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| I started taking Yoga classes (once a week) for the past two to three months now. Even though that's not a lot, I've noticed little changes already (all positive). For example, my lower back doesn't ache in the morning anymore. I feel less stiff when I wake up, I feel more flexible. I was surprised that taking yoga only once a week could attribute to all that & it makes me happy. I'm assuming its my yoga lessons that are to thank for that since I've made no other change in my schedule / life.
The one thing I have a question on is "emotions". Does yoga bring about a change in emotions? I have found myself to be more emotional, more sensitive, more in a thought-provoking state since taking yoga lessons. At first, I chalked it up to pms or even perhaps pre mid-life changes (I'm 43). But I'm not going through menopause yet.
So is yoga really the cause of my "more emotional" state? When I say "emotional" - I don't mean that I'm lashing out in anger at people. I just find that I am more easily prone to alternating feelings of extreme sadness, versus feeling VERY happy, etc. For example, when I am happy I am VERY happy. When I feel sad, I feel VERY sad...what the heck is going on?
Or am I just going bonkers in my old age???
Edited by Amethyst 2005-11-18 10:15 AM
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Expert Yogi
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| Or am I just going bonkers in my old age???
 Amethyst - 43 is plenty old enough to start getting into that
But seriously, I believe that yoga can make those kinds of changes, even only once a week. I used to be a little sceptical of that idea, but studies are now showing that even from the first class, student's cortisol levels (stress hormone measurement) go down sharply.
I think the emotional aspect is because we become more in touch with ourselves and better able to perceive easily how we are feeling. I was talking with a friend about this just the other day and we were comparing it to walking into an emotional lake. Pre-yoga we tended to be in the water up to our chins sometimes before we recognized how we were feeling (especially with "negative" things like depression) but now we sense disruption or change when the water is well below our knees and are able to make the changes needed or do the required work before we are swamped 
I will warn you that some people DO go through a time of lashing out and being more in touch with angry feelings. My poor DH had a couple of rude awakenings when I stopped rolling over on some little things that I used to ignore and burst out with some angry feelings he wasn't used to seeing  Honestly, it surprised me almost more than it surprised him It is good to mix things up when you have been married a looooong time |
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| Yes, it's prefectly normal. Anybody who tells you that yoga, or any other serious spiritual persuit is all "Sweetness and Light" is either just beginning, or selling something.
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Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | GreenJello - 2005-11-18 10:58 AM
Yes, it's prefectly normal. Anybody who tells you that yoga, or any other serious spiritual persuit is all "Sweetness and Light" is either just beginning, or selling something.
Actually, there is some truth to the "Sweetness and Light" concept and it's not about selling something.
Absolutely, it is *sweet* and *light* when you are self realized. Don't believe that it is not so. It's just a process. Yoga includes the dark and the ugly too!! Once you realize this - ALL of it, it is very much so *SWEET* and *LIGHT* - it's very liberating and fresh!! There are many stages of yoga and this process. IF you get yourself a guru, it will be all the more better for you. IF you do not, you may find yourself stuck in dark places at times where you may not be able to see the *sweet* and *light* and you will always be criticizing and skeptical...but, eventually, you will see the *light* with a little bit of determination and practice, but...that road is a long one and more of a struggle.
As for the emotions, just think of it as your body's way of re-balancing itself. Don't give it too much energy and don't judge anything!! Try to accept everything for what it is without being overly critical..remembering that everything and everyone is in their perfect place. Your job is to focus on your SELF, not others and the world around you - that will come later, but first you have to get your own house in order and it takes time. Then when you reach the plateau and next step, your outside world will start changing and it will EXPAND to new horizons...but, you cannot force this, it will happen on its own, naturally.
Edited by Cyndi 2005-11-18 11:13 AM
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| Whew! Thanks a bunch! I was getting nervous there thinking I was cuckoo or something. What you've both said makes a lot of sense. Although I really hope I skip the lashing out part. I don't want to become enbearable to live with. 
