Give or take a day, it’s 10 years since I opened Yinspire studio – one class just before Christmas 2015, and then a full timetable from January 2016. It’s poignant then that today marks the end of this chapter in the studio’s life.
 
I wrote to you a short while ago explaining that the current timetable of group classes would end in February 2026; in the event both Della and Caroline have decided to move on at the end of this current month, and hence have taught their last classes at Yinspire – I thank them for their support and dedication.

Looking Forward

However it is not the end of Yinspire, by any means.
 
My classes will continue into 2026 on a smaller scale, with the studio reconfigured to use space better, and provide a more intimate facility for up to five people.
 
I’ll initially carry on with the Tuesday morning and Tuesday evening timetable, with the evening class also on zoom, although the timetable will almost certainly change as things evolve.
 
These classes, Therapeutic Yin Yoga, are open to all, and will continue to provide an unambitious nurturing environment for those who appreciate this slower approach.
 
If you have questions about these classes do please reach out; if the “therapeutic” description leaves you thinking “not for me” then I invite you to look past this, the class won’t be a significantly different experience for anyone who has practised with me in recent years.
 
I also plan to offer some short courses and workshops in 2026 focusing on topics like Yoga for Back Health; Stress and Resilience; Yoga for Healthy Ageing. More on these in due course.

I’d love to keep in touch, of course and share with you future offerings – please join my newsletter to keep in touch.
 
I wish everyone a happy Christmas.

Jess

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In this short article our friends at Minded Institute look at the links between stress and inflammation, and how a therapeutic approach to yoga can help.  

Its worth noting that short term stress is a good regulatory mechanism in out body, telling us to take protective action.  When stress settles in and becomes prolonged – aka chronic stress – then problems start. 

It is also important to recognise that stress is not a fixed condition or entity in itself. Rather, it reflects an ongoing interaction between perception, meaning-making, and physiological response. From this perspective, what we commonly call “stress” arises from how experiences are interpreted and held within the system over time—an understanding that closely parallels yogic concepts such as samskara, where unprocessed experience leaves an imprint that shapes future patterns of reactivity.

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Knee osteoarthritis: Small change to gait may relieve symptoms

The nub seems to be research showing that retraining walking patterns to turn the toes further in or further out by a small amount was, in some cases, as effective for Knee pain as medication. 

Worth some further thought if you have knee issues.  Its possible, although clearly would need research, that similarly hip pain could be aided. 

Seemingly not explored here is whether freeing up tensions in soft tissue – muscle and connective tissue – to take out restrictions and imbalances acquired over time with the aim to returning to a normal gait from an altered one could achieve the same thing?  Its entirely possible, and this is where a practice like Yoga or Pilates would help. 

Gait however is complex and whilst many of us have variances in gait – including a common one of foot turn out – in some cases this is a natural effect of skeletal variation, and certainly not something to be corrected of changed for the sake of it – I’ve known Personal Trainers who have taken a simplistic view that any turnout is wrong – that’s not supported by studies of human anatomy and variance. 

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This is a group class drawing on Yoga Therapy principles, and is suitable for anyone with physical or psycho emotional issues who would like to use Yoga to help their wellbeing. This could include, amongst other things, back or joint issues, anxiety, overwhelm and stress, digestive issues.   Equally suitable for anyone who would simply like a slow simple unambitious class.

Expect a slow class, mostly Yin, some other practices, focused on physical and psychological wellbeing.

Suitable for all, including beginners.  This is a floor based class, so participants will need to be able to get up and down unassisted, and be comfortable sitting and laying on the floor.

These classes run 10am and 18:30 on a Tuesday, starting October 7th 2025, with a class duration of 75 to 90 minutes.  The evening class is also streamed on zoom.

Book This Class

The class is taught by Jessica Garbett, who is an experienced Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist (Minded Institute London, CNHC registered)

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Knee OA Pain? Yoga, Strengthening Exercises May Help Equally

The research suggests, as the title implies, that for painful knee arthritis Yoga is as effective as strengthening exercises – the latter sis often suggested for knee pain.

The research suggests that Yoga may be marginally better than strengthening exercises, and yoga also gives improvements in quality of life and physical performance.    However, “adverse events” – strains and aches I’d imagine – were slightly higher in the Yoga group, but none of them serious.

One key thing in the headline is “may” – some people take to yoga, some don’t.  Some people take to strengthening exercises, some don’t. 

Not really covered in this report is the psychological effects of yoga – notably tress reduction, mood improvement and improved regulation – which matter a great deal in pain conditions.   This would add to the beneift of Yoga.

