Is Science Discovering What Yoga Has Always Known?

Both Yoga and health research have shown us some well known ways to improve our health, but they've seemed to be polar opposites.......until recently. Is that gap closing? Let's look at both in more detail.

The Yoga

Yoga is old! Exactly how old has been lost in the mists of time.

Ancient legend tells of the first Yogi, Lord Shiva, who found enlightenment on Mount Kailash many thousands of years ago.

The word "Yoga" was first mentioned in the Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas. These ancient scriptures, along with the Upanishads, formed the basis of Hinduism, and also influenced Buddhism and Jainism. 

The Vedas were used by Vedic priests to teach self knowledge and inner wisdom through mantras and meditation.

The word "Yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit "yuj" which translates as "to yoke" or "union". 

The Bhagavad Gita, often referred to as the 'bible of Yoga', is a Hindu philosophy scripture written around 400BC. It's an epic poem set on a battlefield, thought to be a metaphor for the battle in our heads between our good intentions vs our negative thoughts, guided by the wisdom of our true self.

In the Bhagavad Gita a guru (spiritual mentor) talks about Yoga philosophy and life with his pupil.....sounds familiar? The guru says there are 3x different paths to enlightenment:

1) Bhakti Yoga = The path of the heart. It's pure love and devotion.

2) Jnana Yoga = The path of the intellect. It's the knowledge and wisdom gained by self study, contemplation and self enquiry.

3) Karma Yoga = The path of unselfish work and service. It's devoting yourself to your dharma (higher purpose), and following this purpose without attachment to the fruits of your labour. 

Modern Western Yoga tends to follow the teachings in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, written between 400 BC and 200BC. The Sutras was the first time Yoga had been compiled into a comprehensive system of achieving spiritual enlightenment and liberation. An ancient "How To" guide if you like!

Patanjali wrote about the 8 Limbs of Yoga being the path to reach ultimate enlightenment or bliss:

• Yamas = External values
• Niyamas = Internal values
• Asana = Posture (Meditation seat)
• Pranayama = Breath control
• Pratyahara = Withdrawal of the senses
• Dharana = Concentration
• Dyana = Meditative absorption
• Samadhi = Enlightenment, union.

Let's delve into the first two limbs further.

1) Yamas

The Yamas give guidance on how to interact with what's around us - other people, animals and our environment. They describe our ethics and behaviour around other living beings.

• Ahimsa - Non-harming
• Satya - Truthful
• Asteya - Non-stealing
• Brahmacharya - Self regulation, moderation
• Aparigraha - Non-coveting, non-attachment

2) Niyamas

The Niyamas describe our internal values, and how we treat ourselves.

• Sauca - Cleanliness of body and mind 
• Santosha - Contentment, acceptance of circumstances
• Tapas - Discipline, persistence
• Svadhyaya - Self study, self contemplation
• Isvarapranidhana - Self surrender or trust in a higher power

The Science

Exciting discoveries are bringing science and spirituality closer together. Some of these findings include:

• The heart has 40,000 intelligent neurons that send sensory information to the brain. 
• The gut has it's own nervous system, the enteric nervous system, and is also closely linked to the brain via the gut-brain axis
• Gut health and function closely mirrors brain health and cognitive function
• Emotions can change how genes are expressed, potentially triggering disease in those with a susceptible genetic makeup
• Emotions can also alter heart rhythms, with emotions like anger or frustration producing jagged, erratic lines on an ECG machine (incoherence), whilst joy, gratitude and contentment produce smooth, regular waves (coherence).
• Breathing can stimulate either the sympathetic nervous system into a fight or flight stress response, or upregulate the parasympathetic nervous system for rest and repair.
• Brain waves determine levels of consciousness, and this can be used to access the subconscious mind, bringing awareness to repetitive thought patterns. 
• Children between the ages of 2 and 7 years have predominantly theta brain waves, making them highly programmable to their environment, early childhood experiences and absorbing the behaviour of the people around them. It's at this age that most of your adult behaviour will be set deep in your subconscious.

What does this actually mean for you?

