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    The Power of Water for Holistic Healing

    Posted by Erin Philbrick

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    Nov 17, 2015 11:30:52 AM

    There’s no disputing the fact that yoga has immense benefits on the mind and body.  By combining the healing elements of water with regular practice, some people argue that SUP Yoga can contribute an even greater sense of relief for someone who suffers from prolonged stress.  But how exactly does the water influence someone’s state of mind?  Let’s take a deeper look at the added benefits of water on the healing process, and clarify why the ocean adds a unique depth to an SUP Yoga routine. 

     

    There is something sublime about the ocean — from its plunging depths to the ebb and flow of its waves, the ocean has been and remains a topic of interest for seafarers and scholars alike.  Pair with that the healing properties that the ocean is purported to have, and it doesn’t come as a surprise that the sea is— and has been— utilized for various health purposes. What exactly is it about the water that humans find so compelling?  Sandra Ingerman, a family counselor and the author of Medicine for the Earth: How to Transform Personal and Environmental Toxins (Three Rivers Press; 2001) states that, "water stimulates the body's natural ability to relax, and the only way a body can begin to heal is when it is in a relaxed state.”

     

    Ingerman incorporates water images and sounds into her practice, which enables her students to experience the tranquilizing effects of water regardless of whether or not they’re familiar with its healing properties.  She goes on to say that “our first relationship was with water,” and that water is safe and comforting to most people because it’s the element that cradled us in the womb.  It comes as no surprise then that many people relate water to relaxation and a stress-free mindset.  It is something that has nurtured us from birth, and that serves as a foundation for life.   

     

    If we apply these principles to SUP Yoga, then we start to form a clearer understanding of the added benefits that water can contribute to one's yoga practice.  Keep in mind that SUP Yoga is physically challenging— it’s not easy to hold crow pose when you’re balancing on a moving surface— but couple that physical difficulty with an environment that is proven to help individuals find deeper levels of relaxation, and the practice becomes less of a physical activity and more of a healing exercise.  If we refer back to Ingerman’s theory-- that one can only heal when in a relaxed state of mind-- and consider the fact that we naturally move towards a relaxed state when we are in a water-based environment, then it’s evident why SUP Yoga adds an extra level of stress-relief than traditional yoga alone.

     

    Finding ways to heal are challenging, especially for someone who finds him or herself in a constant state of stress.  Think about someone who is ill, or who cares for a loved one with an illness— they’re constantly enveloped by stress and anxiety, and this type of mental state can last weeks or months depending on the duration of recovery.  In so many words—they’re prime candidates for adopting an SUP Yoga practice.  Given the fact that water is a natural "relaxer", and that yoga has been proven to help people in a perpetual state of stress to find inner calm, then pairing the two for the sake of mental healing really makes sense.  If you're interested in more information on the benefits of yoga for caregiver stress, check out this blog post, which encourages caregivers to focus on holistic wellness practices.

    Whether you’re looking for ways to decrease stress for yourself or a loved one, SUP Yoga was designed with mental wellness in mind.  The benefits of open water for healing are endless— The Ocean Rx exists to help bring these healing properties to any and all people who seek them.  

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    Topics: Stress, Yoga, SUP, Healing