungs stimulates and tones the vagus nerve.
2. Humming. Since the vagus nerve is connected to the vocal cords, humming mechanically stimulates it. You can hum a song, or even better repeat the sound ‘OM’.
3. Speaking. Similarly speaking is helpful for vagal tone, due to the connection to the vocal cords.
4. Washing your face with cold water. The mechanism her is not known, but cold water on your face stimulates the vagus nerve.
5. Meditation, especially loving kindness meditation which promotes feelings of goodwill towards yourself and others. A 2010 study by Barbara Fredrickson and Bethany Kik found that increasing positive emotions led to increased social closeness, and an improvement in vagal tone.
6. Balancing the gut microbiome. The presence of healthy bacteria in the gut creates a positive feedback loop through the vagus nerve, increasing its tone.
The implications of such simple and basic practices on your overall health, and in particular on inflammation are far-reaching. If you suffer from an inflammatory condition, digestive upset, high blood pressure or depression, a closer look at vagal tone is highly recommended. We’ve known for years that breathing exercises and meditation are helpful for our health, but it is so fascinating to learn the mechanism by which they work. I hope this short article has inspired you to begin a meditation practice, as it has for me, and also to look for other means to manage the body’s inflammatory response.
References:
Forsythe P, Bienenstock J, Kunze WA.Vagal pathways for microbiome-brain-gut axis communication. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2014;817:115-33.
Kok, B, Fredrickson, B, Coffey, K, et al. How Positive Emotions Build Physical Health: Perceived Positive Social Connections Account for the Upward Spiral Between Positive Emotions and Vagal Tone. Psychological Science 2013 24: 1123
Source: darouwellness.com