Marisa had been regularly attending my yoga classes for a few weeks before I realized how committed she was becoming to the practice. As time passed I was increasingly aware of this timid woman in her late 30’s with scattered energy and youthful dimples camped out in the far back corner of the studio. Her initial efforts were naturally awkward, as she was just beginning to cultivate the ability to interpret instruction into her body, and during Savasana her eyes were often wide open. But she was giving it her all, for good reason: She was finally feeling hope for relief from the constant anxiety that had swallowed up her daily life. Several months later I learned her sad story.
After the sudden, unexpected death of her boyfriend two years earlier, Marisa’s life as she knew it was shattered. “For the first year after his death, I didn’t feel much of anything—I was just numb and grieving. But as I began to face the major changes in my life, including moving out of the house we shared, I became really anxious…about everything. I couldn’t plan anything without obsessing over each step, and then imagining every issue that might arise. For instance, if I went away for the weekend, I obsessed over what would happen if the house got broken into—if the cat somehow got out, the water heater burst, if a package was delivered and left at my front door indicating that no one was home… it went on and on.”
Marisa was displaying symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). From the American Psychiatric Association: “People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have ongoing, severe tension that interferes with daily functioning. They worry constantly and feel helpless to control these worries. Often their worries focus on job responsibilities, family health, or minor matters such as chores, car repairs, or appointments. They may have problems sleeping, muscle aches/tension, and feel shaky, weak and headachy. People with GAD can be irritable and often have problems concentrating and working effectively.” Furthermore, efforts to relax can actually exacerbate anxiety. Relaxation Induced Anxiety is caused when relaxation techniques (such as meditation or Savasana) paradoxically trigger the fight-or-flight Sympathetic response, and cause even more stress to flood the body.
Common treatments for GAD are cognitive behavioral therapy and anti-anxiety medications. As Marisa’s tension grew, her therapist felt she needed a new level of medical attention, “After the second anniversary of my boyfriend’s death passed, my therapist wanted to refer me to a medical doctor for an evaluation, but the thought of that sent me into an anxious tailspin. She suggested that I try yoga before moving forward with a referral. I think the anxiety of having to take medication beat out the anxiety of trying something new, and that’s how I ended up in yoga.”
As the months passed, Marisa’s practice became strong, graceful, and refined, and her confidence clearly grew. She told me she’d swapped doughnuts for yoga, which was evident by her changed shape. She had also become friendly with many of the other regulars in class, and although she never left that back corner, her mischievous streak flared and from time-to-time she’d delight the room by cracking a joke at my expense. Although Savasana had been an especially anxiety-provoking asana (“it’s a vulnerable position, thoughts rush in and swirl around, and it’s called ‘corpse’ pose, for Christ’s sake!”), she made great progress one Sunday afternoon by allowing herself to be transported into a completely blissful state during one of my Yoga Tune Up® classes that culminated in a 25-minute Yoga Nidra (yogi sleep).
It is always so humbling when, as a teacher, I find out about the serious issues students are processing in my classes. I am grateful for my Yoga Tune Up® training, which has given me more refined techniques to work with students like Marisa, and I’m grateful to Marisa, for trusting me to play the role of the teacher during her brave transition.
“I’ve been practicing 3-5 times a week for the past year and a half and I can’t even fathom worrying about some of the things that used to send my thoughts into a downward spiral. I’m still aware of what I’ve been through every day, but I’m so much calmer and more at peace now—yoga has given me permission to be who I am rather than who I think I should be.”
What a lovely story which shows how evident regular practice of yoga can have profound effects on calming our nervous system. They have done studeis how yoga can boost the anti-anxiety nuerotransmitter GABA in the brain. This is why yoga therapy needs to be reimbursed by insurance companies. This woman avoided the need for more doctors visits and medications b/c she is using yoga as her medicine. These stories as well as evidence based support to illustrate the value of yoga therapy in healing and managing various diseases need to be spread around the medical community. Thanks for sharing!
This is a really amazing story that totally exhibits why so many of us do yoga to varying extents. With the chaos of our daily lives and the intensity of the stress put upon us by others and ourselves, the nervous system is rarely given the opportunity to wind down, giving peace to the mind and body. Yoga allows us to do this in so many ways. I’ve been trying to get my boyfriend to try yoga for his anxiety as well, and I’m sure after seeing this I’ll finally be able to get him on a mat. I’m doing my 200 hour teacher training at the moment and stories like this inspire me even more to be the best teacher I possibly can be for those that need yoga the most.
What a wonderful story! It’s inspiring to hear about how yoga has bolstered someone back into Life. I think most people, including myself, get pulled onto our mats because yoga allows us to take control of ourselves and our lives in a gentle and supportive manner…at our own pace. You as a teacher and Marisa as your student, have given me even more reason to believe that I will find peace and personal growth as I continue my practice. Thank you!
