Ep 40: Anatomy, Awareness and Intuition

How can knowledge of our anatomy help us learn to increase our awareness and pay attention to our intuition?

“Our bodies make our decisions, and our minds simply catch up”

In this episode, we talk to Scaravelli inspired yoga teacher, Catherine Annis, about more than just functional anatomy! We discover the intrinsic link between our body and our minds through exploring our feet, our psoas muscles and our vagus nerve. So, this conversation is about the mental and emotional side of a deep physical practise; how can being aware of our bodies increase our awareness as we move through life? How can playing with our yoga practice fine tune our intuition?

In this episode you will find out about… Scaravelli Yoga (2:40)

• Who is Vanda Scaravelli and what is Scaravelli Yoga? 
• The influences of Iyengar and her rebellious ideas!
• Breaking through the rigidity of traditional practices
• The freedom to change your thinking
• The importance of agency to explore – does the teacher always know best?

Creativity and Functionality (12:00)

• Why we should be creative in our practice and explore our bodies 
• The importance of functional movement
• Yoga as a tool to engender a change of state rather than exercise

The Psoas and our Emotions (17:00)

• The anatomy of the psoas muscles 
• How our organs and diaphragm can impact the psoas
• The importance of hydration! 
• The link between the SI joint, the pelvic floor and the QL muscles
• Tips to relieve the SI joint
• The importance of regular movement and mobility

The Magic of the Feet (30:00)

• Why need to take care of our feet and maintain flexible foot joints 
• How ‘tight’ feet can impact the rest of the body
• How shoes dull our sensitivity
• The importance of feeling pleasure through our feet 
• Being mindful while walking 

Yoga and Awareness (43:00)

• How increasing awareness in our body can help us make better choices in life
• How can awareness impact our relationships with others and the earth? 
• The problems with big boots and disconnection!
• The role of the vagus nerve
• How breath awareness can be an effective tool for calming our nervous system
• The importance of play and listening to our intuition 
• Moving from being taught to taking responsibility for our bodies and experiences 

“Work your feet for global peace!”

Do you want to explore all our classes? Check out all our classes for FREE for 14 days here: https://movementformodernlife.com/chooseplan

Discover more of Catherine’s classes, including those on the psoas and feet, on Movement for Modern Life here: https://movementformodernlife.com/yoga-teacher/catherineannis

Find out more about Catherine here.