The takeaway though is that for a first line treatment for Knee arthritis, yoga is well placed to help.

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Only 10% of non-surgical treatments for back problems kill pain, says review

As a Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist, and indeed in the latter role with a specialist interest in both Back Health and Pain, you might expect me to be railing against this, and extolling Yoga’s benefits.

Indeed NICE (National Centre for Clinical Excellence) already do a good job of this –  Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management – where although yoga isn’t mentioned specifically, they do say “Consider a group exercise programme (biomechanical, aerobic, mind–body or a combination of approaches) within the NHS for people with a specific episode or flare-up of low back pain with or without sciatica” which sounds like Yoga to me.  They also go on to say “Consider psychological therapies using a cognitive behavioural approach for managing low back pain with or without sciatica but only as part of a treatment package including exercise”, which encapsulates Yoga Therapy very well.

Truth is I’m not surprised by the reports findings as, surprise, our backs are complicated.  

Where reports like this fall down is, in my view, three fold.  

First they look a population based outcomes and tend to ignore the individual – a treatment may not work for a majority of people, even a significant majority, but if you are the one of the minority where it did work, then happy days! In other words, no one model or modality suits everyone.

Second, often interventions are looked at in isolation, whereas the reality is a combination of approaches probably suits most people, eg exercise and some mild pain relief, or as NICE say, as quoted above, “psychological therapies… …as part of a treatment package including exercise”.  There is an additive effect of using a combination of interventions.

Finally, the cumulative protective effect of interventions is ignored.  EG you had a couple of back pain flare ups, so your decide to take up Yoga or Pilates to keep you back flexible and strong, invest in a better office chair and eye level monitor, etc.  The next flare up is a lot less troubling, or maybe avoided all together.

In short they simplify matters and look in the abstract, indeed much medical research does, rather than looking at real life.

Yoga may, or may not, help with an acute back pain flare up or long term chronic back pain.  However when practised, and taught, with care and intelligence, the chances are it will improve someone’s situation, especially when part of a integrative approach with, maybe, massage, input from a Osteopath, Physio or Chiropractor,   some pain relief, and some addressing of causes if known.   The key is an integrative approach; not a one size fits all treatment; not a take-this-pill-and-everything-is-alright approach; not a quick fix, but a nuanced combination that suits the individual.

Ethically, as Yoga Therapist, I am never going to claim that one Yoga session will cure someone’s back flare up; likewise I’m never going to claim that by itself Yoga does it all; I’m not going to claim Yoga will help everyone. I’ll be honest; in most cases Yoga, done well and carefully, will help rather than hinder.

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Mindfulness may be as effective as antidepressant for anxiety symptoms

Researchers assessed the progress of two cohorts with anxiety, one cohort treated with a common antidepressant drug, the other cohort attending a mindfulness course, MBSR.

Results were reviewed at four and eight weeks. 

At four weeks the medicated cohort were reporting a greater improvement than the mindfulness cohort, however at eight weeks both cohorts had the same improvement in their symptoms; interestingly, and perhaps not surprisingly, at eight weeks the mindfulness cohort experienced less side effects compared to the medicated cohort.

So the takeaway is that over eight weeks, mindfulness is slower to act than an antidepressant, but achieves the same outcome symptom wise with less side effects.  Of course taking a pill is easier than carving time out for a mindfulness practice so the ease of the intervention needs to be considered as well.

It would be interesting to see these results over a longer term, and also to see a blended approach with medication given initially alongside a long term mindfulness approach.

However this research does underline what was already known – that mindfulness can be a viable alternative to, or can compliment, medication.

One final thing to add – in this study the mindfulness cohort were using a structured programme known as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, MBSR – this is a well known course syllabus which includes yoga based movement practices alongside sitting practices.  As part of my Yoga Therapy training I wrote my short dissertation on the efficacy of general Yoga classes, and different styles, versus courses like MBSR, based on published research.  Where taught in a therapeutic context, there didn’t appear to be a significant difference in outcomes.  So tentatively any consistent therapeutic yoga and/or mindfulness practice should produce a positive outcome for anxiety, however consistency will be the key, alongside working with a teacher who is therapeutically orientated. 

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The problem with a Resolution is it’s firmness – I will, I must – no room for error or failure, I will, I must.  Inevitably things change.  We look back, “oh well, that didn’t work out”.  Maybe we try again in 12 months; Maybe we admit defeat; Maybe we get into a narrative of self criticism and dwelling on failure.

It’s quite a harsh, and pressurised, way to treat ourselves, and not very kind.

Can Yoga philosophy give us a different perspective? It can. Sankalpa.

