Can Yoga modulate stress, anxiety and depression? Does stress impact gender differently in Policing? Keep reading to find out the answer.
The U.S. Department of Justice published a study regarding the “Stress, Gender and Policing: The Impact of Perceived Gender Discrimination on Symptoms of Stress”.
The results indicate that male and female officers have conflicting attitudes about the amount and nature of gender discrimination within police work. The findings further suggest that female officers experience higher levels of stress. Additionally, the results indicate a weak relationship between perceptions of gender related jokes and stress levels for females. The study iterates that police work is inherently stressful, and that the traditionally male-dominated field of policing may create increased obstacles and stressors for women officers.
In recent decades, several medical and scientific studies on yoga proved it to be very useful in the treatment of some diseases, stress and PTSD.
On our page https://www.frycanada.com/fry-research-links/ we have available different studies showing the benefits of yoga, meditation and mindfulness, breathwork and relaxation. Please feel free to jump there and learn more about the science beyond the yoga practice in all its full aspects.
A study published on the National Library of Medicine was conducted to investigate the effects of yoga on stress, anxiety, and depression in women.
The total eligible sample consisted of 52 women with a mean age of 33.5 ± 6.5 years. The study above showed that 12 sessions of intervention such as regular Hatha Yoga exercise significantly reduced stress, anxiety, and depression in women. Thus, it can be used as complementary medicine and reduce the medical cost per treatment by reducing the use of drugs.
Not “the solution” but a tool, that extra juice you can add to your daily healthy routine that can really better your life and change the way you perceive happenings as stressors in your life.
Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress and seventy-five percent to 90% of all doctor’s office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints. So, if you are really interested in wellness you have to factor in your mind states: meditation and mindfulness are other “natural drugs” you can use without any side effects.
FRY The Method has its root in those ancient practices. Wanna give it a try? Download FRY The APP or contact us to know more about what we do and offer or book a chat with us by using our Calendly: https://calendly.com/frycanada/fry_meeting_with_sasy_or_julia
We are glad to announce that our Director Sasy is leading a 4-hour in-person Meditation course eligible for 4 hours Continuing Education with Yoga Alliance.
Deepen your meditation practice with this experiential 4-hour weekend where people immerse themselves into a deep meditation practice.
When? Saturday April 30 & Sunday May 1, 2:00-4:00pm EST
You will learn and practice different types of meditations as well as some of the science behind it all!
Who this course is for:Everyone! Everyone who wants to learn more about meditation and/or deepen their personal practice. Every yoga instructor who wants to learn more about Meditation and have a deeper experience about it.
Price: $145 CAD + HST
Certification: After completing this Meditation course, you will receive a certificate to upload in your Yoga Alliance dashboard if you are a YA Teacher.
We are glad to announce that our Director Sasy is leading a 6-hour in-person breathwork course at Willow Wellness in Richmond, eligible for 6 hours Continuing Education with Yoga Alliance.
You will learn how to use your breath to increase body’s energy, health and awareness.
Deepen your understanding of breathing to take care of all your body-systems, your mind and move the awareness to the Soul level.
An intensive self-experience, this Breathwork/Pranayama course will help you to: – Understand your breathing – Take care of your body/mind system – Deepen your awareness to move beyond the awareness sheath (awareness layer) to the bliss sheath (bliss layer) – Become aware of the deeper layers of the self
You will learn these techniques in this Pranayama (focusing on the breath) course:
– The Locks (Bandhas) – The Retentions of Breath (Kumbhakas) – Belly Breathing – Yogic Breathing – Alternate Nostrils Breathing (Anuloma Viloma) – Shining Skull Breathing (Kapalabhati) – Fire Breathing (Bastrika) – Humming Bee Breathing (Brhamari) – Equal Ratio Breathing (Samavritti) – Not Equal Ratio Breathing (Asamavritti) – Stepped Breathing (Viloma) – Mantra Breathing – Rolling Tongue Breathing (Sitali) – Smiling Breathing Breathing (Sithkari) – Ocean Sound Breathing (Ujjay)
You will also learn options to enhance and control these techniques to suit your own practice.
