Do you think Relaxation is Enough to Help your Mental Health? I was asked this question recently by a student. To which I replied, 'I really do'. I should have also said that Relaxation is a pathway to Peace.
So firstly, we can accept that yoga, pranayama and mindfulness have a very positive and well researched effects on the body and the mind in the treatment of stress-related disorders. So many diverse conditions from Autism to High Blood Pressure to preventing Mental Health relapses, can be helped through the appropriate use of yoga, pranayama and mindfulness meditation to bring about relaxation on the mental, emotional or physical layer of our being.
In yogasana, the physical practice of yoga, relaxation is vital to being able to progress from beginner to advanced student. As an advanced student, you will know which parts of the body can relax in a posture, and which parts of the body are supporting the posture and must be active. Knowing the Yin (feminine and opening) and the Yang (masculine and supporting) of the posture is an advanced practice.
In Pranayama, you cannot practice yogic breathing exercises to bring about a mental, emotional and physical peace without being relaxed. One of the contra-indications of Pranayama practice is any pressure in the ears, eyes or forehead which will tell you that you are tensing too much and need to relax. We talk about 'relaxed-trying' or 'gentle trying', in our classes together. This relaxed trying takes some practice to be able to deepen the practice with the right amount of trying while building relaxation and peace.
In Mindfulness, if the mind is not relaxed it will not be able to notice the very subtle objects of meditation. The way I describe the correct practice attitude in Mindfulness class is to be so relaxed that you are about to fall asleep but you are in that space just before sleep, and you are able to keep the mind focussed there. If you fall asleep you have gone too far, if you are unable to close the eyes and relax you will not be able to concentrate. Relaxation is vital for mindfulness.
We may create peace through becoming relaxed on a mental, emotional or physical level. If you find that you are not relaxed mentally, you may practice yoga to relax the body which will effect the mind and the emotions. The Mindful Yoga that we practice specifically works with the Vagus Nerve to bring about the Relaxation Response, which is a biological process where by the brain releases feel good hormones. But more than just experiencing relaxation, we are building a deeper connection with peace. This connection will deepen over time and become a real source of comfort and stability for our hearts and minds.
I have spent some time in monasteries in Myanmar, and while the monks and nuns often rise at 4am by 11am the majority of the practice period is over. You may or may not believe how relaxed and peaceful these places are. You won't see anyone rushing around trying to achieve the running of the monastery, but rather every job is done in a relaxed and mindful way. This deep experience of relaxation and peace over time leads to insight and a deep compassionate awareness.
The entire Buddhist philosophy teaches generation after generation of children, monks and nuns that people can live peacefully and be equanimous, balanced, restrained, and generous in every action. They teach that once you feel the sensation on the body simply observe the sensation as peacefully as you can. And as you practice peace, your peace will build and become deeper and deeper. In Buddhist Philosophy peace or equanimity is one of the 4 Immeasureables, limitless and without boundaries.
So if you ask yourself how would I like to react to my mental health symptoms and sensations? And my feeling is I would like to react to my sensations peacefully, whatever they may be. How does this help people with mental health symptoms? It creates an internal environment of peace, which you can come to trust and rely upon. Over time this internal peace has been proven to be a protective factor against mental health breakdowns.
Deep peace has much more going on than just relaxation, however to truly relax mentally means you know how to live in a peaceful way.
References
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/nervous-system - access 5th Oct 2021.
https://www.instagram.com/repairing_the_nervous_system/ access 5th OCT, 2021
https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/biography/ access 5th Oct, 2021
Commentaires