I’ve been in Marisa’s shoes, or rather, on her mat; and i’m still in awe of how much yoga (the joining of movement with breath) has helped me (and Marisa) stay strong during times of struggle.
Thanks for the report, Ariel… and the perspective.
Beautiful story that shows the transformative and healing aspects with the regular practice of yoga. Its amazing how we reveal ourselves in a simple posture, while sometimes we go around with words to try to find an answer to our thoughts or emotions. Steping on a mat is a serious but simple matter. Both teacher and student commitement is inspirational, and sure must be an amazing experience as a teacher to be a witness of the evolution in such an important plane of someones mental and emotional health.
This is a beautiful story and a wonderful reminder of just one of the gifts that a yoga practice provides. It is why I always come back to the mat. Because there is something so sacred, and so healing about the process. Every time I come back to yoga, I wonder how on earth I could have ever left it. And I become so grateful, all over again. I love that yoga can be such a sanctuary and a place for quiet and reflection. A place where tears can flow freely and openly, and where doubts and worries and questions and hopes and dreams can all just be. This story is a lovely reminder of that.
It’s neat to see stories like this. As we all know, the practice of Yoga is a freeing experience in many ways, inner strength, confidence, an awareness of one’s self as well as the physical mobility and breath. I think that is why once someone experiences Yoga, they stick with it. It can truely change lives!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story, Ariel. Not only were you sharing the wonderful healing practices of YTU and yoga nidra, you really held such a safe and courageous space for your student to step into her own strength and greatness. The gift of you sharing your sankalpa come through in the space you held and yay to that. What a wonderful reminder to stay true to yourself and when you do, you create an environment that gives permission for others to be true to themselves. Sat Nam.
[...] Relief, yoga breathing A few days ago, I noticed a Web article that claimed a good dose of stress and anxiety to be a healthy and even a necessary component of a healthy existence. Yes, we all experience some [...]
This story gave me the chills. I feel like I suffer a little from Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I never heard of this diagnosis before. It makes sense. I love the confidence and strength that yoga gives you when working through struggles. Its nice to hear that your student chose yoga over additional medications. I feel for your student as she had trouble finding complete relaxation in the beginning with savasana. I find that my mind still continues to race and I can’t relax fully. Hopefully in time that will change. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful story!
This is an awesome story. I love hearing about other people’s experiences with yoga and anxiety because for so many years of my own struggle with it I thought that drugs were my only and best option. It was just a lucky coincidence (or the universe?) that brought me into my yoga practice at precisely the moment when my anxiety was so bad I could barely function, but it really is an amazingly powerful tool for not only alleviating the symptoms of anxiety but also giving people back the control over their bodies that being drugged up can sometimes take away.
I strongly believe there is nothing wrong with having anxiety. Its an important feeling! Let me elaborate… I like to think of anxiety as “the earth calling you to come down”. When all your energy is in your head, your mind and emotions spin to the point of exhaustion. This leads us to feeling scattered, disconnected, restless, tired… But i believe this sense of anxiety as we call it, is your body calling you to come home. When you feel anxious it means you quite literally need to ground! Getting into your body by connecting with the breath is an easy and extremely powerful way to “come down to earth”. As exemplified in this article, yoga helps many people with down regulation. Slow mindful breath soothes the mind and allows the parasympathetic nervous system to turn on. It is in this space that all deep healing and restoration happen. But why would we ever enter this state if their was nothing calling us down? Thank you anxiety. I promise to always honor you and all my feelings.
i found this story really inspiring. I cannot imagine what it would be like a pose which is supposed to be of deep relaxation (like savansa) would actually invoke terror and increased anxiety. What a difficult place to start at and I really admire Marisa’s courage for sticking with it.
This story is inspiring. It is a true gift to be trusted with the progression of a student in this way – yoga is physical but the emotions that surface are the real deal. Whenever we’re allowed to connect with that underneath of ourselves and grow strong enough to carry that off the mat, it is a joy. What a beautifully written and recounted experience, Ariel.
It is inspiring to hear stories where yoga has changed the lives of anotther human being. This story resonates with me personally and can say that I am not the person that began to practice yoga many years ago. We are all wounded in one way or another and those of us with emotional wounds tend to just suffer. Your compassion for your students is evident and transforming. I am honored I have been able to see you in action during training. By the way your compassion and understanding has made a signifiicant differance in my own emotional termoil wth anxiety. Thank you.
What a beautiful story, Ariel. I think most of us can relate to this. It makes very real the spiritual axiom that we are all connected, never alone. What has helped me is sankalpa. I have never rested in my sankalpa as much as I just did last week during Yoga Tune Up teacher training. I am very grateful to you, Jill, Dinneen and Sandy.