Who this course is for: Everyone. Everyone who wants to learn more about the power of breathing. Everyone who wants to deepen their yoga practice. Every yoga instructor who wants to learn more about Pranayama.
Price: $210 CAD + HSTIn-person: Saturday May 28 & Sunday May 29: 2:00-5:00 pm EST
Certification: After completing this Pranayama course, you will receive a certificate to upload in your Yoga Alliance dashboard if you are a YA Teacher.
The Science Behind FRY The Method for First Responders
A list of Research supporting each of the element belonging to FRY The Method for First Responders.
FRY Canada conducted:
Qualitative interviews of First Responders across the 3 services (Fire, Police, Paramedic) and Dispatch; and
Literature review of mind-body injuries of First Responders
in 2018 and 2021 as preliminary investigation in the development of FRY The Method and FRY The APP.
The book “F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The BOOK” is the culmination of these interviews and literature reviews paired with fitness training, advanced yoga education and direct experience as First Responders.
There is no time for self-care after shift with home life and personal responsibilities;
They cannot follow regular weekly classes due to their erratic shifts; and
There is no ONE source they may go to for their energetic workouts, stretching, meditation, relaxation, mindfulness or other stress relief techniques NOR are they specific to First Responder needs.
Generalizable Mindfulness-Based Strategies for First Responders
Generalizable Mindfulness-Based Strategies for First Responders such as Large and Deep Exhale, Diaphragmatic Breathing, Progressive Relaxation, Mindfulness Imagery increase self-awareness, lead to “decentering” (a non-identified awareness of the experiences whose consequence is a reduction of emotional reactivity), promote intentional responses, enhance self-compassion, and ultimately decrease suffering.
The mind-body interventions have been shown to directly promote First Responders’ mental and physical health while providing increased resilience when facing work-related stressors.
A scoping review was conducted using the PubMed database (1966 to October 1, 2020) and the Google Scholar database (October 1, 2020) found:
Strategies for supporting mental health and well-being need to be implemented early in the First Responder career and reinforced throughout and into retirement (Begin in training).
They should utilize holistic approaches which encourage “reaching in” rather than placing an onus on First Responders to “reach out” when they are in crisis. (Develop a supportive community in good times to be there in the bad times).
Yogic breathing is a unique method for balancing the autonomic nervous system and influencing psychologic and stress-related disorders. Mechanisms contributing to a state of calm alertness include increased parasympathetic drive, calming of stress response systems, neuroendocrine release of hormones, and thalamic generators – a set of neurons in the thalamus that sets up a clear rhythm in a related cortical area (due to breathwork).
Functional fitness improvements after a worksite-based yoga initiative (Firefighters). Improvements were noted in trunk flexibility and perceived stress. Participants also reported favorable perceptions of yoga: feeling more focused and less musculoskeletal pain.
Mindfulness-Based Stretching and Deep Breathing Exercise reduce the prevalence of PTSD-like symptoms in individuals exhibiting subclinical features of PTSD.
Therapeutic yoga is defined as the application of yoga postures and practice to the treatment of health conditions and involves instruction in yogic practices and teachings to prevent, reduce or alleviate structural, physiological, emotional and spiritual pain, suffering or limitations. Results from this study show that yogic practices enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, promote recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.
Pre-to-post-yoga sessions, levels of positive emotions (engagement, tranquility and revitalization) increased while exhaustion decreased.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine Volume 49, March 2020, 102354 Exploring how different types of yoga change psychological resources and emotional well-being across a single session
Relaxation training and yoga most effectively reduced anxiety symptoms among older adults. Furthermore, the impact of some relaxation interventions remained in effect for between 14 and 24 weeks after the interventions.
Research suggests that common forms of relaxation training, such as Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Meditation, Breathing exercises, and Visualization can help individuals reduce stress, enhance relaxation states, and improve overall well-being. The study below examined three different, commonly used approaches to stress relaxation: Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Deep Breathing, and Guided imagery that are all part of FRY The Method. The result is that those techniques promote both psychological and physiological states of relaxation, offering a head-to-head comparison of stress-reduction strategies.
Positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts, brief phrases, repeated frequently, which are designed to encourage positive, happy feelings, thoughts, and attitudes and set goals.
Meditation practices may impact physiological pathways that are modulated by stress and relevant to disease. Specifically, engagement in compassion meditation may reduce stress-induced immune and behavioral responses.
Meditation increases grey matter and this benefit is part of the underlying neurological correlate of long-term meditation independent of a specific style and practice
“Yin Yoga. Approaching the Functional with Sasy Cacace” course is eligible for 20 hours of Continuing Education with Yoga Alliance. Mark the dates for March 2022.
With this course you will learn:
What is Yin Yoga
Overview of CHI and Meridian channels, according to Chinese Medicine
What is the functional approach to Yoga
The differences between the performance and the functional-introspective approach that can be applied to all forms of Yoga
How to teach in a functional way
The 14 Skeletal segments and the 10 Muscles groups involved in the entire Yoga practice and not only the Yin practice
Why the skeletal variations are an important key to the functional training
The 5 Archetypal Yin Yoga Poses and their variations, that can be adapted to each and every student
And more
This course is of interest to all people learning yoga to deepen your practice as well as to instructors who wish to deepen their understanding of movement in yoga.
COST (Canadian Dollars):
Early Bird: $377.50 (25% discount)+ HST before December 3, 2021
General Admission: $450 + HST thereafter
TIME TABLE OF THE COURSE (all times are in EDT):
Saturday March 26, 2022: 12pm-16.15pm (15 minutes break)
Sunday March 27, 2022: 8am-12:15pm (15 minutes break)
Wednesday March 30, 2022: 7pm-9pm
Saturday April 2, 2022: 12pm-16.15pm (15 minutes break)
Sunday April 3, 2022: 8am-12:15pm (15 minutes break)
Wednesday April 6, 2022: 7pm-9pm + Graduation
Certification will be delivered by email to the attendees who participate in the full course.
Sasy is a 500 hours Yoga Alliance Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500) and Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider (YACEP). He has been lived and taught yoga in many studios in Northern Italy, in Fuerteventura (Spain), India (Mysore), Nepal (Pockara) and all of 2018 in Los Angeles (USA).
He also has some experience in Karma Yoga including Anand Prakash Ashram in Risikesh (India) where he led Vipassana Meditation and Karuna Home for Disabled and Orphaned Children in Bylakuppe/Mysore (India) where he taught Yoga in a Yoga Studio inside the Tibetan Camp 1. On March 2020 he completed his three months of Karma Yoga at Sivananda Ashram Bahamas.
Sasy is a former Italian Police Detective and chief who has spent 20 years serving the Italian Government in the field of crime and narcotics. Knowing very well the stress and all the consequences that First Responder service can bring into the personal life of every single officer or member, Sasy was inspired to offer training for First Responders. Drawing on his past in law enforcement and the knowledge he developed since 2005 in the fields of meditation, stress reduction, Yoga and trauma-informed movement, Sasy co-founded together with Julia Long, F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga Canada, a tool box mind body wellness that compiles breathwork, functional yoga movement, trauma informed Yoga, meditation and positive affirmation techniques, designed for First Resppnders by First Responders, tailored to their needs. And with the F.R.Y. The App the tools are available anytime, anywhere, when needed, at a push of a button.
In 2005 Sasy started his spiritual quest and decided to dedicate his life to yoga since 2014.
He is the author of “The Key to Happiness” and “Yin Yoga“, two manuscripts in which he shares a glimpse of his personal spiritual journey, some easy-to-understand neuroscience about meditation and deep breathing, life-altering tools that transformed his daily living. in 2020 he co-authored his 3rd book together with Julia Long, “F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book“. All the manuscripts are available on Amazon, both paperback and digital formats.
Today I want to talk about panic attacks in First Responders. I am speaking from my experience as a former Police Detective and Chief. Every one of us in our lives experiences a moment of anxiety, a moment when you desperately want to run away from something or fight it off. Sometimes we do not know the true cause of our panic, but it manifests and it presents in different way
Every one of us at a certain point have tried different ways to deal with anxiety. These include: training, listening to music, doing something to run away from that feeling, to dampen that feeling. Nothing seems to work as it is the aversion toward that feeling of anxiety that makes the same anxiety bigger and stronger.
