Mind/Body Fitness


Feature Writer: Alicia King
Alicia King, taken by Brett Anderson

Mind-body fitness is defined as “physical exercise executed with a profoundly inwardly directed focus.” This includes Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, Reiki, Nia and Gyrokinesis.

Whether you are searching for information about Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and practical applications of yogic philosophy, articles about Bikram Yoga, or specifics about Yoga Poses, Anatomy, or safety tips for beginners, this is the place for you.

To round out the study of alignment and movement, some additional bodywork schools are now included, such as the Alexander Technique.

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Alicia King

Yoga Instead of Weight Training

In: Mind/Body Fitness (general)

Can I replace weights with yoga? When will yoga work instead of weightlifting, nautilus or free-weights? The answer is... well that depends. more...

Internal Focus While Cycling

In: Mind/Body Fitness (general)

Applying the mental lessons of Mind/Body Fitness to Bicycling to achieve emotional and mental fulfillment. more...

Mind/Body Bicycling

In: Mind/Body Fitness (general)

Applying the lessons of Mind/Body Fitness to Bicycling to get the most out of your ride. Safety and alignment start with a properly fitted bicycle. more...

Alexander Technique Basics

In: Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique may be the best kept secret of singers, actors, musicians, athletes, and dancers to enhance performance and feel great. more...

Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Toddlers

In: Yoga Products

Second book from the author of "Itsy Bitsy Yoga: Poses to Help Your Baby Sleep Longer, Digest Better, and Grow Stronger" focusing on tots instead of infants. more...

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Alicia King

May 6, 2008

Unlocking Emotions in Yoga

With breathing and stretching, any yoga practice can stir up strong emotions. Understanding that this is a common phenomenon helps us make use of this powerful tool.


Yesterday, I felt glum. I had called off work with a migraine, and after I woke up with the headache subsiding in the early afternoon, I proceeded to sit in the dark and berate myself for all of the things I wasn't accomplishing.

As the afternoon grayed into twilight I realized I was getting nowhere with these blue thoughts, so I decided to run through a brief relaxing yoga routine. I hoped to do something to get me out of my head; maybe I could even relax my tense neck and shoulders.

By the time I began my first Downward-Facing Dog pose I was crying. Bending my knees and sinking back into Child’s Pose, I curled in on myself in the fetal position and let the tears flow. Consciously, the only thing I concentrated on was keeping my belly soft, and observing the emotions as they washed over me.

I have never responded so strongly to down-dog before, but I’ve known other yoga poses to affect me emotionally. Sometimes inversions, sometimes backbends are what bring subconscious feelings bubbling to the surface; at other times it’s a hip-opener that cracks the façade.

Consciously, I could only allow myself to feel sad and a little sluggish. I wasn’t able to tap into these deeper, more raw-feeling emotions until I slowed down and listened. The beauty of Mind / Body practices such as yoga is that it provides a safe, gentle place to feel whatever we need to feel, and to be whomever we are in that specific moment. It allows us to become more real.

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