Yoga and meditation, practices with roots dating back thousands of years, continue to hold significance in the contemporary world. In many ways, these exercises have become even more relevant in today's fast-paced lifestyle, offering profound physical and mental well-being in the modern context.
In a conversation with Asian Voice, Jenny Haynes, a movement, meditation and breathwork facilitator based in London, UK, stresses the importance of sustainably practising yoga, its benefits and importance.
How would you describe the significance of yoga?
Yoga holds significant value for me as a practice that offers profound benefits to the mind, body, and spiritual connection. It provides an opportunity for me to actively engage with my body—working on opening, strengthening, and fostering a deep connection with it. On a mental level, yoga allows me to be fully present with myself, embracing the principles of this practice. Taking time for this dedicated practice brings a multitude of benefits, promoting grounding and self-connection. Moreover, adhering to yoga principles facilitates a sense of connection with others and influences how one engages with the broader world.
What advice do you have for beginners in terms of establishing a positive and sustainable yoga practice?
For newcomers, my foremost advice is to explore various practices and find teachers who resonate with you. Each teacher brings a unique style and it is important to discover a practitioner who aligns with your preferences. Experiment with different types of yoga, such as Vinyasa, Hatha, or Yin, to determine what suits you best and enhances your enjoyment of the practice. Additionally, avoid undue pressure to achieve too much too soon. People often make the mistake of thinking they must practice every day, leading to frustration when this isn't feasible. Habits form more effectively with a patient, pressure-free approach.
Individuals often approach yoga with the intention of weight loss. What is your opinion on this motivation and in what ways can the practice help achieve overall well-being?
When individuals approach me intending to use yoga for weight loss, I advise a shift in perspective. I encourage them to step back from the sole focus on weight loss and instead discover the joy in their practice because weight loss as the primary motivation might not sustain a strong commitment, as it can stem from a place of self-disapproval, making it easier to give in when faced with challenges. I suggest approaching it with a focus on deriving motivation from feeling good in one's body, fostering a more enduring commitment. Moreover, yoga plays a crucial role in establishing mental grounding. I believe that many challenges, including poor dietary choices and stress, arise when individuals feel disconnected from themselves. Taking the time to engage in yoga becomes an opportunity to pause and reconnect with the body, cultivating a habit of self-check-ins.
How can we strike a balance between exercising and healthy eating habits?
Yogic principles strongly emphasise the importance of nourishing the body and it's essential to view exercise not as a standalone solution but as a supportive element to a well-balanced diet. This perspective shift involves making small, consistent steps. I encourage individuals to pause and ask, "If I genuinely love myself in this moment, what choices would I make?" This approach often leads to decisions that prioritise self-care. Dehydration, fatigue, and excessive sugar consumption often contribute to a sense of feeling unwell, prompting a desire to abandon healthy habits. The goal is to minimise the consumption of heavily processed foods, striving for a diet resembling the principles of a sattvic diet and integral to yogic practices.
What is your take on the westernisation of yoga?
Personally, yoga holds a profound significance for me beyond mere physical movement. Pilates is a practice dedicated to control and strength. In contrast, yoga emphasises the application of disciplines like the yamas and niyamas to everyday life. In the midst of our fast-paced, technology-driven, and bustling world, yoga serves as a beautiful practice that invites people to pause, turn inward, and connect with their emotional selves. This, I believe, resonates deeply with many individuals. Despite the West's tendency to sometimes cherry-pick aspects of yoga, there's a positive shift towards rediscovering and embracing its spiritual roots.
Can we speak about sound bathing and how it can help our physical and mental health?
Sound baths involve a passive experience where you simply lie down, receiving the therapeutic effects of specific sounds with distinct frequencies and vibrations. In the mind, certain tones and frequencies employed during sound baths can stimulate your brain, inducing a deeper state of neural processing. This state, akin to the space between wakefulness and sleep, plays a crucial role in processing emotions and thoughts. These sounds can profoundly impact both your body and mind, providing an opportunity for your body to ground and relax. This experience tends to differ from person to person.
How can one make sustainable New Year's resolutions that encompass overall well-being and self-care, in the new year?
The first piece of advice I always offer is not to be burdened with achieving specific milestones by a predetermined date. Rather than setting rigid deadlines, the focus should be on initiating the process when the desire emerges, beginning at a manageable pace. I emphasise three fundamental principles when embarking on personal growth: approaching change from a standpoint of self-love rather than self-criticism, setting realistic and achievable timeframes, and considering aspects that extend beyond personal well-being to impact the broader world.