Panic attacks in First Responders
In my past I have participated in different retreats in different retreat centers. I hoped that a structured environment could help me learn how to meditate and release that tension in my mind and so in my body. Most of the time my mind was all over the place even during the formal meditations. Why? I was fighting the unpleasurable. When you fight the moment you are at you create more stress and anxiety within you
The moment I realize that learning how to live with your “weakness” and welcome it whatever it is, that feeling becomes an asset. It transforms
When you acknowledge and “welcome” your feelings of discomfort, they become suspended in awareness. They are still there but beneath them there is this field of awareness that is holding them. The first step to take to break the cycle of anxiety and noisiness of the mind is to become aware of it.
How to break the cycle of anxiety with the breath
There are different ways to achieve this. One is the basic awareness of the breath when you meditate but also when you are out of your formal practice. Be aware of your breathing pattern without the intention of becoming a good breather. Observe your inhalation and exhalation, without trying to change it.
First Responders you can break the cycle of anxiety and the lessen the effect of a panic attacks with breath anytime and everywhere, without explaining to the people around you what you are doing.
How to break the cycle of anxiety with meditation
You can use anopen monitoring meditationand be focused on the sounds that are present around you. And you step back from labeling the sound as pleasant and unpleasant. You just bring your awareness to them, noticing how fleeting they are: they arise, remain for a moment, and then disappear
When images, thoughts, or emotions catch the attention of the mind, instead of fighting them you allow them to be part of your experience. You allow them to be present in awareness along with the sounds without clinging or rejecting them; not reacting to them.
There is no need to focus on a particular sound. Simply know that you are hearing sounds, noticing how the awareness can accommodate any sound, without you having to do anything.
Another way is “shifting the thinking pattern”. Normally an anxious mind focuses on the negative and magnifies it. You can shift that pattern by thinking about the opposite, the positive instead of the negative. A simple way to do this is to bring in gratitude for everything you have that for sure is more than enough. No matter what the circumstances you are living in are, there is always so much to be grateful for.
Remember that you are not your thoughts, nor the chit chat in your mind, nor your emotions and feelings. You are “otherness” from all that.
First Responder, no matter if you are a Police, Firefighter, Paramedic or Dispatcher, whatever the feeling you are perceiving is, fear, anger, jealousy, remember those are just feelings. Let your mind to rest in awareness and allow everything to float in that field of mindfulness. Mindfulness-based interventions are effective to promote mental health and well-being in high-stress occupations like First Responders. It improves Quality of Life and reduces depression and anxiety symptoms. It nourishes First Responders’ physical, emotional, and mental fitness. It also contributes to the judicious and mindful use of First Responders’ power and authority, which can benefit society as a whole.
Let’s do it together. Let’s make our lives better. F.R.Y. is here to help. With F.R.Y. The APP you access to supportive tools 24/7. Learn more about how we help First Responders Organizations with F.R.Y. The APP
Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy Approaches for First Responders’ Health
Our Director Sasy interviewed Doctor Gus Castellanos about the benefits of mindfulness-based approaches for First Responders. Gus shared with F.R.Y. his expertise in the field of medicine and Mindfulness with the goal to help First Responders. We truly thank him for this. The interview will be available on F.R.Y. website www.FRYCanada.com and socials in a couple of weeks as it is in postproduction.
Here we are posting an excerpt of the study touching on the same topic of mindfulness. The study has been conducted by Brian A. Chopko, Ph.D., Konstantinos Papazoglou, Ph.D., Robert C. Schwartz, Ph.D. The study is named “Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy Approaches for First Responders: From Research to Clinical Practice” – 2018.
Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy Approaches for First Responders’ Health – Excerpt of the study
First responders are psychosocially exposed to work-related stressors that occur frequently during required duties. Direct and vicarious symptoms of stress and interpersonal problems often affect first responders’ ability to perform effectively. They may have an impact on their personal lives. Mindfulness-based psychotherapies approaches such as ACT and MBCT have been shown to directly promote First Responders’ mental and physical health while providing increased resilience when facing work-related stressors. Generalizable mindfulness-based approaches can be used by psychotherapists, regardless of the specific theoretical approach chosen, to increase self-awareness, promote intentional responses, enhance self- compassion, and ultimately decrease suffering. Specific and easy-to-use mindfulness techniques can activate the PNS and reinforce a positive experience even in difficult situations by dampening the natural sympathetic nervous system and other potentially negative neural pathways that are prominent when someone encounters a critical incident. Incorporating mindfulness-based prevention and healing can therefore help psychotherapists build resilience and reduce symptoms of mental illness that are increasingly pervading the field.
Generalizable Mindfulness-Based Approaches for First Responders’ Wellbeing
In general, mindfulness theory explains that one’s mind takes on the qualities of what one dwells on. When someone expends effort struggling against something that is difficult or painful (e.g., a distressing experience during a critical incident), that person devotes more energy to the experience. Thus strengthening it in her or his mind. Acknowledging the experience, then accepting it as something one has gone through in the past and letting it go allows the experience to not become stuck mentally
Acceptance, Present-moment and Meditative Exercises for First Responders’ Health
Developing calm, clear awareness involves being connected with what one experiences without judgment. When first responders are afraid, they know that they are afraid. As Bien stated, it takes little effort to feel sad when one is sad and angry when one is angry. Yet most people spend a great deal of effort trying to be unlike themselves. If first responders do so, they may be “worse off than if they knew nothing about mindfulness”. Present-moment and meditative exercises should be practiced throughout the day. Meditation, a form of purposeful focused attention, can be practiced during any activity rather than as an isolated and mechanical technique. One can be in the present moment with focused attention on one’s mind while eating, walking, speaking, and even during a critical incident. Learning acceptance does not imply passively submitting to one’s circumstances. “When you accept deeply the reality in which you find yourself, you know what to do and, just as importantly, what not to do”. This skill is important for first responders while on duty. Regardless of what someone wishes a situation to be, in the present moment the situation is exactly what it is. Accepting that fact, as difficult as it is during painful and confusing circumstances, is key to consciously responding as skillfully as possible. If one refuses to accept what is happening in the here and now, one may be acting on distorted and self-focused (rather than holistic and other focused) information based on regret about the past or fantasizing about the future.
Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Strategies
for First Responders’ Health
Finally, self-compassion is especially useful for first responders because it includes loving-kindness toward one’s self during difficult situations. Because first responders inevitably face situations in which prediction and control are lacking, feelings of remorse, guilt, anger, hopelessness, and helplessness may be evoked. Understanding this fact, showing support for one’s self, and believing in one’s intentions to help regardless of the hoped-for outcome can lead to a sense of self-caring needed during distressing events. As Desmond explained, psychotherapists can help clients develop a more loving, kind, and forgiving attitude through self-compassion, and those with mindfulness experience will find that self-compassion practices have the capacity to add new layers of depth to mindfulness-based psychotherapies.
Hanson explained that one of the most effective ways to enhance mindfulness is to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). As opposed to the sympathetic nervous system, the PNS, or “rest-and-digest” neural pathway, can help first responders more fully understand a situation and act with intention (both grounded in the prefrontal cortex), maintain steadiness of mind during difficult circumstances, and dampen the stress-response system, leading to increased relaxation and tranquility. Research has shown that psychotherapists can use the following generalizable mindfulness techniques to promote these qualities, in addition to many other benefits such as cardiovascular health, immune system strength, gastrointestinal health, and broader nervous system efficiency.
How to Activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System
Large, Deep Exhale
This method takes less than one minute to complete and can be accomplished in any location. Inhale as much air as possible, hold the breath for at least several seconds, and then exhale slowly. This technique expands the lungs more than usual, stimulating the PNS (which governs exhalation).
