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Importance of Relaxation in Yoga

69 Comments / By / June 7, 2023

What is Stress?

Stress is related to the sympathetic nervous system, to the fight or flight response to situations. Relaxation is related to the parasympathetic nervous system, known as ‘rest and digest’. Some amount of stress is required in life to make things happen. When it is managed well, it is called Eustress. In fact, Eustress is good for you. When it becomes disproportionate, it becomes distress. Distress is a cause of concern and should be managed. A lot of health problems can be traced back to long-term distress. However, stress cannot and should not be eliminated but managed. Nothing worthwhile can be achieved with a laid-back pseudo-yoga attitude.

What is Relaxation?

Relaxation is an internal attitude, a bhava. A good warrior is capable, focused, alert, ready but relaxed. When one falls down in martial art combat, one should allow the body to fall rather than becoming tense and fearful, to minimize injury. International sportspersons reach that level managing their inner game, apart from mastering techniques. When one is relaxed, one can hit peak performance. Mind is nothing but interfering thoughts. Performance=Potential-Interference. Become aware of the inner opponent and relax.

Relaxation in Asana practice

This is different from relaxing asanas. When you are doing asanas, it is important to feel the body and relax the body parts not involved in that particular posture. For example, in almost all the asanas, the face muscles are not required and can be relaxed. Practicing asanas is different from going to battle. Coordinating the breathing with dynamic asana movements reduces some of the unwanted muscular tension. In static postures, breathing slow, long and deep has the same function but one still needs to allow the body to bend or stretch. You can stretch a rubber band but not an iron rod.

Relaxation in Pranayama

While doing alternate nostril breathing or humming-bee pranayama, the body should be absolutely relaxed and spine upright but not tight. These are nervous system practices and the relaxed attitude will enhance their benefits. In Kapalbhati or Bhastrika pranayamas, the only movement required is that of the upper abdomen controlling the diaphragm. It can happen efficiently only when the body is relaxed. Of course, efficiency increases over a period of time but relaxed attitude expedites the progress.

Secret of weight-loss: Relaxation

When you are tense about reducing weight, your stress hormones will not let you lose weight. And even if you lose a few kilos, the weight will bounce back with a vengeance. The reason is short term goals causing stress. Acknowledge the present weight and make a long-term plan. Think of what diet and exercise you can follow for the next 10 years. This will transform your view, make you relaxed and help you change your lifestyle. Maintaining a healthy weight and waistline is an open secret and everyone knows it. Yet, we fall into the trap of excess fasting or dieting and over-exercising because of stress. If you are relaxed, you will realize, you know your body better than anyone else. Take a resolve and make those small changes. And then, magic will happen.

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