Mind, Body and Breath, exploring Pranayama through Neuroscience with Stephanie Sutherland, PhD

Yoga and modern neuroscience are two systems with a common goal: to understand the human mind. Remarkably, yoga and neuroscience offer similar, often complementary findings about the workings of the mind and the nervous system. In this workshop dedicated to pranayama (seated breath practices), we will explore the energetic concepts of brahmana, longhana, and samana, and how appropriate application of pranayama practices can be employed to create varying effects on the nervous system and thus each and every cell of our body.  These peripheral effects are carried out through nerves of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), including the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. We will explore the anatomy and physiology of the ANS and how it underlies the energetic effects of pranayama.  Other concepts to explore will include samskara–how the brain makes patterns that underlie all our actions and reactions. Students will gain a basic understanding of the vocabulary of neuroscience.                      $75