Personal Harmony

“Wellness” is one of those catchwords that means something to everyone but may be difficult to define objectively. According to a 2017 article in the NIH National Library of Medicine, “Wellness is a holistic integration of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, fueling the body, engaging the mind, and nurturing the spirit …wellness encompasses eight mutually interdependent dimensions: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental.”  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5508938/#:~:text=Wellness%20is%20a%20holistic%20integration,nurturing%20the%20spirit%20(1).

The eight “dimensions” listed in that article are aspects of every person’s daily experience. Achieving a “personal harmony” that balances these aspects of our humanity is the intended outcome of any authentic wellness practice.

The term "yoga," like "wellness," can have different meanings for different individuals. I view yoga as a lifestyle integration tool that unifies various aspects of a person, aimed at educating, encouraging, and empowering overall wellness. The practices and philosophy of yoga work to create personal harmony among the eight components of our human experience. Yoga is particularly effective in addressing the dissonance caused by stress in daily life. This understanding forms the foundation of Yoga Therapy, where lifestyle mentorship transforms discomfort and disease into their opposites, comfort and ease. When yoga techniques are applied to both the study and practice of singing, they offer a uniquely harmonious way to alleviate stress-related conditions in both the mind and body, including the debilitating experience of performance anxiety.