connecting body and mind: the YOGA project
Whether you’re a downward dog devotee, a sucker for a sun salutation or a cobra queen, yoga has been proven to have a wealth of health benefits for both body and mind. These, among many, include less aches and pains, better sleep and reduced stress levels (Johns Hopkins Medicine). Over the last couple of years, we’ve put those principles and ideas into practice with The YOGA Project – an 8-week course for those interested in utilising yoga as part of a lifestyle change to increase movement and exercise.
Laura, our resident yoga instructor, covered the philosophy and practice of yoga with an all-encompassing, holistic style. From the Eight Limbs of Yoga and the workings of our spines, to different breath work and poses, our journey through the world of yoga was a fulfilling and fascinating one.
On top of breathing and yoga flow, each week the group would check in and encourage one another’s progress, reflect and at the close of each class, journal their present stream of consciousness. Everyone brought and took different elements from the class, but the unity of women coming together and focusing on self-care was always at the forefront. Participants regularly mentioned how rare it was for them to set allotted time out for themselves to just be present and check in with their mental and physical health.
The core of The Bridge’s mission is tackling the health inequalities women experience, by taking into account the physical, emotional and environmental challenges faced by everyone. The first full intake of the project (we ran four overall) was completed in-person at The Bridge. The second intake started in-person and moved onto Zoom part way through the project due to the pandemic. While moving the project online was an unplanned change, hosting the classes over Zoom did level the playing field somewhat by facilitating time and travel accessibility for the women who took part.
“a wonderful way to feel supported in very difficult times, learning de-stressing techniques and improving my fitness”
If an individual or the group felt that they couldn’t complete a pose or felt uncomfortable in a flow, adjustments were made and options were given. Nothing was ever discounted.
“just because I used to bend like a pretzel doesn’t mean I can now due to injuries and having children, but that doesn’t mean people like me should feel excluded or unable”
We received funding from Sport England for this project. With their backing, our primary intended outcome was to support inactive participants to take part in more physical activity. Of the participants who completed both the before and after forms, 93% reported that they were more active by the end of the course, with 79% exercising more and 64% walking more.
Our secondary intended outcome was to support participants to develop more resilient sporting habits, specifically measuring their self-reported motivation and energy. By the end of the course, 57% said they felt more motivated and 64% said that they felt more energetic.
At the end of each of the 8 week projects, we were sad to be saying goodbye but in many ways, it most certainly wasn’t the end. It was unanimously agreed that the project was a vital springboard into more regular body movement and mindfulness, and many of the participants continued to attend Laura’s regular Monday online practice and other classes held at The Bridge. The most important takeaway however, was to remember that everyone is worthy of and deserves their own attention. It was agreed that bringing a commitment to look after yourself to the mat for weekly yoga has a positive effect to your life off the mat.
“[The Yoga Project] was something to look forward every week. I felt very supported and less lonely, and it has helped me to build self-confidence”
This project is now complete. We don't have plans to run further YOGA project courses currently, but it’s something we’re open to and hope to explore in the future. If yoga sounds like something that interests you, click here to find out about our weekly class.