-- Ashley O'Connor
Students and colleagues are often surprised to hear that I was only introduced to Therapeutic Hatha Yoga 4 years ago. I can still remember the first class I attended: when my good friends and yoga teacher training co-leads offered this style to the 2021teacher training cohort.
I’d been practicing yoga already for 14 years and had tried many styles. I had completed my 200 hour teacher training and it was the second year I was offering my own Yoga Teacher Training. I was surprised that at this point on my yoga journey I could feel so shocked by the profound impact of a yoga class and style.
Even as an experienced practitioner, Therapeutic Hatha Yoga challenged and intrigued me. It has evolved to be the foundation of my personal daily practice, as well as how I teach and show up in the world.
I'd love to share a bit more about this practice; how it has impacted my life, and why I feel it is deeply empowering.
What is Therapeutic Hatha Yoga?
Therapeutic Hatha Yoga is a style of yoga based on the teachings of an ancient text, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. If you have some experience with Yoga, you’ll probably find lots of the asana (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises) and philosophy familiar. You'll recognize similarities like Surya Namaskar (sun salutations) if you've practiced other styles of Yoga like Hatha, Ashtanga, and Vinyasa.
What makes Therapeutic Hatha Yoga unique however, is the way we focus specifically on strengthening the nervous system. During the practice, the postures are held for an extended period of time to experience a perspective of deep observation and, through consistency, improving the nervous system's resilience and tolerance to stress.
Whilst we hold the postures, we are observing:
What does this pose bring up for me?
What’s going on in my mind?
In my body?
In my emotions?
Can I find inner stillness and a sense of softening here even though it feels challenging?
These extended poses, combined with conscious awareness and observation, bring profound and lasting transformation to body, mind, and emotions.
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 2,46:
"Sthira-Sukham Asanam"
"Yoga Posture should be stable and at ease"
One of the guiding principles of Therapeutic Hatha Yoga is exploring the fine balance of Sthira: strength and stability, and Sukha: ease and softness.
As I’ve explored the dynamic between these two elements of postures, I’ve begun to notice how this can be applied to most of life’s situations... As one of my teachers from Atmavikasa beautifully puts it, one should move through life striving to achieve:
“attention without tension, relaxation without laxity, movement without friction.”
We need to have routine, discipline, and stability in our lives, but when pushed to the extreme, that can become rigidity, a refusal to compromise. So we also need softness, adaptability, and flow without tipping into a state where we’re so changeable we’re unable to commit to our goals or take sustained action.
One of the gifts this practice has brought me is an awareness of these two dynamics, how they appear as patterns in my life, and the ability to choose consciously what I need to draw on to support me in any given situation.
Therapeutic Hatha Yoga and Stillness
Recently, a student with lots of experience of different somatic practices attended one of my Therapeutic Hatha Yoga classes. She’s a dancer, has done lots of yoga, and loves moving her body. At the end of the class, she reflected on how profound it had been for her to simply be in her body in stillness.
Many people experiencing this practice for the first time find that invitation to be in stillness the most challenging, and the most transformational, aspect.
It’s so rare that we sit in stillness, let alone when stretching our bodies in a posture that is challenging for us to maintain. Often, we find memories, thoughts, or emotions arise very vividly when we hold certain postures. My opinion is that these stories have been stored in our bodies and, whilst they remain there, they influence our patterns and conditioning. Allowing ourselves to rest in discomfort, to simply be present and allow ourselves to observe what arises, is when powerful healing can take place.
My Journey with Therapeutic Hatha Yoga
After that first class in 2021, I knew I wanted to immerse myself more in this very different way of practicing Yoga. A year later, I travelled to Atma Vikasa Center Of Yogic Sciences in Mysore, India to experience their teachings firsthand. I first attended a 3 week immersion and a year later completed the 2 month long Yoga Therapy Training.
One of the most beautiful aspects of this journey for me has been the connection I’ve developed with the teachers of Atmavikasa. I have a deep appreciation for their work as a centre for yoga, operating in a way that is absolutely aligned with their values. Their care, devotion and embodiment of the philosophy and practice of yoga is evident in everything they do and continues to inspire me as both a yoga practitioner and teacher. My connection to them and the practice was such a turning point on my fertility journey that I have maintained regular communication with my teachers as they support me during my pregnancy. It’s a level of care and connection with students that I strive to offer as a teacher here at Cara Creek.
In a world where so much apparent “spirituality" is easily taken over by ego, surface appearance, and a drive for profit, this model of care and human connection is a deeply inspiring one.
Yoga for a Healthy Nervous System
We live in a society that is starting to become more and more aware of the need for a healthy nervous system and yet, from social media, to politics and the news cycle, to the constant pressure to be, buy, and invest in the next “fix’, so much of our environment feels as though it’s designed to dysregulate us.
The effects are profound. With a dysregulated nervous system, everything feels unstable. Our digestion and blood pressure become unbalanced. Ultimately, our ability to listen to the cues of our bodies diminishes. When the nervous system doesn’t feel safe, it can wreak havoc on all systems of the body.
Often, we think the answer is to find safety and comfort through meeting our needs in better and better ways. Whilst this may bring some comfort, it doesn't allow us to understand our triggers. Therapeutic Hatha Yoga doesn't seek to remove discomfort from our lives, but to teach us how to understand the role it plays and to become less reactive, building our resilience in the process. We begin to learn how to slow down and regulate ourselves even in moments when we are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or panicky.
Therapeutic Hatha Yoga has changed me. In a world where so much of our lifestyle is designed to make us more comfortable, this practice asks us to move out of our comfort zones and instead sit with what is challenging, painful, and hard to find true and lasting healing.
It’s not easy, but it’s worth doing.
I’ve noticed that consistent practice has strengthened my nervous system. In situations that might once have felt shaky or overwhelming, I’m able to stay strong, steady, and soft.
I’ve also noticed myself becoming more sensitive and aware of what’s good for me, and what’s not. For example, even before pregnancy, drinking alcohol no longer felt good for my body, so I chose to avoid it. This didn't come from a concept of what I ‘should’ be doing, or a moral judgment about whether it’s bad or good, but simply from a closer observation of what does and doesn’t feel good for me. It has been an easy movement towards the positive and pleasurable.
Who is Therapeutic Hatha Yoga For?
It’s helpful to have some background in yoga, but the practice can also be challenging or confronting for those with experience – as I discovered during my first class! The truth is, you don’t need to be flexible, or strong, or even very familiar with the yoga poses. As you develop your daily practice, all of that will come.
All you need is the desire to be curious about what’s inside you and what this practice might bring up.
If this practice appeals to you, there are still places available for our Therapeutic Yoga in Nature retreat, coming up April 1-6.
Spring will be in full flow, with warmer days and beautiful blossoms. It’s the perfect time to dive into a deep reset of your nervous system and explore yourself on a deeper level. This is the final retreat I will be leading before my maternity leave starts, and I’m really looking forward to welcoming you if it aligns.
Perhaps you’re interested in deepening your practice even further! Our 3-week 200hr Yoga Teacher Training draws on Therapeutic Hatha Yoga as the foundation of building your personal practice. Join us this August, places limited to a small group which is already filling up with excited yoga practitioners looking to expand their knowledge and practice.
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