Sankalpa broadly translates as intention, or heart felt desire.  Some Yogi’s set a Sankalpa every time they practice, in class or at home.

The approach of Sankalpa can also be a good way to re-frame our aspirations for the New Year in a softer manner as intentions rather than the harshness of musts and wills.  This is a kinder approach to New Year changes framed in self care and a positive outlook rather than setting ourselves hard and firm goals with the pressure that brings.

So maybe take a few moments this New Years time to think of your Sankalpa?  Your intentions.  And approach them with kindness.

What are mine?

Well, three aspects to my Sankalpa for 2025.    First to get to prioritise getting to bed a bit earlier – I am terrible for burning the midnight oil.  Second, I’m a vociferous reader but other things have got the better of me recently, so I’m working towards a book a week.  Finally 2024 saw me moving more towards a plant based diet, and I want to develop that further in 2025 – I don’t think that means full veganism for me, but an axis tilted towards plant based.

Have a great New Year, and I hope to see you in the studio shortly.

^jess

Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

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Six Distinct Subtypes of Depression, Anxiety Identified Via Brain Imaging

Of interest is the blurred line between Depression and Anxiety, and the different sub types identified.  Lets unpick that.

First, the blurred line.  Historically Depression and Anxiety have been seen as different things, however experience by therapists in practice shows they often present together, and are often blurred, to a degree feeding off each other.  This doesn’t mean everyone who is anxious is depressed or vice versa, but there tends to be a correlation.  Its good to see this being investigated in the round. 

Second, the different sub types.  Our brains have various networks, think of that as interconnected pathways, and the research looked at in this article has identified that different networks are activated in different people.  This makes sense, as peoples experience of depression and anxiety is very personalised.     Many factors, biological, social and psychological will shape our we respond to, and experience, external stimuli, and how depression and anxiety take root and are experienced, however all to often the treatment and support can be very homogeneous – “one size fits all” – this is a step the other way, as the article says “Depression is a highly heterogeneous disease”.  In practice it will be some time until this more nuanced approach filters down to day to day care.

So what of Yoga?  As a Yoga Therapist you’d expect me to say “Yoga is great for Depression and Anxiety”.   In all honesty, maybe, maybe not.  As this article suggests, depression and anxiety show up differently in different peoples brains, and therefore just as one size fits all medical care doesn’t work, a one size fits all Yoga approach doesn’t work.  It maybe a slower Yoga approach is needed for some, a focus on relaxation; for others a more dynamic Yoga practice; for others a focus on breathing and the nervous system.  For some people a carefully curated Yoga practice may be the only support needed, in other cases Yoga may be part of a range of medical, holistic and complementary interventions.  Being host, in some cases Yoga may not help at all.

What I would say is that Yoga for Depression and Anxiety benefits with working one on one with an experienced Yoga Teacher or Yoga Therapist, and also Yoga is never a quick fix.  Simple Yoga practices, worked with over time will help most people in most cases.

Read more about Yoga Therapy for Anxiety and Depression

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As always, the answer is “maybe”.

The two things going through my mind in these circumstances are “Would Yoga make this worse?  If so, how to guard against that?” and “How may Yoga actively help?”.

Initially, after an injury, we may have inflammation, bruising and shock – depending on the severity and circumstances of the injury you may need to rest.  There is, of course, a difference between, say, an injury from overdoing it in the garden or gym, verses being caught up in an accident – the latter brings added psychological stresses.  If you attend a Yoga class regularly then your first port of call regarding Yoga is your Yoga Teacher – they can let you know if it’s appropriate to come along, or whether it’s best to take a break.   If you practice Yoga by yourself, or from online sources, then you will need to feel your own way with caution.

Generally, as a Yoga Therapist, my advice would be caution, although in most cases some gentle mobilisation of an area when it can be tolerated is helpful, and in the meantime Yoga relaxation practices can be beneficial.

So, what about longer-term recovery from an Injury?  Well, here Yoga can nearly always help, whether it’s physically bringing strength or release to an injured area and its surrounding tissues; using Yoga practices to help us tolerate pain; or helping us deal with shock and anxiety if we have been in a traumatic situation.  Working with an experienced Yoga Therapist or Yoga Teacher is vital here, to choose the right practices and give you the support you need.

Yoga Therapy is not a substitute for emergency healthcare, so if you have urgent issues, please speak to your GP, NHS 111, or other Health Professional.

You can learn more about my practice as a Yoga Therapist, and in particular how I work with Injury and Rehabilitation, and book appointments, at https://www.yinspire.co.uk/yoga-therapy/

Jessica – Minded Yoga Therapist

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Yes, No, Maybe.  The answer is more nuanced.

