Hi Reader,

Last weekend I gave a workshop on how to use the yogic framework to destress, reset and recharge. I had such a great time and thought I’d share some elements with you here :)

Nervous system regulation is a pretty hot topic these days but the ancient sages already knew all about it.

They mapped out the “subtle body” which is our energetics (we can’t see it but we can feel it) and devised methods to bring us back in a state of internal balance and stability.

Yoga identifies 3 modes (Gunas) which are present in all things: inertia (Tamas), activity (Rajas) and harmony (Sattva).

It's natural and useful to have a mix of all 3 gunas. For example you need to Tamas to fall asleep at night and Rajas to work.

But that last mode of Sattva is what we’re really after.

It’s the state of deep satisfaction and presence we feel when we’re exactly where we should be.

It can be the sense of fulfilment we get from completing a big project, or the connection we feel during an intimate conversation.

Yoga is about learning to stabilise this fleeting state.

The issue is our world is designed to keep us out of it. 😑

We keep swinging between rajasic extremes of agitations & overwhelm, only to slide back into acute tamasic dullness and lethargy without ever cultivating the sattvic peace & satisfaction we all crave.

We're stuck in a negative feedback loop.

In modern linguo, you could talk about the the stress cycle, which can keep us in an alert state until exhaustion takes over.

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I’m sure you can notice this pattern in your own life.

When you come home dead beat from a stressful day and can’t help but zone out in front of Netflix in typical Tamas sloth.

Or when you really need to catch up on sleep but your thoughts keep you up at night in total Rajas mode.

It’s interesting how deep this tendency runs deep in our culture.

Got something to celebrate? I know what I do: pop that bottle! But while alcohol can accompany the euphoria for a while, ultimately it takes us right back into that dull and sluggish state.

Honestly, escaping this cycle is hard because it goes against a lot of of our learned behavior...

There are many yogic tools you can use to bring yourself back to equilibrium, but it all starts with one thing: self-awareness.

Try to pay attention to how you are feeling throughout the day.

Are you constantly stressed, drained, or both?

When does your energy dip, and when does it go up? Do these track the natural rhythms of day & night time?

What are activities that calm you & which ones energise you?

Start paying attention to your unconscious reactions and ingrained habits. Just take note and perhaps in that short pause, you’ll feel a little more free to give yourself exactly what you need in that moment.

I’d love to hear your own thoughts and experiences around this topic, so please hit reply!

Wishing you a super sattvic weekend x

Lou

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PS: I’m off in a couple of days to travel around the Northen Territories with my parents. I’ll be be a bit slower to respond until I'm back and resuming classes on May 4th.

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