Using Yoga to Release Anxiety, Anger and Depression
Judith Lasater starts her "Using Yoga to Release Anger, Anxiety, and Depression" class with this thought: "In yoga, there is only one disease, "Avidya," or -- not seeing the true nature of things. All suffering is rooted in this."
She will base the next few hours on how Doshas -- the Ayurvedic system of body constitutions -- correlate to states of the nervous system. When your Doshas are out of balance, it can result in anxiety, anger and depression.
"Anxiety is a Vata imbalance," she says, Vata types are mentally quick, and very changeable. They worry in advance. They worry about everything. Vatas are the type who'd scream, "Oh my God the bananas are ripe!!"
Our entire commercial society exacerbates Vata, so much so that Judith says we're a Vata deranged bunch. Our society rewards those who are fast and aggressive. This results in some pretty anxious people, she says, who sport a plethora of ills, from headaches, and palpitations, to constipation and a nervous stomach. So, she says, you must tailor your asana practice to balance your Dosha.
She then took us through a series of poses, which, by their nature, calm the nervous system.
We start with a slow series of Suryanamaskar, or Sun Salutes. I could feel my energy start to flow. She emphasized the engagement of the abdomen, to remember that it's the center of power in your body.
We move onto Trikonasana, or Triangle Pose. She shows us how to align the head with a slightly dropped chin, which will help keep our minds calm.
We move into Uttanasana, or Standing Forward Bend. We support our heads on a block, which should be placed where the forehead meets your hairline. I could do this pose forever, and am a little sorry I have to get back up.
We go on to Adho Mukha Svanasana, or Downward-Facing Dog, again, focusing on engagement of the core. We rest our heads on a block. We are relaxing, our excess Vata calming down.
Next is Marichyasana 3. Judith shows us how to twist the organs around the spine -- our twists deepen. Just as she says, "twists release an enormous amount of energy," I feel a flush of heat release all over my body. "Twists help release anger."
She then rolls into a supported Viparita Karani, or Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose. She explains that not only is this pose a mild backbend, but that you must also open laterally, keeping an open diaphragm. We cover our eyes, and lay there. After several minutes, Judith rings her bell three times. We get up. We are all calmer, and, I think, a more at ease. We break for lunch.
Judith Hanson Lasater holds a Ph.D. in East-West psychology and is a physical therapist who has taught yoga since 1971. One of the founders of Yoga Journal, Judith is also president of the