Stretching is thought to help loosen the body and give us more flexibility, and within Yoga there can be a cult of flexibility alas.  However, the opposite of flexibility is rigidity and tension, and without rigidity and tension we would probably fall over every time we moved.  Extreme flexibility has another name – it becomes a strain when we overstretch and overstress ligaments in an accident or ill-judged movement.

So, we need to approach flexibility with caution – we want it matched with strength as a start, and we want enough flexibility to allow us to move fully, easily and pain free, but without creating laxity and instability.

Sometimes the word “stretch” itself is unhelpful as it creates a goal driven approach to a range of movement for its own sake – a better term for what we do to the body’s tissues in Yoga could be “stress”, as in stressing them.

Within our bodies, not all tissues are created equally – soft tissue in our body ranges from muscle tissue which moves dynamically through to ligaments and tendons which have more of a connecting and stabilising function, making them susceptible to strain.   It could be said that muscles like to stretch, and other tissues like to be stressed, although that is a little simplistic.

Moving away from the purely physical, a stretch in our muscle fibres can help release psychological stress and relax us via receptors in our muscles called “Golgi Tendon Organs” and a process known as the Reverse Stretch Reflex; so if we are tense and experiencing stress psychologically, some gentle stretching can help a lot; Yin Yoga, which I largely work with, is especially good at this, as it takes a slow, measured and controlled approach with support. 

So, in summary, some stretch is good, but strength and rigidity have their place as well; the key is to be flexible where we need it and have rigidity elsewhere.  Of course, this is Yin and Yang.

Finally, it should be said that this is quite a technical area, known as Biomechanics, although even the validity of this term is disputed at times on the grounds that it’s misleading to think of the human body as a machine.  On a personal note I have over 1,000 hours of training as a Yoga Teacher, some of which was spent classroom based studying the properties of tissues, and some of which was spent in a dissection room exploring these tissues practically; paradoxically, and I know others who have found this, the more I learn, the less prescriptive I become, as there is so much human variation.

You can learn more about my Yoga Classes at www.yinspire.co.uk, where you can book a class and find out more about my studio in Brading, Isle of Wight. 

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With complexity comes both the risk of things going wrong, and the need for care – in both cases very applicable to our Nervous System.

Many people have heard of the concepts of the “Fight or Flight” and “Rest and Digest” responses in our Nervous System.   These refer respectively to the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic branches of our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS).  The ANS is the part of the Nervous System behind the scenes controlling functions like respiration, circulation, and digestion, as well as feeding information to and from our brains and from there to and from conscious awareness.

The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) helps us prepare for action – anything from planned movements to reaction to danger and is especially active when we need to respond quickly to something – hence “Fight or Flight”.  The Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) is the system which helps us rest and consolidate – digest our food, relax with our loved ones or friends, enjoy a book or film – hence “Rest and Digest”.

So far so good.  But the balance between these two branches of the ANS is a complex one, and we can easily get out of balance.  For example, our SNS can get overstimulated, so we overreact to small things, and continue to remain in a Sympathetic state long after the immediate need has passed – think about a situation where something small causes you to overreact and you are edgy for hours afterwards?  Long term over stimulation can be co-existent with Anxiety, Stress, Pain Conditions, Digestive Complaints, Inflammation, and a host of other issues.

The SNS can get demonised, but the PNS can also cause things to go awry – for example with extreme Parasympathetic responses, which could range from depression to freeze in response to trauma.   The work of Stephen Porges on Poly Vagal Theory helps explain some of these extreme responses.¹

Keeping the ANS healthy and both branches working effectively is an important part of our health and wellbeing.   Used intelligently, Yoga can help with this through both physical practices and via sitting practices like breathing or mindfulness.  My go to practice for developing resilience and wellbeing in the Nervous System is Resonant Breathing² which is part of a range of practices which can cause a Relaxation Response (Benson)^2,3 – there are also other Yoga practices which, as a Yoga Therapist, I may recommend to help address the problems my clients face.

However, in as much as Yoga can help, it can hinder if inappropriate practices are chosen, hence the need to work with an experienced Yoga Therapist or Yoga Teacher who can help you look at the wider picture of your health.

One final thing – Yoga Therapy is not a substitute for emergency healthcare, so if you have a serious health issue, please speak to your GP, NHS 111, or A&E.

