Last weekend myself and seven other gentle souls made our way to Claridge House in Surrey to spend three days and three nights exploring the many and various ways that yoga can support us in reconnecting with the peace that lies within but is so often obscured.
We were welcomed by tea and cake - a very quaker tradition - the best way to start any retreat in my mind (apart from a detox of course)!! This was followed by a delicious vegetarian dinner then an equally yummy yoga nidra practice to set the tone for the weekend and send everyone off into a deeply relaxed slumber.
Our focus was listening inwards to the whispers of the body and honoring them even if it felt uncomfortable to do so. So many of us Brits are well trained to do as we're told and definitely don't do anything that might cause upset so the thought of resting instead of coming to a session or not doing everything suggested during a session was new and challenging territory for many. With consistent and gentle reminders, gradually everyone began to feel the benefit of listening to their own inner compass or their 'body's wisdom'.
We are so conditioned not only as a society but also by the dominant global polity - predator capitalism - which pits each of it's subjects against the other in a competitive frenzy. Whoever is the fastest, smartest, shrewdest, most willing to push and keep going at any cost (especially to self and health) will win the race to success! This is the sea we swim in as modern day humans and it effects us in many ways even if we think we have managed to duck it's strong hand. Not surprisingly it has also spilled over into how we see our bodies, our abilities - or limitations - and into our yoga practice. It's exhausting and ultimately causes harm, going against the primary principle in yoga - do no harm - Ahimsa. So learning to go gently, slow down, pause, allow space to observe and even stop is a difficult but essential relearning and repatterning for many, if not all of us.
One of the focus points over the weekend was cultivating heart coherence using a variety of simple practices. Coherence is a system wide experience of synchronisation and resonance.
Heart Coherence 'is physiologically distinct from relaxation in that the system oscillates at its natural resonant frequency and there is increased harmony and synchronization in nervous system and heart–brain dynamics.' as HeartMath describe on their website.
Heart coherence practices help the heart return to it's natural rhythm(s) which then bring the rest of the systems of the body - not separate but part of one whole system -into harmony. Although not the same as the relaxation response it is associated with a relative increase in parasympathetic activity (which involves a slowing of the heart rate and brain waves, reduced blood pressure and levels of stress hormones and an increase in levels of GABA (a neurotransmitter which helps calm neural activity in the brain and the central nervous system thereby inducing relaxation and relieving stress) ect).
Depending on where and how you are when you begin a practice - stressed, excited, activated, sleepy, calm etc - there may be a reduction in HRV (the measure of beat to beat changes in the heart rate) but equally at times there can be an increase in HRV as we consciously sustain positive feelings and emotions.
During the practice of heart coherence we take time to arrive, settle and ground using a comfortable breathing focus through the heart centre, the anahata chakra. We then move into recalling or envisioning something, a person, being, place or experience that easily evokes positive emotions where we remain for sometime. It is important that we feel these emotions in our bodies, not just think about them or stay in the thought realm. While we stay consciously present with these positive emotions we can use a samana breathing practice (equal parts). However it is more important that the breath be smooth, subtle and easeful - sukshma - over and above any breathing ratio or impsed pattern. During the weekend we worked with various different types of breathing, including samana practices but the emphasis was always on finding a breathing pattern that was easeful and steady which is always an individual choice.
This is a helpful image showing the link between breathing patterns, HRV and BP:
This image clearly shows how breathing effects the HRV and BP and visa versa. The good news is we can use a coherence practice to settle and balance the heart which will have a similar effect on the breath or use a settling, calming, balancing breathing pattern to to slow the heart down (relaxation response) or bring it into coherence.
The physiological effect of moving the heart into coherence are many and profound.
It is a healing state as well as a functional state in that it brings the whole system into what is termed psychophysiological - body & mind - coherence characturised by an increase in order and harmony in both psychological and physiological processes creating a springboard to optimal functioning. Yay!!!
We also worked with the bija (seed) sound of the heart centre -YAM - to further tap into the frequency of the heart and attune to it's emotional potential - kindness, empathy, compassion, love ect. Opening to our hearts together in a safe and nourishing space was deeply healing and restorative.
And then there was the garden and the trees! For me that is one of the best things about being able to teach retreats at Claridge house. The garden is beautiful and the trees, many of which were planted when the house was built in the middle of the 18th century so are over 150 years old!
Their grandeur gives the place a majestic feel and the deep root system which crisscrosses beneath the whole garden and beyond (& probably the house) create something like a hammock
of support and safety for all who spend time there whether on a structured or personal retreat.
All in all we had a restful, fun, grounding, nourishing time of it. I think it fair to say we all left feeling a little more ourselves, a lot less strung out and way more rested!
Here are a few comments from some who took part:
"A very deep subtle practice, lovely sense of community. Lots of encouragement to listen to our own bodies and do whatever was right. Very healing and restorative. Thank you!
" It was lovely to have such and supportive and caring practice - Thank you!"
"The course lived up to it's name, definately peaceful!"
I'll be teaching at Claridge House again next summer so keep an eye on my website and social media platforms or join my mailing list to receive information once dates are finalised.
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