63. Amazing definitions of fascia for yoga teachers

This episode is amazing definitions of fascia for yoga teachers.

*But* the plural; definitions, is a little confusing right!? Well, there is still an element of confusion and an element of evolution of exactly what the terms fascia and the fascial system mean. 

That aside, this episode looks at definitions and explanations of fascia according to some extremely wise experts, and we briefly explore why these are important to bear in mind as yoga teachers. 

See the shownotes here 

There’s two very useful resources for diving deeper:

* Fascia and the Nervous System, yoga research session on The Base: catch it here - use code COMMUNITY for 25% off your first three months.

* Training: Myofascial release, energetic anatomy and yin yoga

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Transcript

Hello, and welcome to For Yoga Teachers. This podcast has been created to help yoga teachers teach with passion, avoid burnout and earn a fair living. We've had a brief foray into the world of fascia previously looking at the relationship between fascia and the nervous system, and thank you so much for all your kind comments about that episode. Um, yeah, it was full. Enlightening insight into why working with the fascia can have such a profound impact on reducing stress. 

Today, we're focusing on amazing definitions of fascia for yoga teachers. I know the plural definitions, might cause some confusion and really there is still an element of confusion and an element of evolution of exactly what the terms fascia and fascial system mean. 

As ever, we can only work with the knowledge and research that we currently have. And do believe that some incredibly clever and dedicated people are working incredibly hard to define what fascia is, and we'll just have to adapt if, and when that changes. 

Initially, this really frustrated me. 

I'd think like, surely it's pretty clear what fascia is. Like. Surely it's a tissue in the body and it can be studied, like you would do a muscle or a nerve or an organ. But well, firstly fascia looks totally different in a cadivar, in a person who has unfortunately died and donated their body to science. Anyway, anyway, this episode isn't a history of fashion. This is amazing definitions of fascia for yoga teachers. If you are interested in a bit more about the history of fascia, check out the workshop linked to in the show notes or go full beans and join our myofascial release, 

energetic anatomy and yin yoga training in March at Yoga Hero.

And let's get cracking. 

 Let's start with the closest thing that I can find to an official definition of fascia which is from the, now wait for this: 

the fascia nomenclature committee. They say a fascia indicates a sheath, a sheet, or any number of other dissectable aggregations of connective tissue that forms beneath the skin to attach enclose, separate muscles and other internal organs. The fascial system is a network of interacting, interrelated, interdependent tissues forming a complex whole, all collaborating to perform a movement. 

So now I'm starting to think. 

Well, isn't it interesting that fascia is escaping definition. We've got lots of bright, dedicated people using different words to try to help us how they see fascia. And that reminds me of yoga. We've got lots of wonderful people using their own translations of what yoga is in the broadest of terms and in the most specific of terms; trying to communicate to us what yoga is and what yoga means to them. Consciousness awareness, enlightenment, stilling of the mind I could go on and on. 

So let's take a look at some of the more exciting definitions of fascia starting with who I quite like to call the queen of fascia. Joanne Avison who in her book in the, what is fascia section, S it begins as one original piece embryologically. And continuously develops throughout our lives and our entire body form as a continuity. If the rest of us were to be removed, we'd remain recognizably us. With just our fascia forming a ghost of our entire body in its finest detail and fullness. 

 Isn't that amazing. With just our fascia forming a ghost of our entire body in its finest detail fullness. Now, if you immediately thought of the pranamaya kosha, as I was saying that while I don't think you'd be on your own there, because that's exactly what I thought too. 

And then over to my favorite name in all of anatomy. Dr. Jean-Claude Guimberteau 

Says that fascia is a structure that evolves hierarchically from a one cell embryo to the organism, and it is constantly adapting to new stresses to meet the organisms structural demands. Let's briefly recap here. We've got two fashion experts. Both referring to fascia as being something that's right there from the embryo and something that adapts over time. 

Joanne Avison goes on to say. 

Fascial anatomy, as a body wide ,architecture makes complete sense of the study of yoga in all its contemporary forms. 

It is a system that unifies the body upgrades our appreciation of movement and confers exactly the kind of wisdom and congruency we see in the philosophy of yoga from the postures to the ability to manage various physiological systems such as respiration and more refined practices of meditation and self-awareness. We will discover that fascia plays an intimate role in our living human sentient experience. I mean, wow. Did you expect to hear a fascia and sentient, in the same sentence? 

There's one more pretty amazing bit of food for thought here from Bernie Clark. Who likens piezoelectrictiy to chi, the energy of traditional Chinese medicine. And we could go a layer further to liken piezoelectrictiy to prana. So what, what, what am I going on about? Well, there is really quite a lot to unpack here, which of course we will do on our fascia and energetic anatomy training in March. But for now know that fascia has piezoelectrictiy properties. I E changing mechanical force into electrical energy. Bernie Clark talks about us being electric beings; having a force, an energy, throughout our system that can contribute to healing. So for now. I leave you with this question. What if piezoelectrictiy the name that science has given to our internal force, is one in the same as Prana, the name that yoga has given to our internal force. What if science and yoga, are saying the same thing albeit by using different words. Next time you practice, how about tapping into your prana? And open-mindedly considering that as an electrical charge, that's caused by the very movements that you're making through the fascia. Wowza. 

Isn't it absolutely mindblowing. And that's really just scratching the surface of what fascia is really. We haven't even mentioned the extracellular matrix, but we will soon so keep your eyes peeled. I really can't wait to get into this in much more detail and much more functional detail, in our training in March. 

So if you'd like more info, have a quick look at our show notes. And do tune in next week because we're going to have a look at fascia and emotions and that's likely to be a pretty wild ride. And yoga teacher. If you've enjoyed this episode, would you be so kind to share it with another yoga teacher? And until next time. Happy teaching.