In Amy Cuddy's Ted Talk (see the abridged version below) she talks about how our own body language determines not only how we appear to others, but how we think about ourselves.
Meaning---that we may feel more powerful if we take up more space, perhaps by raising our arms up, or standing up straight. The same can be true -- if we are hunched over or taking up less space, we may feel more passive. So, the shape that our body is in can determine how you feel about yourself.
This can especially be true as women. "Women in particular often shrink in public settings, [Cuddy] said. The men in her Harvard classes shoot their arms straight up to answer questions, while the women tend toward a bent-elbow wave. Along with touching the face or neck or crossing the ankles tightly while sitting, “these postures are associated with powerlessness and intimidation and keep people back from expressing who they really are,” Ms. Cuddy said…"
Yoga is amazing because it is like a movement reset. Throughout a Yoga class you are up, you are down, your body is doing an expansive movement one minute and the next you are curled up in a small movement. All of this is contained on the space of your Yoga mat, so ideally you are not in anyone else's space. By making these shapes with your body, you essentially go through so many different stages of emotion.
The main take away of Amy Cuddy's talk is about doing a Power Pose (like the superwomen stance - standing tall, legs spread slightly more apart than hips distance and hands on hips) when you need a boost of confidence. She says that even 2 minutes of a power pose will boost your confidence and calm you down, in a way that others will feel connected to you boldly sharing who you are.
Come to Yoga and you will see for yourself. You will walk out of class with a calm, a confidence, and hopefully feeling powerful.
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