[throwaway391003]

You can't improve your walking technique unless you improve your life. Your posture, your gait, your movements are a complete reflection of how you feel.

If you feel like you're carrying a load on your shoulders... your shoulders are gonna show that. If you feel like you have to clench and grind through your days, your jaw is going to show that. etc. etc.

A really interesting question to reflect on is when someone gains weight, what determines where the weight goes? Their stomach? Their thighs? Everywhere evenly distributed? etc.

[jspash]

I agree, for the most part. However there is definitely something to be said for reversing the cycle. That is, when you feel down or frightened, purposely sit/stand/walk as though you are fully in control and on top of things. You'll find with some practice, your mood will improve. I think I heard it first from Tony Robbins years ago, but I'm sure it's well known technique.

[throwaway391003]

After a lot of reflection I think I'm in a place now where I disagree with this cause just taking over the body with mind control can lead to schisms and narcissism and denial of self

I do agree bringing awareness is verrryyy helpful and healthy. the key is to keep being aware of what comes up for you and accept it and embrace it and get to know it and empathize with other postures/bodies to see how exactly your body _could_ feel differently and as you realize more and more what your body is really feeling, it'll naturally heal on its own. no need to step it and change things consciously, which never really does anything anyways cause your subconscious takes over as soon as your attention shifts away

the key thing to take away here is it's impossible to fully realize how your body actually feels without some psychological insights into yourself as well, to move some stuff from your subconscious to your conscious

like for example one can't fully realize how much anger their jaw is holding unless they also realize how much they feel angry about their life cause of something they haven't realized and have repressed

for anyone interested in reading more check out alexander lowen's books on amazon. fascinating, fascinating guy with lots of veryyyyy interesting things to say. any of his books will suffice really, i've read most of them

[djtriptych]

True from a yogic perspective.

A really nice realization arising from this basic mind-body connection is that if you have a handle on one, you have a handle on the other. Or, practicing the posture of well-being can help make you well.

[nelaboras]

This is not at all true from a yogic perspective. The original aim of yoga (with all eight parts, not just the asanas but also breathing, healthy eating, right behaviour, internal cleaning, etc) is to make the body so healthy that you don't have to worry about it. Then you can work with your mind to address your samskaras, etc and work towards a deeper understanding of reality and self up to enlightenment.

[djtriptych]

It is true. The eight limbs (of Ashtanga, which is the style I practice) say nothing about the absence of a mind-body connection.

You made an account just to post incorrect information about yoga?

[learnstats2]

Doesn't this go both ways? Improving your posture does reduce your stress and improve your life (in the way that you mean).

[throwaway391003]

just replied to a sibling comment about this same thing, check it out https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23188557

[nelaboras]

On the contrary, changing your physiology will change much about your life.

E.g. developing muscles, good posture and meditation help massively to build confidence which will help you all around e.g. to speak up at work.

Body-Mind is bidirectional and I would really recommend you try working on whichever angle you can start. There is no good life without a healthy body, but of course it's not the only thing.

[throwaway391003]

if it's expressive evocative emotional physical activity, i agree. like a fun soccer game, a good dance, etc. anything that releases tension in the body and helps you to breath more fully and in a more relaxed happy way

if it's physical activity using will (like a droning gym routine) or meditation, i actually think it can lead to more stiffness and weirdness and awkwardness in a person's psychology

the body is not meant to be controlled by the mind

the objective is just to simply connect with the body more, not yell at it