You can learn more about my practice as a Yoga Therapist, and book appointments, at www.yinspire.co.uk/yoga-therapy/

Jessica – Minded Yoga Therapist

1 – Book: The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation – Deborah Dana (2018)
https://www.yinspire.co.uk/book-the-polyvagal-theory-in-therapy-engaging-the-rhythm-of-regulation-deborah-dana-2018/

2 – https://www.yinspire.co.uk/relaxation-response-and-coherent-breathing-a-review/

3 – https://www.yinspire.co.uk/book-relaxation-response-herbert-benson/

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If you ask Google “what is yoga” then, at the time of writing, you get 2,660,000,000 results – clearly a number of views!

If you were to look at some of the first results that come up, a variety of images will catch your eye.  The yogi in flowing white robes mediating serenely; the lyrca clad gymnast in a moody loft studio, concentrating on their balance or form.  You may see an image of one of the gods or goddesses of yoga such as Shiva or Shakti, Lakshmi or Ganesha.  Or maybe you fix on images of a yoga class in any one of thousands of school halls, church rooms and small studios the length and breadth of the country, with men and women like you and I taking part.

The word Yoga translates literally from its native Sanskrit as “join” or “union”.  Sometimes “yoke”, as in yoking cattle.

Early Yoga philosophies are diverse and varied – there are many early definitions, themes, and roots to Yoga, often contradictory. 

Some of the earliest writing about Yoga is in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, written around 500 CE, and this tends to be popular in the West as a set of relatable principles.   The opening verses give us an expanded definition of yoga, “Yoga is control of thought-waves in the mind, so that man can abide in his true nature”.   In the original Sanskrit this is “yoga chitta vritti nirodhah tada drastuh svarupe vasthanam“. 

But what does that mean? And how does it relate to archetypes described above?

Thought waves in the mind is the stuff that distracts us and holds us back, the things that stop us fulfilling our potential as individuals – thoughts, emotions, reactions, memories, trauma, stresses.   Our true nature is to understand and rise above these.  Yoga helps us do so.  This is the unity explicit in the word Yoga; our minds, bodies, and spirit in unity.

I would re-interpret that as a process of wellness – releasing everything which holds us back so that we have well-being.  Release from limiting behaviour; limiting belief; a limiting relationship with the full expression of ourselves. Release from conditioned responses to day-to-day events; an awareness of how and why we move, think and do.

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Viktor Frankl

So to me, Yoga is a process of personal wellness – physically, mentally, and spiritually. 

Increasingly I also interpret Yoga as a process of personal insight and understanding, reflecting that insight and understanding must be the foundation of any agenda of personal change.

I’ve no doubt that each of the google results are unique and emphasise different aspects of yoga – my thoughts above are just a vignette of these wider thoughts.

It’s worth touching quickly on what Yoga isn’t.  

Yoga isn’t a religion – Yoga has roots in ancient Hindu philosophy and, according to some sources, many other ancient religions, and philosophical systems.   It can be a spiritual practice; however it is not a religion; there is no dictation as to what you do or don’t believe, or how you interpret God, divinity and spirituality.  All Yoga asks is that you approach everything in life with an open mind, including faith and belief. 

Yoga isn’t physical just exercise and flexibility – it includes movement and body control, sometimes quite strongly, and it will help with fitness, but its basis is much wider.  

Over centuries – and the roots of yoga stretch back to about 4000 BCE – Yoga has changed and adapted.  In the 20^th century it moved from East to West and adapted to reflect the needs of a different culture, and yet our modern Yoga practice still leans on ancient wisdom, reframed for the modern world.

You can learn more about my Yoga Classes at www.yinspire.co.uk, where you can book a class and find out more about my studio in Brading, Isle of Wight. 

The post Yoga Ancient and Modern appeared first on Yinspire Yoga Therapy.

However free isn’t necessarily good – of course, as a Yoga Teacher running in person classes, I would say that, wouldn’t I?

Yoga has many benefits, physically and psychologically, but does need to be used with care.  For example, if you have health issues or injuries, some practices may not be suitable.  Equally there are some practices – especially breathing and meditation practices – that are advanced and need to be approached with care.  An experienced Yoga Teacher can help you unlock the practices that are best for you. 

At a very simple level, when I am teaching Yoga postures, I often see people in class copy someone else and trying to make the same shape, but without appreciating subtle aspects of setting it up, or without using extra support in the right place.  As an example, I often teach Supported Inversion, which is a very relaxing posture for most people; it looks similar to Shoulder Stand with the addition of a bolster for support, but that bolster changes everything – from Yang to Yin!

So, my recommendation is that anyone who is serious about unlocking Yoga’s many benefits should start off with an experienced Yoga Teacher, either in class or one on one – a Beginners Course can be good for this.