I welcome more opinions and thoughts from others  |
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| I'm very concerned (self-conscious) about how my emotional state appears to others. I guess I shouldn't be, but I don't want people whispering that I seem to be "losing control" or going through a "nervous breakdown" or something.
A more specific example: I've been practicing martial arts for several years. Normally during class the instructor will correct your form if you're doing it wrong (just like yoga). Before my yoga training, it wouldn't bother me and I'd just continue trying to do it right. Now with yoga training, I feel like a failure when I DO make a mistake during class. I find that I'm more harsh on myself when I don't perform up to my usual standards.
I'm becoming very nit-picky of myself is what I'm trying to say. 
Edited by Amethyst 2005-11-18 11:19 AM
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Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Amethyst - 2005-11-18 11:19 AM
I'm very concerned (self-conscious ) about how my emotional state appears to others. I guess I shouldn't be, but I don't want people whispering that I seem to be "losing control" or going through a "nervous breakdown" or something.
A more specific example: I've been practicing martial arts for several years. Normally during class the instructor will correct your form if you're doing it wrong (just like yoga ). Before my yoga training, it wouldn't bother me and I'd just continue trying to do it right. Now with yoga training, I feel like a failure when I DO make a mistake during class. I find that I'm more harsh on myself when I don't perform up to my usual standards.
I'm becoming very nit-picky of myself is what I'm trying to say.
That is why you need to practice the art of NON-JUDGEMENT. I'm talking about Non-Judgement of yourself - especially. YOGA is not about competition, this includes you being in competition with yourself and your EGO competing with you. Try to find ways to allow yourself to make mistakes and ALLOW yourself to just be who you are. Get to know that real well because later on you will have all the time in the world to *judge* (but not the same kind of judging, more of an observance) and mold yourself into what you want to be. Right now you got to shed the *onion* skin to find out where the *hell* you are. You may just loose control sometimes in this process, like who cares?? Who are you trying to impress?? Are you doing this for you..or are you doing this for someone else - the outside world who could give a crap less about you?? |
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| You all make a lot of sense. Thanks for the guidance. Since I only see my yoga teacher once a week and after class she is surrounded by students and questions and whatnot, I really needed some insight on all this, plus I was just a little embarrassed to ask her.
Thanks so much folks!! |
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| Cyndi - 2005-11-18 11:11 AM GreenJello - 2005-11-18 10:58 AMYes, it's prefectly normal. Anybody who tells you that yoga, or any other serious spiritual persuit is all "Sweetness and Light" is either just beginning, or selling something.
Actually, there is some truth to the "Sweetness and Light" concept and it's not about selling something.
Sure, but the operative word was "ALL". There is some serious work involved in the process, and some of it involves going through some pretty dark passages. Yes, often it is about sellings something, though not always to the aspirants detriment.
Amethyst you should speak with you teachers, and request that they give you reasonable responses to your questions. You're paying them to teach you, and dealing with emotional issues that come up is part of the teaching. If you're feeling uncertain about this, it's an excellent opportunitely to practice courage, which will also be useful in your journey.
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| Plus, yoga teachers love those kinds of questions!! I do, anyway. |
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| So, in another words, if someone is looking to become emotionally stronger, as one of the many benefits of yoga, there is the other layers to pass through before that? And those layers show themselves in the form of pms-like emotions....?