Diaphragmatic Breathing
This method uses the muscle beneath the lungs and takes one to two minutes. It is highly effective for reducing stress. Place one’s hand on the diaphragm, the area of one’s stomach ap- proximately two inches beneath the center of the rib cage, and breathe deeply so that the hand moves perpendicularly to the chest. The most effective way to use this technique is to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, which cools the hypothalamus and activates the PNS. Watching the diaphragm sensitizes one to how it works, and this exercise trains the diaphragm to function fully.
Progressive Relaxation
Progressive relaxation takes about 10 minutes to complete through a systematic focus on different parts of the body. This method involves bringing awareness to each body part patiently and successively, noticing sensations as they occur. Each body part is then consciously relaxed. Focus on larger sections of the body first (e.g., legs, arms, shoulders) and, if time permits, move to smaller body parts (e.g., eyes, fingers, head).
Mindfulness Imagery
This method takes about 10–15 minutes to complete. It focuses on developing mental activity such as pictures and scenery that evoke relaxation and present-centeredness. Mindfulness imagery almost immediately stimulates the PNS. Close the eyes and relax the body while visualizing a calming tranquil environment. The more physical senses that are included in the experience (e.g., seeing, hearing, touching), the more PNS activation will occur because imagery enhances right hemisphere processing related to nonverbal behaviours.
Why F.R.Y. The Method is the Go-To-Tool for First Responders’ Wellbeing
All the strategies listed above are part of F.R.Y. The Method. Each F.R.Y. class starts with some Breathwork exercise where we emphasize the importance of a diaphragmatic breathing and we keep maintaining that pattern even during the practice of postures. One of our Breathing technique is “Asamavritti – Not Squared Breathing”. It requires having the exhalation longer than the inhalation. The relaxation with Yoga Nidra element, taking from the new neuroscience discoveries, are the second last segment of F.R.Y. The Method whose class closes with a final Meditation, a moment in which we cultivate focus, develop awareness and become familiar with qualities that can help our lives and our performance during our duty. The dynamic functional movement and the passive traction applied during the class make F.R.Y. The Method your to-go-tool to have a healthy body-mind system and build resilience.
The Impact of Mindfulness Training on Police Officer’ Stress and Mental Health
The impact of mindfulness training on Police Officer has been scientific monitored.
Stress and repeated traumatic exposure have similar effects in the brain as experiencing a traumatic event launching PTSD. They contribute to elevate rates of mental illness and suicide in policing and violent and aggressive police officer’s behaviour that impacts the community they serve. Daily exposure to direct and vicarious trauma, organizational stressors and police-community tension contribute to elevate rates of post-traumatic stress, depression, alcoholism, and suicide in police officers. The fatigue and burnout and absence of effective emotion regulatory strategies in the law enforcement contribute to aggressive and discriminatory policing practices, leading to distrust and anger toward the police.
Prolonged activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis that is the precursor of the stress response, what triggers the Sympathetic Nervous System and excessive cortisol release contribute to dysregulation of the biological systems influenced by cortisol. Among other deleterious consequences, prolonged HPA axis activation lessens cortisol’s ability to suppress inflammatory responses. Elevated inflammation is consequently associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome
Mindfulness Training to Reduce Stress and Improving First Responders’ Mental Health
Mindfulness training may reduce stress and aggression and improve Police Officers’ mental health. This leads also to changes in biological outcomes and lasting benefits, as the study described below has shown.
A group of Doctors conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 114 Police Officers from three Midwestern U.S. law enforcement agencies. Doctors assessed stress-related physical and mental health symptoms, blood-based inflammatory markers, and hair and salivary cortisol. The study is available to read on the Frontiers in Psychology website.
The 114 police officers participated to an 8-week mindfulness intervention and the same assessments were repeated post-intervention and at 3-month follow-up. In summary, an 8-week mindfulness intervention for police officers led to improvements in distress, mental health, and sleep, and a lower cortisol awakening response. These benefits persisted at 3-month follow-up, suggesting that this training may buffer against the long-term consequences of chronic stress.