Now, that said, Yoga’s benefits come from little and often, so once you have learned the basics, rolling out your mat at home and doing half an hour every day or so is going to cement the benefits of what you learn in class.  In due course you can experiment a little and follow some of the various YouTube offerings, knowing that you can be safe in your own practice.

And finally – money.  Yes, coming to classes, or attending private sessions, costs money.  So why pay for something you can get for free?  Well, I’ve set out some reasons above.  Yoga itself is not owned by anyone, and its benefits should be freely available to all – something most Yoga Teachers would probably agree passionately about – but for those who have trained to train and help others, their time, training and experience needs to be valued. 

You can learn more about my Yoga Classes at www.yinspire.co.uk, where you can book a class and find out more about my studio in Brading, Isle of Wight. 

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Behind this joke, however, is a truism – we tend to gravitate toward simple health solutions, and a pill for everything.

In reality, our health is more complex than that.  The medical world used to use a Biomedical model of health which looked at the physical aspects of illness and paid little attention to social or psychological factors.¹ 

In the late 1970s Engel and Romano² proposed a model known as the BioPsychoSocial model of health which has stood through to current times and is now considered to be a more nuanced and comprehensive approach to health. 

It postulates that health and disease has various components – Biological, Psychological and Socio-Economic. 

Biological factors refer to physical issues like tissue damage or chemical imbalances, very much like the Biomedical model.  These are obvious constituents of good health or illness.

Psychological factors cover how we think about our health, and our outlook on life.  For example, suppose someone has had surgery on their knee.  Their outlook could be “My knee is awful – I have to take a lot of care with everything and pain relief just to get through the day”.  However, the outlook could also be “My knee is brilliant now – so long as I take care, and take my pain medication regularly, I get through the day just fine”; essentially these are the same statements from a differing perspective.   Of course, psychological wellbeing is a lot more than having a permanently sunny disposition, but there is no denying how we feel psychologically affects our health.

Socio-economic factors cover variables like lifestyle, work, family, and wealth.  Better socioeconomic factors correlate with better health³, and by contrast our health can suffer if we are concerned about relationships, friendships, work, or money.

Where the BioPsychoSocial model works well is the interaction between these factors – we pick up a minor injury, say strain our back (Biological); we worry (Psychological) about not being able to work to support our family or enjoy our hobbies (Socio-economic); the worry and isolation makes us tense and this in turn means our back pain gets worse; so we worry some more; and rapidly you have a vicious circle.

This comes back to that opening example.  Sometimes taking a Paracetamol is glossing over the real problems we need to address.  By way of example, the correlation between peoples’ experiences of back pain and tissue damage observed in medical imaging is not all that strong – many people experience pain with no tissue damage evident at all, or experience pain long after the injury has healed – showing health and wellbeing is more complex than absence of Biomedical factors.

Paradoxically that complexity can be our ally – when medications and other treatment don’t provide relief, we know we can also look at how Psychological and Socio-economic factors are affecting us.   Do we need to change our outlook?  Or make some lifestyle changes?  And these do not have to be complex, maybe some more sleep, a diet change, or some fresh air each day.

Where does Yoga Therapy come into this?   Well, Yoga is a Mind Body discipline so uniquely works across the different aspects of this BioPsychoSocial model.  Yoga Therapy can therefore work very well alongside the treatments from your Doctor or Specialist.   In particular, Yoga can help both physically with tending to our bodies, and with the psycho-emotional aspects of how we react to illness and injury, and how we organise variable aspects of our lifestyle. 

Likewise, Yoga Therapy can help us develop the wisdom to have a psychologically healthy and realistic outlook on life and make the lifestyle choices that support good health.

Just like a pill isn’t a cure all, neither will be Yoga Therapy – but using a BioPyschoSocial model we can help work out strategies for improving our health and wellbeing.

One final thing – Yoga Therapy is not a substitute for emergency healthcare, so if you have a serious health issue, please speak to your GP, NHS 111, or A&E.

You can learn more about my practice as a Yoga Therapist, and book appointments, at www.yinspire.co.uk/yoga-therapy/

Jessica – Minded Yoga Therapist

1 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_model

2 – The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/847460/   

3 – Effects of Socioeconomic Status on Physical and Psychological Health: Lifestyle as a Mediator
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30669511/

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The answer it turns out is “maybe”.

The two things going through my mind in these circumstances are “Would Yoga make this worse?  If so, how to guard against that?” and “How may Yoga actively help?”.