I will definitely look to speak to my instructor. |
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Expert Yogi
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Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Yes, you have to eat your poison and digest it well, then all the &hit comes out!!! There is a great Shiva story about this. Don't be disappointed if your instructor doesn't give you a clear answer...the answer actually resides within yourself. Your instructor can help you with the postures and give you some insight, but it is work you must do for yourself and only you can do it. First you have to clear all the abstructions and obstacles that are in your way...Distractions also count as an obstacle and there are many of those, very many. |
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| Amethyst,
Most of my teachers have likened the yoga process to peeling an onion. You peel one layer only to find another, and another after that, and so on. One layer might be fun and sunshine, another might be the pungent crap of life that makes you cry...But all of that is part of the process. AS you read through the archives on the boards here you will find many many people going through or having been through some of the stuff you are talking about. Don't worry too much about it - just see what happens and work within those limits. One thing I found was that going to class 3 times a week was too much at first - brought up too many things that I wasn't quite ready to deal with AND be a nice person in the rest of my life. Backing off to one or two times a week for awhile helped provided the space to do the work AND cope with the things that came up - then I started adding classes back in. See what works for you - if it feels like too much you don't have to push yourself through...Slow it down and work back up to that. And have fun with it!  |
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| Not being a woman, I can't speak to the PMS bit, but yes, there will be times when you will overwelmed emotionally. I think Patanjali advises meditation for dealing with such things. You could also try pounding a heavy bag, going on walks, or chopping wood.
If these symptoms persist you should attempt to determine what in your life is causing these problems. You'll notice that Glenda mentioned lashing out at her DH for things she had been ignoring. In other words, they had been a problem for a while, and she hadn't been dealing with them. There's nothing wrong with being righteously indignant, there are some things that need to be fixed, and some people who need to be berated.
I've got similar issues, and I'm sure other people on this site do as well. For a while I had an issue with a friend of mine being a bit of a pest. I tried being polite, and then making little jokes, ignoring him, and then finally I let him have it. He was a little upset at first, but after he had some time to think about it, he thanked me for being candid with him.
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| I'm finding helpful info in all of your posts here, so again, thank you.
Would anyone be able to direct me to the part of this forum or website in which this topic is further discussed?
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| I believe there have been some useful posts in this section, also some in the meditation section, look around, they shouldn't be hard to find. I've also started reading "The Dark Night of the Soul", by St. John of the Cross, which also touches on some of these things. |
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| I find that I'm going less bonkers since I practice yoga. I started when I was 40 and am 42 now. In fact I hardly ever go through extreme mood changes anymore. Instead I'm kinda balanced all the time. Yepp, I'm more deeply thinking but I don't let things get me since I'm trying not to hold on to my emotions. My freak-outs are coming ever so seldom now. Always when I see people fighting over small things and get involved deeply, for example in political discussions, I just think to myself they all should take up yoga. Me, I can't be bothered with daily ****.
It's a wonderful feeling. |
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| It's true, Stefan. I think I have mostly been perceived as a pretty calm person but yoga seems to have made my inside match the outside much more than it used to. And it works in both directions. My daughter will sometimes question me because I don't seem excited about some upcoming event. And while I don't get quite the same agitated, crazy energy about events as I used to (and maybe part of this is just age  ) I DO feel much happier, more contented, more able to enjoy what actually happens at the event rather than what I was hoping and anticipating would happen. I hope that makes some kind of sense
As far as the anger goes, the little outbursts of a few years ago really helped me tap into things I had been ignoring, for sure. So now if those things crop up, I am better able to recognize it ahead of time and just say "hey, wait a second here. This doesn't work for me," loooong before I have to make something into a big deal. Not only that, but it made my dear, intensley beloved spouse more aware of some of the stupid-a$$ thoughtless bull $hit he had been getting away with for many, many years and smartened his act up a bit. And did I mention that the level of conflict was very, VERY low? While I may have raised my ladylike voice a notch above the delicate and refined parlour level to which I am accustomed, there was no possibilityof being invited onto the Jerry Springer show |
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| tourist - 2005-11-18 7:49 PMWhile I may have raised my ladylike voice a notch above the delicate and refined parlour level to which I am accustomed, there was no possibilityof being invited onto the Jerry Springer show
I can see it now "When yogis go bad! Watch as the nice centered yogis totally lose it, and attack like rabid dogs!" BTW, Jerry Springer came from cincy, my home town.
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Yoga & Emotions - a Question
