YOGA ASANA INTEGRATION THERAPY
Posture with Integrity
Yoga Asana is a method of posture education and fitness self-discipline.
This service is offered primarily to those clients who have completed a Yoga Sparśa Ten Series with Jackson.
ABOUT YOGA ASANA INTEGRATION THERAPY
Yoga Asana Integration Therapy is a method of bodywork therapy integrating principles of neurophysiology, biomechanics, and the philosophy of Yoga. It is a fitness self-discipline based upon scientific principles of human movement in order to achieve your personal peace within gravity.
Neurophysiology is a branch of physiology and neuroscience that is concerned with the study of the functioning of the nervous system.
Biomechanics is the study of the mechanical laws relating to the movement or structure of living organisms.
Yoga is a personal, experiential method of self-discovery as well as a holistic system of principles for health and well-being. As the practice of mindful embodiment, it serves as an opportunity for self-exploration that moves the practitioner into a greater state of integrity and reveals their inner and infinite potential as a dynamic being, gifted at transformation.
The practice of posture developed over centuries to exercise every element of the human body, securing a healthy physique – strong and elastic, reducing fatigue and promoting endurance – and most importantly, conditioning your mental and emotional well-being.
Posture is an expression of nonconscious behavior within your nervous system. Therefore, postures teach us about our bodies (i.e. patterns of physicality, habits of mentality, tendencies of breathing), and when you practice posture, you develop an intimate kinesthetic connection and understanding of your body, your mind, and your self, and how you express your being within posture.
Your body is constantly speaking to you, letting you know how you feel. Yoga Asana Integration Therapy offers you the space and time to listen.
MORE INFORMATION
WHAT IS “ASANA”?
Asana is a Sanskrit term that is translated as “seat,” “posture,” or “position”.
Asana is often used in reference to The Yoga Sutra’s of Patanjali, where it can be defined as “a body with stability and flexibility”. Additionally, Yoga Asana represents the third limb of the Eight Limbs of Yoga.
Because Yoga means “Union”, Yoga Asana may be translated to “posture of unity” – although because the terms 'Yoga' and Integrity are basically reciprocal, my personal preference is “Posture with Integrity.”
THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICE
Now that we’ve defined our terms, Yoga Asana serves you as a practice for understanding how you position yourself within your world. It is an invitation to observe your unique present moment way of being – to observe your position, your feelings in that position, your thoughts about that position, and the meaning you create from everything you observe.
In sum, Yoga Asana Integration Therapy is your invitation to an empowered state of postural awareness – your opportunity to resolve physical tension and achieve personal transformation, to be all that you always and already are.
THE MEANING OF INTEGRATION
Integration is defined the act or process of becoming whole. At Integrity Yoga, we call this work “integration therapy” because our practice aims to serve you in your process of becoming whole.
In fact, the integration of the mind is the practice of Yoga. By integrating the sensitive, cognitive, and affective aspects of your mind (i.e. your nervous system), you resolve tension within your body and within your self; thereby, inviting you to reclaim your sense of resilience and integrity, so you can love what you embody and embody what you love.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN A SESSION
You will receive an education in posture. You will practice Yoga Asana with expert guidance on biomechanical instruction and careful attention to your individual ability. This practice will illuminate the obstacles within your body and give you the tools to release habituated patterns that lead to physical limitations and disability (i.e. tension and pain).
As you practice, you will learn how to seek and find balance between effort and ease in every posture. You will learn how to translate your practice into daily life. Hopefully, you will learn how to embrace the joy within the work of conditioning not only your physical body but your whole self.
There are several primary interventions you can expect within a session. These include Movement, Breathing, Touch, and Education – all non-invasive methods to promote your sense of self-efficacy, because each intervention respects your brain’s ability to choose how to change yourself.
Movement – A session focuses on teaching you the universal principles of human movement. You will receive instruction to orient your body in different positions in order to challenge your sense of self, cultivating your proprioception (i.e. the awareness of where your body is within space) and interoception (i.e. the awareness of where your mind is within your body).
Breathing – A session involves your engagement in breathing exercises, because your breath calms and directs your mind and empowers your sense of self.
Touch – A session involves you receiving therapeutic touch to assist you in the process of discovering your posture with integrity. The only physical target is nerve and nerve physiology, not tissues.
Education – The foundation of every session is education - conscious and nonconscious - to empower your process of mindful embodiment. Primarily, we focus on principles of neurobiological health and well-being in conjunction with principles of classical biomechanics, while investigating to the nature of tension within your body.
Yoga Asana Integration Therapy is a personal practice of mindful embodiment, so expectations and objectives within a session or a series of sessions will be unique to you. In general, our objective is to empower you through an educational experience that will serve your health and happiness for your lifetime.
HOW TO DRESS FOR A SESSION
Wear light clothing that will keep you comfortable while laying down, standing, sitting, and walking, and be prepared to dress down to underwear to allow direct skin contact, if necessary.
Men – athletic apparel
Women – athletic apparel
The most important thing is that you are comfortable in what you wear, so you can be at ease in a therapeutic setting. The bodywork itself is adaptable to the attire that invites comfort within you.
OUTLINE OF A SESSION
Preparation: Prior to the first session, you will fill out a confidential health questionnaire.
Introduction: In the first session, we will begin with an introductory conversation, in which you express your intentions and goals for the session/series and review your health history. I will listen to your aspirations, concerns, and interests, answering your questions and offering you information about the practice of Yoga Asana.
Pre-Practice Assessment: Together, you and I will determine a movement principle to serve as a focal point for your session. You will be asked to stand up and move around the space as I perform a visual assessment of your posture and movement patterns.
Practice: You will practice therapeutic postures in a quiet, heated room. The majority of the session will serve as an exploration of the chosen movement principle, with the use of traditional yoga postures. I will instruct you in proper biomechanics, using verbal cues and gentle hands-on adjustments, in order to guide your self-exploration of the habituated patterns of conditioning within your body.
Post-Practice Assessment: The session will end with another assessment to determine the progress achieved. I will offer homework (i.e. embodiment exercises) to support your integration in daily life until the next session.
CLIENT EXPECTATIONS
In each session, our objective is to train you to practice mindful embodiment to affect postural transformation. As the client, you are expected to be present with your body, your mind, and your self.
Personal responsibility is required to do the honest, tough work of listening, to instruction from Jackson and the intuition from yourself. This represents the constant work of ‘give and receive’ – giving your body direction and receiving its feedback – in order to learn how to grow a healthier relationship with yourself.
This is your process of personal transformation.