Podcast Summary
Exploring the Philosophy of Yoga: Delve deeper into yoga's philosophy, including consciousness and difficult concepts, through a podcast episode featuring Eddie Stern.
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Origins of Yoga as a Counter to Stress: Yoga was originally used as a counter to the stress response, with origins dating back to ancient civilizations. Eddie Stern shares insights on this ancient practice and its modern-day relevance in managing stress.
Yoga is a powerful tool for managing stress, which is an inherent part of the human experience. Eddie Stern, a renowned yoga teacher, shared his insights on the origins of yoga and how it was originally used as a counter to the stress response. He explained that the stress response, whether triggered by modern-day stressors or ancient threats, is our body's way of preserving life. Eddie also shared his personal journey to yoga, which began as a result of turning vegetarian and was driven by a sense of thrill and accomplishment. His book provides a deeper exploration of the science and origins of yoga, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in this ancient practice. Additionally, Eddie and the podcast host enjoyed a delicious, quick, and nourishing meal during their conversation, highlighting the importance of good food in supporting overall wellbeing.
A personal journey towards self-discovery and understanding consciousness through yoga: Yoga is a transformative practice leading to self-evaluation, direct perception, and connection with universal consciousness. It's a lifelong journey of growth and self-discovery, with experiences and practices evolving over time.
The practice of yoga is a deeply personal and transformative journey towards self-discovery and understanding the nature of consciousness. The speaker's initial motivation to try yoga was a desire for health, happiness, and meaning, but it was the experience of practicing in India that truly ignited a lifelong commitment. Over the years, the speaker's understanding of yoga has evolved, with a focus on self-evaluation and direct perception as the most effective ways to gain knowledge and connect with the universal consciousness. The journey of yoga is not a linear one, but rather a process of peeling back layers of understanding, with the ultimate goal being to connect with the observer within. The speaker's own experiences and practices have evolved over time, from a more free-spirited and nomadic approach to settling down and starting a family. Through it all, the practice of yoga has remained a constant source of growth and self-discovery.
Embracing Change and Self-Acceptance: Embrace change and self-acceptance throughout life to foster personal growth and togetherness. Accept all parts of yourself to foster growth and embrace the difficult to learn and develop self-awareness.
Our identities and spiritual practices evolve throughout our lives. For the speaker, this meant shifting from a focused yogi to a husband and father, then back to a focus on spiritual practices as their daughter grew up and became more independent. This evolution was driven by survival needs, personal growth, and the changing demands of life. The speaker also emphasized the importance of self-acceptance and embracing all parts of oneself, rather than fighting against them, in order to foster growth. This acceptance and embrace of oneself is a practice that can be learned and developed throughout one's life. The speaker also touched on the concepts of avidya (ignorance) and vidya (full knowledge of who you are), and encouraged embracing the difficult parts of oneself to foster growth and togetherness.
Understanding Avidya: Fear of Not Knowing Who We Truly Are: Avidya is the fear of not knowing who we truly are, leading to attachments and a need to be right. Yoga research highlights the importance of accessibility to wellness practices for all communities.
Identifying too strongly with specific groups, beliefs, or practices, including yoga, can lead to a sense of superiority and a fear of not knowing who we truly are. This is known as avidia. The mind has a natural tendency to latch onto things and demand they be right, leading to the need to be right, the best, or to know everything. However, when we understand who we truly are as awareness or consciousness, we can let go of these attachments and be free. A fascinating area of research is the science behind yoga and its impact on health parameters, particularly for underrepresented groups. A study led by Dr. Marshall Haggins investigated the effects of yoga on African Americans with prehypertensive conditions. The research not only explored the physiological mechanisms behind yoga but also highlighted the importance of making wellness practices accessible to all communities.
Study shows yoga improves blood pressure and sleep for older African Americans: 12-week yoga practice led to significant decreases in blood pressure and improved sleeping diastolic blood pressure for older African Americans, regardless of lifestyle or dietary changes.
