Yoga & The Nervous System

In Yoga, there is often a great emphasis on engaging the parasympathetic (“rest & digest”) nervous system. The reason is quite clear; the modern world is stressful and disregulating to our nervous systems, causing us to spend the majority of our time in the sympathetic (“fight or flight”) state.

However, I believe there is a common misunderstanding about the sympathetic nervous system. It is not just “fight or flight” — that’s just when it’s out of balance or activated due to perceived danger — It’s also passion, discipline, pleasure, courage, inspiration, fire, and joy.

Similarly, “rest & digest” is only the parasympathetic in proper regulation; in imbalance it’s also our freeze & fawn responses, and can also manifest as depression, lethargy, laziness, sadness, loneliness, and an overall dispassion toward life.

So do we really want to shift from living in the sympathetic to the parasympathetic? No! We want to heal and regulate our ability to live in balance between these two mutually beneficial sides of our autonomic nervous system.

Many of life’s greatest joys, stories, and accomplishments com from our time living in a healthy sympathetic state. So Yoga teachers — let’s stop demonizing the sympathetic and glorifying the parasympathetic. Yes, it’s important to activate our rest & digest functions, and it’s often what folks need in today’s world — but the context is missing. Let’s help our students and communities find an appreciation, balance, and harmony between the two sides of our autonomic nervous system.