Celebrating Yoga for Humanity - Guest Blog by Yoga Instructor Vicky Russell

This is an annual day established by the United Nations to widen access for people to experience the benefits of yoga. This years theme is ‘yoga for humanity’, reflecting the impact of covid and the importance of supporting our physical and emotional well-being. There is increasing medical research through peer reviews that have used Iyengar yoga in their studies – positive effects in chronic lower back brain, treating symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee, immune deficiencies and yoga for cancer patients to name just a few. So it is very apt we consider humanity this year to remind us of self-care and care for others.

But it is also the Iyengar Yoga philosophy that provides us with inspiration each day. When facilitating a global client session recently, I started with a reflection on BKS Iyengar’s book, `Tree of Life’. I spoke to the Tech Leaders about how this tree influences me in my work. The tree represents the eight limbs of yoga and most people will be familiar with only two of those limbs – prānāyāma (breathing) which are the leaves and asanas (poses) which are the branches. But the other limbs offer such an important insight and it’s important to recognise yoga covers all eight – from the roots of the tree, sap, bark, trunk to the fruit and flowers. There is a fabulous parable in Iyengar’s book that illustrates dharana (sap) – “Consider a lake. Does the water touch the banks only on one side and not on the other, or does it touch the banks equally everywhere? When you are performing an asana, your consciousness, like the the waters of a lake, should touch the frontiers of the body everywhere.”

But how does yoga support the concept of Club Synergy? The word humanity reflects the communal spirit of members to support each other and be aware of their own needs – whether it is solving a business problem, developing leadership ideas or ensuring you are getting a healthy work/ life

balance. Humanity encourages others to be kind, to sympathise and have generosity. The NETworkout sessions captures the essence of such humanity. A time to listen to others, hear what is on their mind, support and encourage action to specific goals whether business or self. Humanity

underpins our day-to-day being when we make decisions, grow our businesses or develop partnerships. And after dedicated time with others, it’s then onto the mat. Beginners level yoga using the philosophy of Iyengar Yoga which relies on props, alignment and sequencing. No acrobatics but effortless movement with others online that generates energy, balance and reflection. Adjustments made for those with a slight neck issue, back complaint or other challenge. It is a place for all. To be human.

We host a yoga session every Friday morning online through Club Synergy and welcome you along to experience yourself the benefits of networking and yoga. Yoga is about integration, about bringing mind and body together. Club Synergy brings together a diverse group of professionals, come along and see for yourself! We have members from Aberdeenshire to Devon. And our yoga instructors are in Stirling and Spain. We may not be in the same room but we share that purpose of humanity to support each other.