One Small Step at a Time: Patricia Walden on Yoga for Depression

“Take a step, no matter how small.” ~ BKS Iyengar: 

Erasing Samskaras: Using Yoga to Slowly Rewire the Brain

“Take a step, no matter how small.” This was the advice of yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar to Patricia Walden some 40 years ago when she sought help to deal with recurring depression. Little by little, one small step at a time, progress can—and will—be made.

That first step can be setting an intention, a sankalpa. Put it in terms of something achievable, something in the present, says Patricia Walden. Be sure to put the intention into words that make it something you are doing, not what you are going to do.

Over time, introducing a regular yoga practice can help people suffering from depression change the samskaras, the mental and emotional patterns at the root of depression. Our samskaras, according to Yogic philosophy, are latent impressions from past actions, which create the tendency to repeat these actions. We store and accumulate these imprints, which influence future actions and reactions.

The power of taking one small step at a time is that we can change these patterns by taking new actions. Each time we take an action, such as practicing specific yoga asana for depression, new neural patterns are formed, and the more often we take the new action, the stronger the neural connections become. This ability of the brain to rewire itself is known as neuroplasticity.

“In this process, repetition is the key,” explains Patricia Walden. “In the case of yoga, this means practice, every day.”

Small Steps Toward New Positive Patterns 

Another potent small step toward erasing old samskaras and creating new positive neural patterns is to take what Patricia Walden refers to as the “precious pause.” This has two steps:

Christie Hall began studying yoga in 1995 to cope with crippling back pain. Her home practice started with the book, Yoga: The Iyengar Way. She started teaching in 1997 after studying with Iyengar teacher Karin O’Bannon, and she has studied as student and as teacher exclusively with Iyengar teachers, including BKS Iyengar in Colorado in 2005 and Geeta Iyengar in 2007. More of her writings can be found on her blog: www.pratipaksha.com. Her website is www.christieyoga.com