HLL02 BioMedical Yoga Therapy for Gut-Brain Health

BioMedical Yoga Therapy for Gut-Brain Health & Mindful eating

Time & Date: TBA, 9:30am – 1:00pm
Hosted By: Celia Roberts, BSc Senior Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist

This session will immerse you in yoga therapy tools for enteric nervous system health and microbiome diversity. This session will enlighten you about the beautifully interwoven dance between the brain-biome-genome.

We recognise that many can have alienating experiences regarding their digestive health issues. This weekend brings forth a safe and open environment whereby we can all come together to assist one another.

For the first morning session, you will be under the guidance of Celia – a qualified Yoga Therapist and Ayurvedic Practitioner with vast personal and professional experience and someone who will foster your wisdom in digestive health and well-being.

The theory outlined below will be interwoven throughout the practice.

We will be exploring:

YOGA

• Yoga Therapy tools for specific areas of digestive health, including the lower colon and enteric nervous system;
• Participants will learn to use Naad Yoga (the conscious Power of sound and mantra) to manage vagal tone and heart rate variability and ultimately improve digestion;
• How to draw upon the subtle body energies to improve physical health, the vayus and five pranas;
• Yogic principles for developing gut instinct, understanding the gut-brain axis and mental health;

AYURVEDA & NUTRITION

• What is your Gut IQ? Jatharagni and Basic Ayurvedic Biome Principles;
• The essential use of Ayurvedic foods and lifestyle choices in combination with the latest research by the Food-Mood Institute on the brain and biome connection;
• Within the scope of practice, basic Ayurvedic food and herbs will be mentioned, both as prebiotics and probiotics;
• In combination with current researched nutrition guidelines, simple Ayurvedic nutrition remedies provide you with new ways to repair your gut health;
• Brain Neuroplasticity – What can you change through understanding the concept of Nutritional Psychiatry?

MEDITATION

• Compassion and Mindfulness exercises that benefit the Brain, Biome and Genome.
• The role of Self-Compassion and oxytocin therapy in body dysmorphic disorders.
• Meditation practices to bring about good gut health and vagal tone and good overall health.
• The Genome and the Biome weave a beautiful dance – What can you change for your health and how?

Understanding the Ayurveda & Yoga Mind-Body Approach to Good Digestion

Time & Date: TBA, 1:45pm – 4:45pm
Hosted By: Leanne Davis

Leanne Davis will combine the practical elements of asana, pranayama and mantra with theory to offer you a traditional and deep understanding of yoga and Ayurveda, a complete mind-body approach to good digestion.

Leanne Davis (Bachelor of Health Science in Acupuncture) has spent 40 years continuously working and studying in eastern health sciences, including internships and training in Chinese hospitals and yoga therapy centres in India.  Leanne is a Member of the expert advisory panel for the Australian Government’s Natural Therapies Review, a member of International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) certification committee, a member of the council for teachers for Yoga New Zealand, a council of advisor with Yoga Australia and has 33 years of yoga teaching and private practice experience.

UNDERSTANDING THE AYURVEDA AND YOGA, MIND-BODY APPROACH TO GOOD DIGESTION

• Understand the principles of how the digestive fire is harnessed in both Ayurveda & Yoga Therapy

PRACTICE

• Yoga therapy practices of asana, pranayama, mantra and meditation to allow the free flowing of prana for healthy digestion of food and assimilation of life.
• Introduction to digestive fire in upper abdomen (samana vayu – equalising air and Manipura chakra)
• Asana practice focusing on moving prana in the upper abdomen and breathing practices for Samana Vayu
• PRANAYAMA techniques for reducing damp, fire, wind
• MANTRA Pranaya Svaha, Ram, Om Agnirye Namah
• MEDITATION 5 prana’s meditation with breath and mantra combined

THEORY

• Understanding and cultivating the Vedic definition of health – spirit, mind, senses and body in harmony
• Concept of Agni-mala-ama
• 4 states of Agni
• Signs of healthy digestion
• Signs of toxicity
• What foods may aggravate our constitution and cause excess damp, heat or wind
• 12 Step Mind-body approach to good digestion
• Understanding the 5 vayus and the balanced flow of prana bringing food in and out, digesting and circulating nutrients.

Kundalini Yoga for Gut Health

Time & Date: TBA, 9:30am – 1:00pm
Hosted By: Samantha Lindsay-German

Kundalini yoga references a common Ayurvedic understanding: Gut health is the source of all systems becoming aligned, resilient and healthy. Kundalini yoga promotes radiance and vitality stemming from our navel and digestive centre.

Though not often overtly recognised in western society, the digestive system and the nerves embedded within it are instigators of either health or disease. And ultimately, how we digest life, view and treat the body comes from intuitive awareness, which we must cultivate daily.

This Kundalini Yoga workshop is to bring your mental, physical, and nervous energies into harmony, acknowledging our intricately intertwined mental and gut health.

Experience evidence-informed practice to balance the digestive tract.

Learn a series of kundalini yoga techniques that can be employed for stress-related exacerbated conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other gastrointestinal (GI) disorders.

Techniques will include:

• 3-minute technique to help individuals learn to manage fears.
• 5-minute technique for turning negative thoughts into positive thoughts.
• A simple technique that only requires a few breaths to support meeting the mental challenge required for everyday stresses.
• An 11-minute technique for tranquilising the angry mind.

Psychosomatic Therapy for Digestive Health

Time & Date: TBA, 1:45pm – 4:45pm
Hosted By: Ken Warren, Bodyworker

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and practices have understood for many millennia that how we digest life stems from this core centre of our being, and with that comes a view to treat digestive health with the utmost respect.

Understanding this mind-body connection within oneself through psychosomatic therapy and the TCM model can innately draw us towards better health and well-being. Learn from Ken Warren, a long term bodyworker and healer.

• Learn how the regulation of the lower three chakras affects digestion.
• Explore basic Traditional Chinese Medicine model principles and the main meridian points for harmonising digestive function.
• Practice activities for relaxing the diaphragm and the vagal nerve response.