If you want to understand more about the benefits of the meditation in its wide aspect listen to our Khube Rinpoche’s interview
This is one of the reasons why F.R.Y. The Method includes the mindfulness training, as it is not the movement but the relationship with it that can be a game changer. Specific mental training and meditation are part of our program available anytime, anywhere at a push of a button on our F.R.Y. The APP. Download it on Google Play and Apple Store
Trust it, follow our directions for a better body-mind system, for that overall wellness you deserve.
This is a collection of F.R.Y. Canada Wednesday Wellness Wisdom posts about Yoga and Mental Wellness for First Responders. You can also see them on our Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn) in case you missed them.
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F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom
20211117 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom
How Yoga Helps Mental Wellness #1 – “Restraints”(Yamas) towards a compassionate life
Yoga is more than movement. People think “yoga” is bendy twisty poses. Poses are but one of EIGHT “limbs” of yoga that form the essence of how yoga increases mental wellness.
One limb is “Restraints”(Yamas) towards a compassionate life, meaning to hold to non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, and control of sexual energy.
Paying attention to these restraints can bring peace and calm within us.
Set a positive intention each morning for each of these restraints as a step on the road to mental wellness.
20211124 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom
How Yoga Helps Mental Wellness #2 – Habits or Observances for a Healthy and Happy Life (Niyama)
Remember, yoga is more than movement. Another of the 8 limbs of yoga is “Cultivating habits or observances for a healthy and happy life – Niyamas”: internal and external cleanliness, practicing contentment, self-control, feeding our mind with uplifting studies, and surrendering the ego.
Set goals and time for ourselves to nourish our minds. Pause and think of something everyday for which we are grateful. It can be as simple as that ideal parking spot, the warmth of the sun, or even that first sip of coffee.
20211201 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom
How Yoga Helps Mental Wellness #3 – Breathwork (Pranayama)
Breath is life. It affects our energy, and consequently our quality of life. A controlled breath calms an uprising of emotional energy that may occur in life. Are you a chest breather or a belly breather? As adults, we forget how to breathe. Watch a baby breathe. Their bellies rise and fall with each breath.
Deep abdominal breathing encourages a complete oxygen exchange: all of the outgoing carbon dioxide is traded for incoming oxygen. It slows the heart rate and manages blood pressure. Did you know that one of the reasons massages feel so good is because it causes old blood to flow out of the muscles, allowing fresh blood to flow in? When we belly breathe, the diaphragm naturally lowers into the abdominal organs. When inhaling, the diaphragm pushes on the spleen, pancreas, liver, and stomach, and these organs in turn push on all our other organs. When we exhale the pressure is then released, until the pattern repeats again. Whenever we practice deep abdominal breathing we give our organs a much needed massage, allowing them to be filled with the fresh blood supply to function their best, and increasing our overall wellness.
Practice abdominal breathing. Place a hand on your belly at your navel point. As you inhale, press the belly into your hand. As you exhale, pull the belly in towards your spine. Take care not to slouch as you exhale.
20211228 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom
How Yoga Helps Mental Wellness #4 – “Withdrawal from the senses (Pratyahara)”
We are often limited by our habits, tendencies, impulses and weaknesses. We let our senses over-influence ourselves, generating a reaction.
This yoga element suggests we acknowledge yet distance ourselves from the over-stimulation of the world around us.
How?
Pause and give time to relax the body and mind.
Try taking a few minutes to “talk” your body into relaxation. Maintain rhythmic abdominal breathing and repeat the following in your mind:
– “I relax my toes. I relax my toes. My toes are relaxed.”
– Repeat for all body parts: feet, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, buttocks, hips, abdomen, abdominal organs, low back, mid-back, upper back, chest, heart, shoulders, arms, elbows, hands, fingers, neck, mouth, eyes, and face
– Close with “I relax my mind. I relax my mind. My mind is relaxed.”
20220119 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom
How Yoga Helps Mental Wellness #5 – Concentration (Dharana)
Concentration (Dharana), another of the 8 limbs of yoga, or steady focus binds the mind to one place, idea or object. It calms the “busy-ness” of the mind and permits you to focus and be present. It overcomes the “monkey-mind”, where the mind swings from one thought to another as a monkey swings from tree to tree. As a First Responder you can see the benefit of a calm concentrating mind.