Initially after an injury you may have inflammation, bruising and shock – depending on the severity and circumstances of the injury you may need to rest.  There is, of course, a difference between, say, an injury from overdoing it in the garden or gym, verses being caught up in an accident – the latter brings added psychological stresses.  If you attend a Yoga class regularly then your first port of call regarding Yoga is your Yoga Teacher – they can let you know if it is appropriate to come along, or whether it is best to take a break.   If you practice Yoga by yourself, or from online sources, then you will need to feel your own way with caution.

My advice is always to be cautious, although in most cases a gentle Yoga class with an experienced teacher is more likely to help than hinder.

So, what about longer-term recovery from an Injury?  Well, here Yoga can nearly always help, whether it’s physically bringing strength or release to an injured area and its surrounding tissues; using Yoga practices to help us tolerate pain, or helping us deal with shock and anxiety if we have been in a traumatic situation.  Working with an experienced Yoga Teacher is vital here, to choose the right practices and give you the support you need.

Most of my classes are suitable for rehabilitation from injury, although it’s useful if we can speak first so I have a perspective on your situation.  You can learn more about my Yoga Classes at www.yinspire.co.uk. 

I can also work on one with people as a Yoga Therapist and this can be useful if you feel you need some more personalised attention – learn more on my Yoga Therapy website, www.yinspire.co.uk/yoga-therapy

Yoga is not a substitute for emergency healthcare, so if you have urgent issues, please speak to your GP, NHS 111, or other Health Professional.

The post Will a Yoga Class Help When I’m Injured? appeared first on Yinspire Yoga Therapy.

I would admit there is a stereotype, often fed by the media, of a typical yogi.

But, honestly, it’s far from the truth.

So, as a Yoga Therapist, Yoga Teacher, and a Yoga Practitioner, I can honestly say Yoga is, or can be, for everyone.

You don’t need to buy special fashion, give up wine and carbs, wear sandals, or grow a hipster beard – although any of those are, of course, permissible! 

Equally you don’t need to be especially bendy, have a particular body shape, gender, colour, or creed.  

You don’t even need to be fit and well – Yoga Therapy helps you toward this and is suitable for most conditions and injuries.

Really the only thing you need to start with Yoga is an open mind and some time. 

Some of the techniques and concepts we use in Yoga may be new to you, but its fine, you don’t need to learn a lot – one of the important things for me as a Yoga Therapist is to keep my work with you very simple and straightforward.  And its why we call Yoga a “practice” – because you keep practising!

We live in an age of the quick fix, and Yoga Therapy is in many ways the antithesis of this – a slower and, arguably, more sustainable approach to wellbeing.

A private Yoga Therapy session is a good way to see if Yoga can be for you, as you get the private attention of a skilled Yoga Therapist, and the worries of a room of strangers is taken away.

If you have an inkling the health benefits of yoga may help you, but you don’t know where to start, this could be the way in?

You can learn more about my practice as a Yoga Therapist, and book appointments, at www.yinspire.co.uk/yoga-therapy

Jessica – Minded Yoga Therapist

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Our Nervous System is working all the time in the background, mediating physiological responses in our body, acting as a silent watchdog and regulator, passing information between brain and body in a near instantaneous two-way street.

When too much is going on we can start to feel overwhelmed and out of control.

Yoga is a great way to help balance this out.  It doesn’t have to be ambitious and advanced – some simple stretches and some attention to our breathing will do us the world of good to start with.  Some people find learning about Mindfulness, Meditation or the Eastern concepts of the Energy Body help as well, although they are not an essential part of starting out with Yoga.

Although you can learn some simple calming Yoga from YouTube or a book, there is no substitute for working with an experienced teacher at the outset, as they can gently guide you in the direction of practices that might be helpful.

In time you can almost certainly pick up some simple routines to use at home – ten minutes of “Yoga first aid” can make a difference when life gets on top of you.

If you have a busy life, maybe home and care responsibilities, or a high paced job, then its worth remembering you can’t pour from an empty vessel – taking some time out for yourself isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

As a Yoga Therapist as well as Yoga teacher, Stress and Overwhelm is a specialist area of mine.  All my group classes are suitable for helping people calm and attend to themselves, and if you would like more personalised attention, I can help one on one as a Yoga Therapist.

You can learn more about my Yoga Classes at www.yinspire.co.uk, where you can book a class and find out more about my studio in Brading, Isle of Wight.

The post Calm – Taking Time Out for Ourselves appeared first on Yinspire Yoga Therapy.

Unsurprisingly it was a bit of a shock, and I had to lean heavily on Yoga to help me through. 

Modern techniques have improved surgeries like joint replacement tremendously, however they are still quite an assault on the body and emotions. 

