What does it mean to reclaim ease in everyday life, and how can we use yoga therapy techniques to do so? The International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) asked yoga therapist and well-being researcher Megan DeRosa about the concept of ease and how she integrates it into her life—even in the most challenging of moments.
IAYT: Tell us a bit about yourself. As a yoga therapist, what interests you about this concept of ease?
Megan DeRosa: People say “I’m crazy busy” like it’s a badge of honor. The hectic pace of modern life is unsustainable, but how do we change our pattern of living? Both science and yoga therapy give us the answer: Voluntary slowdowns (a.k.a., practice).
More than two decades of studying, teaching, and experiencing have shown me that slowing down and practicing ease are essential to well-being. Science backs this up. For more happiness and less stress, research guides us to embrace voluntary slowdowns in our daily life. Yoga therapy offers an abundance of mind-body tools to help us with this. And neuroscience reveals that the mind and body communicate within and through these slowdowns to promote health and healing.
In a world saturated with burnout, it’s vital that we take time to pause. When we tilt toward ease, we experience benefits that are both powerful and empowering. Leaning into ease from time to time transforms how we move, feel, and live.
