The Importance of Bodywork for Yoga Practitioners
Written by Tarryn James
26 November 2019
The more I do yoga, the more I realize that various modalities of treatment and intervention have an incredible impact on my health and well-being. Although my yoga practice has always been my go-to when I am tired, stiff, sore or even anxious - since exploring the concept of bodywork, I have begun to acknowledge and understand when my body is needing something else…
“Bodywork” can be described as therapeutic touching or manipulation of the body by using specialized techniques. This includes practices such as Massage, Acupressure, Craniosacral Therapy, Reflexology, Reiki, and many more.
One week after completing my 500hour advanced training, I was reminded of that feeling - my body was needing something else. Maybe it was the physical strain of long periods of practicing, or just one too many handstand jumps that made my shoulders tight, neck sore and legs tired!
I decided to make an appointment with Jani Roodt who is a bodywork practitioner based in Sea Point, Cape Town. As an Ashtangi and Yoga Teacher herself, Jani understands the yoga body and what our practice demands from us on a daily basis. Jani works in a very non-invasive way, using an integrated technique to treat a range of pain and stress symptoms to open the channels of communications between the brain and the body. Her technique has a strong lineage to Brain-Body-Balance (B3), which is related to and derived from the disciplines of Myofascial Release, Body Alignment and Trigger Point Therapy.
Jani’s warm nature made me comfortable from the first minute - although we have connected over email before, this was our first meeting. Jani shared that she has always had a certain fascination with the complexities of how we form as people, both physically and psychologically. Her holistic intervention uses various techniques to find the best way to treat any blockages, pain and discomfort to reset your body to its natural balance.
Jani Roodt, Bodywork practitioner in Sea Point
So how does it work?
Our body is innately a self-regulating system and has the ability to re-set neuromuscular blockages and stimulate healing. Therefore, the body is always striving to reach a state of balance. Strain, injuries and pain are all thought to create these Myofascial Blockages. Through a technique like myofascial release and trigger point therapy, your brain-to-body feedback will reset by changing the signals that the mind-body feedback loop sends over time. It will assist in changing the repetitive pain messages that your brain and body are accustomed to, and will literally change the way the mind thinks.
Jani moved consciously from my scalp, to the jaw and along the neck, releasing trigger points I didn’t know existed. The true power of this lies in the realization that you are storing tension that you may not be aware of. As she progressed along the shoulders and forearms, releasing one area at a time, inherently aware of where to move next. Jani’s inituitive approach leaves symmetry out the door as she listens to what your body is needing, rather than any recipe or formula. Identifying differences between left and right as well as pointing out specific areas of tension in my body.
There is only some much we can access in the body through movement and stretching, which we are exposed to in a yoga class or practice. Bodywork allows us to move deeper into the connective tissue and trigger points in the body. My favourite aspect about bodywork is having another professional hold space. As a teacher myself, I am often needing to hold the room when teaching a class, but stepping into a space as a client allows me to find a new sense of calm and rejuvenation.
After the session I felt a sense of release and a motivation to explore the practice of bodywork on a deeper level.
If you’ve been playing with the idea of bodywork, or are completely new to the modality. Here are a few signs to look out for which call for a bodywork session:
You’ve got acute and chronic pain that you cant seem to get rid of…
You’re feeling tense or stressed…
You are suffering from general fatigue…
You are wanting to compliment your practice with other bodywork modalities…
You are interested in exploring ways to relax and rejuvenate your physical, mental and emotional body.
I have always been inspired by teachers and practitioners who have a strong value of continued learning. Not only is Jani constantly studying body work modalities, but she has just returned from a third study-visit to India where she spent a month further studying the traditional practice of Mysore style Ashtanga Yoga.
“Through continuous study, as both a yoga and bodywork practitioner, I have gathered a set of tools to facilitate clients to connect to their bodies through creating an individualised approach to restoring their balance.” - Jani Roodt