The integration of yoga practice into the lives of older African American adults, despite no lifestyle or dietary changes, led to significant decreases in blood pressure and improved sleeping diastolic blood pressure in a 12-week period. This study marked Devi's first foray into scientific research, and it opened his eyes to the value of understanding the scientific explanations behind the effectiveness of yoga. Science and yoga are both forms of storytelling, and each has its unique contributions to knowledge, liberation, and relief of suffering. Devi's experiences with medical professionals and physical therapists motivated him to explore the science behind yoga, and he discovered that the intellectual rigor and expanded perspective that come with scientific inquiry enhance the practice of yoga.
The connection between science and yoga: Science and yoga complement each other, leading to new discoveries and applications in areas like gut health and anxiety treatment through the convergence of reductionist and holistic approaches.
The way we perceive the world around us is shaped by our brain's ability to recognize and interpret new information. This skill, which can be honed through practices like yoga, makes us better communicators, healers, and overall, better people. The connection between science and yoga may seem contradictory, but they complement each other, with science helping us understand the inner workings of the body, and yoga providing a practical way to influence those processes. The convergence of these two fields is leading to new discoveries and applications, particularly in areas like gut health and anxiety treatment. By combining the reductionist approach of science with the holistic practices of yoga, we can expand our understanding of the world and improve our overall well-being.
The Connection Between Yoga and Science: Yoga and science explore the physical and mental benefits of yoga and the relationship between consciousness and matter. From a yogic perspective, consciousness and matter are distinct but connected, while scientifically, the nature of consciousness and matter remains an open question.
The connection between yoga and science has a long history, with figures like Ram Dass and Timothy Leary exploring the intersection of the two fields through their research with LSD in the 1970s. This tradition continues today, as scientists and yogis seek to understand the physical and mental benefits of yoga and the relationship between consciousness and matter. From a yogic perspective, consciousness and matter are seen as distinct but connected entities, with consciousness being eternal and infinite. Scientifically, the nature of consciousness and matter remains an open question. Yoga describes consciousness as the witnessing aspect, the experiencing aspect, while the mind and brain are manifestations of consciousness. Our perception of reality is limited to the human experience, but consciousness itself is infinite and continues to exist beyond the confines of the body. The world around us is a constructed reality, shaped by human thought and perception.
Understanding Interconnectedness and Interdependence: Buddhist and non-dualist philosophies teach us that we are interconnected and interdependent, leading to a more compassionate and harmonious existence. Separation is an illusion, and recognizing our interconnectedness can improve both our physical and emotional well-being.
Our physical world and ourselves are largely made up of empty space, and we have a misconception of inherent individual existence. This misconception can lead to violence, aggression, and animosity as we try to protect our form and identity at all costs. However, when we examine ourselves and the world around us more closely, we realize that we are interconnected and interdependent. The Buddhist and non-dualist philosophies emphasize this idea of emptiness and interbeing, which encourages us to live kindly and respect all beings as part of ourselves. Separation is an illusion, and recognizing our interconnectedness can lead to a more compassionate and harmonious existence. Additionally, our physical and emotional well-being are interconnected, and understanding the role of the vagus nerve and coregulation can help us express emotions and connect with others more effectively.
Understanding interconnectedness through self-regulation practices: Self-regulation practices like yoga, meditation, food, sleep, and exercise contribute to better social interactions and overall well-being by promoting understanding, kindness, and recognizing our oneness with the universe through the concepts of interconnectedness, emptiness, and the polyvagal theory.
Our ability to self-regulate through practices like yoga, meditation, food, sleep, and exercise, and understanding the interconnectedness of all things, contributes to better social interactions and overall well-being. This concept, often referred to as co-regulation, is linked to the vagus nerve and the microbiome. When we recognize the emptiness or interconnectedness of all things, we can communicate and live in a more harmonious way with the world around us. The Buddhist concept of emptiness emphasizes that everything is empty of independent existence but full of interbeing. The polyvagal theory supports this idea, suggesting that our nervous system responds predictably to the outside world, and self-regulation practices can help us navigate social situations more effectively. Ultimately, these practices promote understanding, kindness, and the recognition of our oneness with the universe.
Our nervous system connects us to the environment: The nervous system regulates our sleep cycle, responds to social situations, and communicates with organs through the vagus nerve, all impacting our health and well-being.
