Yoga Training: The "Science" of Yoga? Say what?!

So the question remains for me: what is yoga? 

Is it a sporty outfit from Lulu Lemon? Maybe.           Is it a pool of sweat surrounding my mat? Perhaps.   Is it a fall out of a posture and onto the floor that I can no longer hold? Definitely! 

And then there is the science of yoga. Yes, science. When I first heard these two words words put together, the sound of screeching brakes went off in my head. I am curious to know more about this. There are specific things that happen to our muscles, ligaments and nerves endings when we practice. 

Good things. Things that make you go "Whoa"! 

Since I was never good at science in school (sorry to Jeanne Fagan in high school chemistry...I was her partner and caused her much consternation...think Jerry Lewis with ADD) I was nervous about this concept.   But if you think about the sequences and  the human anatomy and what pose readies another, then it starts to resolve a bit. There is so much more. 

Yoga is quite a vast discipline. It's not all downward dog and a slap of the mat as it is hurled out onto the floor. It's not about "getting in shape", although it seems that yoga does provide this service. Some movements are very subtle but very powerful in their effects. It's certainly a journey of intersecting paths and meandering-meadows of self-discovery.  

But I digress. Back to nerve endings. Our feet, ankles, shins...have taken a beating. The shoes we wear have created a whole industry (Dr. Scholls) to deal with planar fascitis, bunions, etc. Recently, I was taught a pose that caused a bit of an unpleasant sensation in my ankle/shin region. It was intense. Not pain mind you, but a sort of low-grade screaming in this area.  P.S. I would be happy to show you this pose anytime.

Apparently it is the nerves in this area that have become deadened due to the footwear we love so well. We need our shoes, pumps, boots, Birkenstocks, joggers, hikers. I get it!
We all can't walk around like Cody on "Dual Survivor-Discovery Channel" who has not worn shoes in
like 15 years. But through the science of yoga we can reawaken areas in our bodies that long for new
energy. Nerves that have been suffocated can be regenerated. Sounds like science to me!

So, grab your mat and get to a class and reawaken your bad self! 

Namaste, Friends