My latest personal (and professional) endeavor has been exploring how Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Erik Erikson’s Developmental Stages relate to yoga and the chakras. Here's a little cheat sheet that I found below.
Do you see the correlation?! The part I find most exciting and interesting the deeper I dive is the role of the physical body in recovery, and finding peace. In the works of Dr. Peter Levine, Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk, and Anodea Judith, Ph.D each demonstrate the importance of reconnecting with the body and using it as a vehicle to create internal balance. So how does this relate to yoga? Let me break that down:
The physical postures of yoga build body awareness + create agency
Breathing practices help regulate the nervous system (read- manage stress response)
Meditation and mindfulness cultivate presence, reducing rumination + worrying
The chakras can be used as reference points to facilitate healing using the bodymind approach
As I continue to explore these connections and how yoga therapy can be used in healing + recovery I will be sure to share my findings with you. Sending love, Nikki
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