Practice calming the mind. Acknowledge each thought, image, memory that arises but take control by mentally placing it in a filing cabinet that will only open when you are done with focusing on the present situation.
20220209 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom for First Responders
Do you know what is one of the reasons F.R.Y. decided to help First Responders’ wellness out there and create this series of post on our socials called “F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom for First Responders”? The answer lies in the following excerpt of the statement from Stephen Conforti, executive director, financial planning division, city of Toronto:
“Workplace Safety and Insurance Board costs (WSIB cost), which were less than $16 million in 2010, are expected to hit $45 million in 2022, mostly due to provincial legislation around post-traumatic stress disorder claims for first responders, cancer claims for firefighters, and more recently, COVID-19 related claims, according to Stephen Conforti, executive director, financial planning division, city of Toronto.
The $45-million figure does not include claims at the city’s many boards, agencies and commissions, and does not include the cost of WSIB claims at Toronto Police Service, which are expected to hit $16 million in 2022. WSIB claims at police services were up 18 per cent in 2021 alone, after a one-year decline of seven per cent in 2020.
WSIB costs have also risen dramatically at Paramedic Services in Toronto, from $700,000 in 2010, to $2.3 million in 2016. WSIB costs are projected to hit $13.3 million in 2022.”
F.R.Y. co-founders’ vision to help First Responders’ Wellness
We, the F.R.Y. co-founders, had a vision about how to help First Responders’ wellness. We decided to share our experiences and knowledge for First Responders’ wellness. Those of you reading that are First Responders, you deserve to be at your best even when off duty.
F.R.Y. offers tools to First Responders for their body-mind wellness and resilience. Within F.R.Y. The Method First Responders can build up resilience, maintain the body strong and flexible. In addition with F.R.Y. The Method you educate the mind not to react and to be detached from all the stressors that come with that line of duty. Muscle strength exercise alone and all the training First Responders receive about using “the tools” they carry, is not enough anymore. That way of thinking about First Responders’ training must change; it is out of date.
Why F.R.Y. The Method delivered through The APP is of value
The ancient tools F.R.Y. offers for the mind-body wellness and resilience, are supported by many medical studies. Now more than ever First Responders need these mind-body tools and learning:
how to manage stress disorders;
how to shift from fight and flight mode to a more relaxed rest and digest mode;
how to breathe to get all the benefits from the natural breathing pattern;
how to strengthen the body but also develop flexibility to maintain pliability in our tissues and muscles;
how to relax, and
how to develop awareness and mindfulness.
All those tools make up F.R.Y. The Method.
How F.R.Y. can help First Responders’ wellbeing
F.R.Y. is a toolbox for First Responder mind-body wellness and resilience, designed by First Responders for First Responders, available through in-person/virtual sessions and employer/school-sponsored workshops.
trauma-informed functional movement (both energetic and passive)
meditation
F.R.Y. The APP the first tool for First Responders’ wellbeing
With F.R.Y. The APP the tools for injury-prevention, stress management, and physical/mental health are available to First Responders anytime, anywhere, immediately when needed at the push of a button, 24/7.
F.R.Y. The APP is the digital representation of our book, “F.R.Y. First Responders Yoga. The BOOK” on Amazon. Click here to read more about it an buy it
We are doing our best to share our experience for the benefits of The One who Serve. Do your part now! Take the first step to take care of your mind-body system.
Are you a First Responder interested in becoming a yoga teacher and leading the
F.R.Y.™ The Method classes to your colleagues?
Please CONTACT US to learn the process.
Are you a yoga teacher? Interested in licensing and teaching the F.R.Y.™ The Method
in your city?
Please CONTACT US.
We will also be hiring more educators to train and lead our specialized workshops.
We look forward to hearing from you.
To create a supportive community for First Responders and to share F.R.Y. The Method, an
equilibrium practice for a better life movement
To bring in one place, virtually and in person, a tool box for First Responders mind-body
wellness that compiles breathwork, trauma-informed functional yoga movement, meditation,
lifestyle and positive affirmation techniques all in one place, designed for First Responders by
First Responders, tailored to their needs.
