Yoga and Neurophysiology
Living in modern day society has its many challenges, with relationship, work, communication, health issues and so on. As a Yoga Therapist and Psychiatric doctor working in London, Dr Stanford Wong has seen where stress has led to a variety of physical, emotional and mental health issues. He believes it is essential to have a practice that helps us regulate our nervous system; especially on how to relax and activate our Parasympathetic nervous system.
Drawing together insights from Western science and Eastern philosophy , the main aim for this two parts workshop is to explore how human nervous system respond to life events. When it is beneficial and essential? What happens when it causes problems and how can we apply a personal Yoga practice to get us out of trouble? These are to be brought to life with case studies and our personal experiences. (Out of respect for confidentiality, these sessions will not be recorded.)
What to Expect
Session One:
This session will start with a Yoga practice that aim to help us self-regulate before going into the scientific and theoretical discussion about how we can all access our neuro-phsyiology:
- What does the human nervous system look like? How does it work, from both the Western medical model and the Eastern Yoga-Ayurvedic model?
- How our individual Neuro-physiology reacts to different stressors in life and at different stages of life. These are to be brought to life with case studies and our personal experiences. (Out of respect for confidentiality, these workshops will not be recorded.)
- What are the tools available to us from Yoga practice, to help us self-regulate (or to help others self-regulate if you are a Yoga teacher/therapist). This will include exploration into different physical and breathing practices, application of Yoga philosophy, as well as sounds, visualisation and meditative practices.
Session Two:
This session will also start with a Yoga practice, before we go deeper into the concepts that were introduce in session one:
- Continual exploration of the Western medical model of human neuro-anatomy, biochemistry physiology. What does the Eastern system say about them? And what happens when these systems are over-whelmed, under-user or inappropriate abused?
- How Yoga philosophy (especially from the Yoga sutra of Patanjali) explains human psychology and behaviour, which are intimately linked to our Neuro-physiology. What practical advices are given by these ancient wisdom?
- We will get to explore how we can individually adjust our own practices according to the rhythm of your life: learning to speed up when needed and to slow down when it's called for.
Props
Please have to hand any props (eg. mat, blocks, bolsters, blankets, eye mask) for your individual comfort.
Meet the Teacher
Stanford is a Yoga teacher and Yoga therapist with more than 1500hrs of training. In 2019, Stanford began training with Colin Dunsmuir, where he learned much knowledge and practices passed down in the lineage of T.K.V. Desikachar; including Asana practice, Pranayama, Mantra and Meditative practices.
Stanford is also a fully qualified medical doctor. He has been working in the NHS since he graduated from Imperial College London in 2013. He worked in the specialty of Obstetrics and Gynaecology for 4 years, before switching and is currently training to become a Psychiatry Consultant. Stanford has been training specifically in the principle of Pregnancy yoga, Yoga Nidra, Yin yoga and Restorative Yoga. He actively incorporates tools and principles learned from both Western Medical training and Eastern Yoga practices for therapeutic use.
