On October 19, the workshop Healing Through Yoga Part 1 was hosted by LBCC Professor Sylvia Garcia, and included an instructional yoga seminar presented by Jaclyn Padgett.
The seminar mainly demonstrated and emphasized the importance of moving the body and breathing through the practice of yoga.
The seminar lasted one hour and began at 1:30 p.m.
Before getting into the exercises, Padgett explained the premise of yoga and the history behind its origin.
“Yoga, to yoke, a union, to bring together. That’s kind of this whole idea. It’s more than just exercise. It’s more than just thinking,” Padgett said. “It’s almost activating our survival brain, our autonomic nervous system. That’s kind of what is happening.”
During the demonstrations, Padgett started off with the various materials or props that yoga practitioners use in their art.
“Props. If you have blocks, grab them. They come handy for some things. Helpful tools, blankets. If you have a blanket or something that is very beneficial, especially if you have knee issues. Anything, just be creative. Find the things you have in your house that you can roll up if you need to make some modifications,” Padgett said.
The exercises required patience and perseverance. There were many holds and relaxing positions that helped the muscles to release tension, the body just falling into a relaxed state. Breathing was a constant flow, which helped regulate sensitivity and energy consumption.
All involved participants appeared to be very focused and in a peaceful state of mind.
Padgett best summarized the experience in her own words: “Healing is to make whole again. There’s something about moving the body; energy needs to move. Anytime, anything that you’re doing doesn’t feel right in your body, either just take a break, sit down, even just putting your hand one hand on your forehead, one hand on the back of your head, allowing yourself to just release.”
The goal of yoga is to become one with the universe, to become nothingness while the “self” still exists, to dissolve the ego, “To come with an open mind,” Padgett said.
LBCC Professor Rick Anderson also shared his perspective and experience with yoga. Anderson is a very active practitioner of yoga and recognizes many of its benefits.
“The word yoga, you want to break it down, is to yoke. Basically to join the mind and the body. And when you practice yoga, you train the mind to sit in stillness. And that’s the traditional yoga practice 2000 years ago,” Anderson said.
Yoga is similar to meditation as both practices encourage inner peace and synchronization with the environment.
“We can’t do everything we could do. Our bodies get slow, our minds get slow. And what yoga does is it makes that mind focus on your body, your breath, your self, meaning that it focuses more on centering yourself instead of thinking too much and worrying too much,” said Anderson.
Anderson compared the process to strengthening one’s emotional stability. “It makes you calm down, it makes you a better person, it makes you relax, it makes you less anxious, it makes your attitude better. It takes repetition and practice, and once you do it, it comes naturally,” Anderson said.