Intra-body Interconnection

Intra means “inside or within”
Inter means “between”

I’m excited to start a new series about how our practice of yoga works with all the systems of the body. Remember the old commercial frying an egg with the slogan “this is your brain on drugs”? My series will have a similar title:

“This is your body on Yoga.”

Not long ago I started meditating on my physical body, aware of the many systems that are working together to support resilience and good health. “Bless my nervous system, my skeleton, my muscles, my respiratory and circulatory systems, my digestion and elimination, my lymphatic and endocrine systems.” I am aware of how certain foods support the different systems and how exercise can be the fountain of youth for our aging bodies. But how does Yoga fit into the scheme?

Most people today were introduced to yoga as primarily a physical practice, usually as just one more exercise offering at the fitness center. I am fortunate that when I first studied Yoga over 30 years ago I did so with a teacher who was well-versed in the physical, mental/emotional and spiritual aspects of Yoga. In the 1990s I was a doctoral student who was too much in my head sitting for long hours in the library or at my computer. Since I was living in southern California at the time I could go out for a walk every day of the year because the weather was so agreeable. Unfortunately, my lower back and hip were not agreeable because of a lingering injury. Finding that yoga teacher was just what I needed to soothe my back, calm my nervous system and bring balance to my mind. 

I am thrilled to come full circle as I return to exploring what we can learn about “Your Body on Yoga.” Here are some questions to consider as we begin:

• Which of your bodily systems are you most aware of right now and why? 
• Which ones have you forgotten about? 
• How might bringing them into intra-body interconnection positively affect your well-being and happiness? 

It’s going to be an interesting journey.