Our bodies are intricately connected to the environment around us, and our nervous system plays a crucial role in this interaction. The suprachiasmatic nucleus in our brain tracks the movements of the sun to regulate our sleep cycle, while our nervous system responds to social situations through parasympathetic nervous system's prosocial response or sympathetic nervous system's fight or flight response, depending on the presence or absence of comfort and connection. The vagus nerve, a wandering nerve that descends from the brain to various organs, plays a significant role in this communication. It picks up signals from the body and sends them to the brain, allowing us to respond appropriately. Research shows that vagal tone, which can be modulated, has various beneficial effects, including reducing inflammation, improving gut health, and even impacting mental health. By understanding these connections, we can harness the power of our nervous system to improve our overall well-being.
Yoga practices can stimulate the vagus nerve and change the body's response: Yoga practices like twisting, massaging, and regulated breathing can stimulate the vagus nerve, changing the body's response and supporting autonomic nervous system functions for balance and restoration.
Yoga practices, including movement, massage, and breath work, can send messages to the brain from the body, changing the signaling and chemical balance in response. The vagus nerve carries these messages from the gut and other organs, and yoga practices like twisting, massaging, and regulated breathing can stimulate the vagus nerve and change the body's response. Different breathing practices can also directly address the nervous system and homeostasis, regulating the heart rate, inflammation levels, and blood pressure. By practicing yoga, we can "hijack" autonomic nervous system functions to support and restore balance to the body.
Pranayama practices impact the nervous system: Pranayama practices can enhance mental clarity, energy levels, and even glucose balance, while specific practices like single nostril breathing boost cognitive abilities and spatial awareness.
Pranayama practices, which are mindful breathing exercises, can have a significant impact on the nervous system. There is scientific evidence supporting this, as shown in a study on volitional breathing, or mindful breathing, which was found to modulate neuroactivity in the brain. By practicing these exercises, individuals can experience improved mental clarity, better energy levels, and more even glucose levels throughout the day. Additionally, specific pranayama practices, such as single nostril breathing, have been shown to improve cognitive abilities and spatial awareness. These findings provide a scientific basis for the intuitive practice of breathing exercises to manage stress and anxiety, making it more appealing and accessible to a wider audience.
Exploring the Impact of Yoga and Breathing Techniques on Our Bodies: Yoga and specific breathing practices can enhance proprioception, spatial awareness, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. Alcohol consumption can hinder these benefits. Different breathing techniques can be prescribed based on individual needs. Research indicates that yoga is effective and the choice of yoga style depends on personal preference.
The practice of yoga and certain breathing techniques can have a significant impact on our proprioceptive abilities, spatial awareness, stress levels, and overall well-being. Alcohol consumption can impair these abilities, and different breathing practices can be prescribed based on individual needs. For instance, long deep inhales and holding breath can increase stress and anxiety, while long slow exhales can help calm the nervous system. The Science of Yoga Festival brings together scientists and yoga practitioners to share research on the benefits of yoga and make this valuable information accessible to yoga professionals and enthusiasts. According to a meta-analysis of 303 yoga research papers by scientist Holger Kramer, 277 of these studies showed positive results, indicating that yoga is effective and the type of yoga one chooses depends on personal preference and availability. For those new to yoga, it's recommended to try out different yoga schools and find one that resonates with them.
Comparing Yoga and Diets: Finding What Resonates: Find a yoga practice that resonates with your belief system and lifestyle for consistent incorporation into your life, considering scientific benefits on gut, immune, and mental health.
Finding the right yoga practice, like choosing a diet, depends on personal preference and ability to maintain it. Eddie, in the conversation, drew a parallel between the various types of yoga and diets, emphasizing the importance of finding what resonates with an individual's belief system and lifestyle. In Ayurveda, it's not just about what you eat but what you can digest, and the same applies to yoga. The key is to find the yoga practice that you can "digest" or incorporate into your life consistently. Eddie also touched on the scientific benefits of yoga, which are being explored in various fields such as gut health, immune health, and mental health. Listen to the podcast for a deeper understanding of the connection between yoga, consciousness, and lifestyle medicine. Remember, the journey to finding what works best for you may involve trying different approaches, but the effort is worth it for the potential positive impact on your overall well-being.