Let us look at how Yoga Therapy can help.

Before surgery, the idea of “prehabilitation” – prehab – is a good one; getting yourself ready physically and psychologically for surgery.  Certainly, being as physically fit as you can be will help your recovery, but often the dilemma exists that you may have limitations with exercise and movement – Yoga can help here as it can provide options for gentle non aggravating exercise.  For myself, a combination of Yoga and cycling was my preparation.

It’s also important to be emotionally fit before surgery – there is evidence that pre surgical stress can make your recovery more difficult.^1,2   Again this is something Yoga is well placed to help with, through relaxation practices.  Coherent Breathing was my go-to practice, as it both calms the Nervous System and helps foster physiological and psychological resilience.

Immediately after surgery you will need bed rest for a few days, and you may find yourself a bit stiff from being in bed – a little bit of upper body Yoga and some seated twists can easily be done in bed, as can some simple Yoga breathing practices, e.g., Coherent Breathing.  I found the second night post-surgery to be the most painful, even with medication, and breathing plus some Kiritan music – yoga chants – helped me through a night of very disturbed sleep.  

Post-surgical pain and insomnia can be helped with Yoga based breathing practices – when things are flared up a practice like gentle Ujjai breathing with an extended exhale will help stimulate the Parasympathetic Nervous System which will be downrated in such situations and provide an element of “Yoga First Aid”.  Longer term Coherent Breathing will help balance the Nervous System and improve Heart Rate Variability, which can be compromised in the immediate post-surgical period.²

As recovery progresses there are a host of areas where Yoga can help. 

Physically, your Physiotherapist will lead, but Yoga can support their work with you.  Your body will be adapting physically to a slight difference in the joint, which will create various tensions and imbalances, which Yoga can help correct.  Yoga also offers opportunities for gentle strengthening and release of muscles and tissues disturbed during surgery, and opportunities for gentle mobilisation to move synovial fluid around and lubricate the joint.  

Where Yoga can also help post joint replacement surgery is addressing some of the emotional issues.  Some people, and by no means all, can experience an element of disassociation from the new joint, and Yoga offers opportunities to, quite literally, welcome the new joint into the body.  There may be new limitations or adaptations to movement patterns to adjust to, and this can present as many psychological challenges as physical ones – again this is an area where Yoga provides support in developing a more reasoned outlook.  For some people there may be ongoing pain or unusual sensations, and Yoga provides tools for helping to assimilate these.

In short, pre surgery, immediately after surgery, and during rehabilitation, Yoga can support joint replacement and, for that matter, other surgeries.   However not all Yoga is created equally – you need to work with an experienced Yoga Therapist or Yoga Teacher – as the wrong choice of practices could set you back.

You can learn more about my practice as a Yoga Therapist, and book appointments, at www.yinspire.co.uk/yoga-therapy

Jessica – Minded Yoga Therapist

1 – Effect of pre-surgical stress on recovery of patients undergoing hip replacement procedure https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27120945/

2 – Dynamics of Vagal Activity Due to Surgery and Subsequent Rehabilitation
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31827417/

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It’s an old play on words, but many people think that flexibility and mobility is a prerequisite of starting a Yoga practice.  This couldn’t be further from the truth; one twee, but accurate, adage is “Yoga isn’t about touching your toes, its about what you learn on the way down”, so even if you are not in perfect health or fitness, Yoga is, literally, for every-body!

Of course, there are different styles of Yoga, and not every style is suitable for everyone, so look into the class you are signing up for and ask the teacher some questions if necessary.  That said, with an experienced teacher in a suitable level class, most injuries and restrictions can be catered for in some way. Picked the wrong class and found it’s not suitable?  Talk to the teacher, or ask around, and there will be something else more suitable.

If you have health concerns, or feel self-conscious about starting a group class, then most Yoga teachers offer private session to get you going and these may be an excellent way to ease yourself into attending class regularly.

So, what will a regular Yoga practice achieve?  Well, you may learn to touch your toes if you can’t already, or you may learn that being able to touch your toes actually isn’t the most important thing in life.  For the most part you should come out feeling calmer, looser, and generally more upbeat, which isn’t a bad thing.

You can learn more about my Yoga Classes at www.yinspire.co.uk, where you can book a class and find out more about my studio in Brading, Isle of Wight.

I can also work on one with people as a Yoga Therapist and this can be useful if you feel you need some more personalised attention – learn more on my Yoga Therapy website, www.yinspire.co.uk/yoga-therapy

The post Yoga for Everyone. I can’t do Yoga! You Can! appeared first on Yinspire Yoga Therapy.