1) The brain detects cardiovascular feedback (sensory information about how the heart is beating) from the heart's cardiac autonomic nervous system.This information is filtered though the lens of your mindset (thoughts and beliefs). Humans are hardwired to perceive anything familiar as safe, even if it's no longer beneficial or healthy. This is why you can get stuck in a never ending cycle of unhelpful emotions like shame, guilt, fear and anger. 

If you get these emotions often you'll subconsciously feel safer with these feelings even though logically you know they're damaging and distressing to yourself, family, friends and work colleagues.

2) The enteric nervous system of the gut talks to the central nervous system, including the brain. And it's a 2 way conversation.

Science used to think that the brain affected the gut. In other words, if you become anxious or depressed you may develop symptoms of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

But now studies have shown that when the gut becomes irritated it sends signals to the brain that can alter your emotions and mood, potentially contributing to anxiety or depression.

This connection between the gut and brain is called the gut-brain axis. It's made up of specialised neurons and immune cells. 

Did you know that approximately 90% of the neurotransmitter serotonin is produced in the gut by bacteria? Serotonin is often called the "happiness hormone", and is responsible for helping to regulate mood, learning, memory, sleep and digestion. 

This brings us onto the gut microbiome, the population of bacteria that live in your digestive system. A healthy microbiome is a diverse microbiome.

Science is still unravelling the full role these bacteria play in our health. The gut microbiome has been implicated in Irritable Bowel Disease / IBD (including Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis), autism, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, dementia and blood cancers.

3) The emerging field of epigenetics is showing us how our external and internal environment can alter how our genes are expressed.

Yes, your genetic makeup can give you physical weak links where symptoms might first appear, such as high blood pressure or blood sugar levels. But it's your lifestyle that ultimately pulls the trigger on whether these genes become active or stay dormant.

Tiny pieces of protein called peptides hold the key to managing your health. Peptides are known as your emotion molecules. Over 90 neuropeptides have so far been discovered that are involved with mood swings, hormone and immune regulation, 

Examples of peptides include neurotransmitters such as serotonin, endorphins, growth factors, insulin and vasopressin (blood pressure).

4) The sensory neurons of the heart also detect the rhythm of your breathing. This tells your brain whether to you're in danger or safe.

When you exhale slowly the vagus nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated. This signals safety, and promotes relaxation, regeneration and healing.

5) The electrical activity of the brain can be visualised as waves on an EEG machine. The adult human brain produces 5x main types of waves throughout the course of a day:

• Delta - produced during slow wave or deep sleep. This is the restorative part of the sleep cycle where cell and DNA regeneration takes place.
• Theta - daydreaming, deep relaxation or meditation. The gateway to your intuition, memory and interoception (internal signals from your body). Theta is that magic state between sleep and wakefulness where time becomes irrelevant and you're completely present in the moment
• Alpha - the resting state of the brain and also during light meditation. It's associated with calm alertness, learning and mind-body integration.
• Beta - fast waves, present during our waking or working day. We're fully alert, focused on our external environment and making decisions. The brain is very active when running beta waves.
• Gamma - the fastest waves, and most recently discovered. The mind has to be quiet to access gamma. Gamma waves are detected during higher states of virtue, such as altruism or universal love. A high presence of gamma waves are thought to relate to expanded consciousness and spiritual emergence. 

As you can see, you can consciously regulate your brain waves to access your intuition, memories, spirituality, problem solve, be creative, change your habits, rest, relax and heal the body.

Practicing moving mindfully, breathing from the heart and meditation can create amazing changes to your body and mind that can transform your health and mobility.

WARNING: Side effects may include feeling well, content and at peace. 

NEXT STEPS

• Come to a mind-body class with me to get a taster of the BYB (Befriend Your Body) Method - you'll leave class feeling relaxed, content, stretched and lighter.
• Attend a half-day retreat - these are deeply relaxing, social small group experiences held in various locations around West Sussex, and often include a sound bath.
• Subscribe to my email list to receive monthly health & wellbeing tips as well as updates on future events.

To find out more about my classes and retreats, or to join my email list you can contact me via any of these channels:

• Email at norma.pearson1@ntlworld.com
• DM me on Facebook Messenger 
• WhatsApp message to 07801 867361.