Exploring the Deeper Benefits of Yoga Postures

Kristine Weber, MA, C-IAYT, eRYT500 is a leading world authority on the neuroscientific benefits of slow, mindful movement and an advocate for the use of these practices as a solution to the healthcare crisis. She is leading the charge to get slow, mindful practices to people who desperately need them through her Subtle® Yoga Revolution series of online courses and trainings for yoga teachers – which have been praised by thousands all over the world.

She recently wrote a great article in response to Dr Andrew Huberman and his Huberman Labs podcast. I invited her on to chat about it.

Here's how her blog starts:

“Dr. Huberman I’d love to talk to you about this [breathing] as a yoga therapist and armchair neuroscience geek who has spent more than a decade curating the research.

I love your work and I realize scientific inquiry is by its very nature reductive.

But you have taken an intricate and sophisticated ancient system that confers self-regulation – ethics + asana + pranayama + meditation – and reduced it to “box breathing” here.

This is deeply problematic for a number of reasons.

Self-regulation via yoga practices is basically achieved in four steps..."

Read her blog here: ⁠https://subtleyoga.com/dear-dr-huberman/⁠

We discuss this in depth in this episode.

7:30 Jeremy and Kristine discussed the reductive default of defining yoga as solely physical postures (asana) and emphasized the importance of incorporating the ethical principles (yamas and niyamas) of yoga for self-regulation and moral cognition. They expressed interest in exploring the intersection of neuroscience and these ethical concepts in future conversations

16:08 Jeremy and Kristine discussed the importance of practicing the principles of yoga in a progressive manner, even though they don't have to be followed strictly in order. They also touched on the benefits of memorizing and teaching the yamas and niyamas, as well as the potential energetic and physiological effects of yoga postures beyond just stretching and strengthening.

26:30 Kristine and Jeremy discussed the emerging scientific understanding of the biofield and its connection to the subtle body in yoga. They explored research on the morphogenic field, physical correlates of the chakras, and the potential for deeper understanding of the mind-body connection through studying the biofield.

35:18 Kristine and Jeremy discuss the potential intersection of science, quantum physics, and the biofield in relation to yoga and meditation. They emphasize the importance of respecting the rich tradition of yoga and its vastness, while cautioning against oversimplifying practices like pranayama.

43:18 Jeremy and Kristine discussed the importance of understanding that not every breathing practice is suitable for everyone, as our breath is influenced by our personal history and survival patterns. They also emphasized the need for repetition over time to bring about lasting changes in traits and the importance of exploring and studying Pranayama for a deeper understanding of breathwork.

Enjoy!

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