Why do we feel calm and energised after a yoga sequence?

I would think the muscles relaxing would cause a sense of calm, and possibly the energy that was holding the tension is now available, therefore we feel energised.

Or is it the case that performing the ritual of a yoga sequence with the belief that it gives you the relaxed energetic mind creates that state through the placebo effect?

Maybe a bit of both…

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Science recognises that yoga has calming effects on the nervous system, improves mental health and immunity. All exercise creates a feeling of wellbeing afterwards due to the brain chemicals released. However yoga was developed to work also on the energetic body which isn’t part of western thought. I’m not sure about the placebo effect. Yoga is a meditative practice as well as a physical one and there is plenty of research on the impacts of meditation on the brain and body.

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Thanks for your reply.

The energetic body. I would like to learn more about this

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nice talk about ypoga

Me too want to learn more about this

This is the most clear explanation that I found - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtle_body . I would like a better source of information though, but I don’t think we will find any science-backed information on the subtle body, even so, I would like to find the most reputable information on it…

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I think your first explanation in your initial post is a good one. When the nervous system calms and the body relaxes it seems natural that you would feel both a sense of calm and energy, since the muscles that were once tight are no longer holding onto energy. Whether science will every seek to explain this, I don’t know, but there are many studies on how yoga and meditation affect a variety of illnesses, mental disorders and insomnia. The calm nervous system and free flow of energy is deeply healing and beneficial for so many reasons.

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Thanks for your reply David!
This question came to me after your class, “Deep Release for the Shoulders and Neck”, where you brought my attention to the sense of calm and increased energy after the class, and I was surprised to feel those benefits without working my cardio.
Thank you so much for your classes and sharing your knowledge, it has had a big impact on me, especially the “deep release for the hips, hamstrings and lower back”, which always leaves me in a beautiful state of mind.

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To find out more about that you could look into Qiqong, reiki or energy medicine. :green_heart:

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My pleasure! It’s great to hear that you are realizing the wonderful benefits of yoga. :slight_smile:

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