Yoga and Wellness Presentation Reflection
For my wellness presentation, my group focused on yoga and its relation to health. I have always been a large believer in the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. The information I share on this topic I experience personally, I dislocated my wrist several years ago and I had to go through intensive physical therapy. It was recommended that I attend a yoga class, as it would not only help to regain strength and flexibility, it will benefit the rest of my body and my mind as well. Most pain experienced from injuries is transmitted through electrical signals to the brain, and yoga teaches techniques to calm and center hyperactivity the nervous system . Yoga improves mental health as well, and encourages happiness and self reflection. It was so much easier working through my physical therapy with a positive mindset.
The evolution of yoga as a practice is very interesting to me. I learned that it started off as a way of learning about the world around us, and over time it became about self reflection and discovery, looking inward. Yoga therapy is used in eating disorder and addiction clinics. The improvement that can be made through practicing is pretty amazing even though it is so simple. It encourages the disconnection of mind and body, so that physical needs are put before self depriving thinking. It starts with physical health and once we are stable, we can shift the focus to repairing mental health problems. Every major system in our body is connected, and yoga allows us to compartmentalize each aspect of our body. This way we can adapt certain parts so that it becomes more effective to work together. It is also not a demanding activity, all that is needed is space, unlike hockey or football. Yoga can be modified in order to fit each individual’s needs, it teaches self acceptance instead of setting a standard for performance.
Bikram yoga proved to be the most interesting to me throughout this project. It is a very controversial practice, as some say that it is a great form of exercise and weight loss, while others disagree. From what I gathered, it is not bad for you, it is a very unique form of yoga but there are a few risks. It is very easy to become dehydrated during this class because of how much you are sweating, and so it’s important to drink a lot of water beforehand. Also, despite common belief, sweating does not expel many toxins. Most toxins that are flushed from our bodies go through the digestive system. Bikram yoga does increase dopamine levels which helps with depression, anxiety, and encourages positivity.
Overall for my group project, I would grade us an 8 out of 10. We worked well together, despite having challenges with finding times to meet up. We put a lot of effort into our presentation like planning out a beneficial and fun lesson . I also think that our presentation was fun yet informational. The transition from the slideshow to activity was smooth and we incorporated everyone at once. I think I could improve by knowing the information I am presenting more. Although I know a lot about yoga, once I have a more solid understanding of it, I can better teach it to others. I don’t know about everyone else, but I personally felt very happy after doing a little bit of yoga during a crazy and hectic school day.https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nX0AHF02SSpok9OldDJyl2Am5aqhlkqXiDlwdUjjQno/edit#slide=id.p
