32. Dylan Bernstein: Yoga Expert on Natural Techniques for Managing Mental Wellbeing

Are you looking to improve your mental health and overall sense of wellbeing? Focusing on deep breathing and gentle poses through the practice of yoga may help!

On The Shelly Story, we speak to people from a variety of backgrounds about diverse issues, most notably mental health, but we also love to dive into topics that might be considered outside the mainstream when it comes to managing mental wellness.

Today we will be discussing yoga as a mental health management tool. To help educate us and our audience, we have invited one of the practice’s preeminent voices, Dylan Bernstein. Nikhil and Dylan have quite a history, going back to their middle school days at Maumee Valley Country Day School in Toledo, Ohio in 1989. This is where Dylan was introduced to yoga and meditation when he was just 14 years old, from their favorite teacher Jenny Barthold. Since then, he has called upon these practices to engage the body, still the mind, and seek more subtle expressions of self.

He has gone on to teach classes, workshops, retreats, and teacher training in Hong Kong, Istanbul, Bali, and other locations worldwide.

While all physical exercise plays a role in improving your mental health, yoga is particularly helpful as it incorporates breathwork and meditation to help quiet the mind.

Tuning in today, you’ll learn more about Ashtanga yoga, the self-directed practice of Mysore, and some of the benefits of yoga and meditation for not only your physical health but your mental and emotional wellbeing too!

Ultimately, Dylan believes that yoga is for everyone, not just Instagram models in designer yoga pants or devout yogis who can twist themselves into seemingly impossible poses. It’s all about owning your health and doing what works for you, and we hope that this episode will inspire you to do just that.

Topics discussed in this episode:

The value of having a good teacher
Insight into Dylan’s yoga journey, which began when he was in high school
The surprising role Indian comic books played in inspiring his first trip to India
How Dylan learned to follow his bliss – as per Joseph Campbell
Why he believes that education is key to your personal foundation
How the pandemic influenced his practice and brought philosophy to the fore
Sacrifice, gratitude, practice, and detachment: what yoga means to Dylan
Breath and pose in the practice of Ashtanga
Why yoga is often misunderstood as a physical, acquisitive practice
An understanding of the self-directed approach of Mysore
Dylan’s thoughts on the commercialization of yoga
Going beyond the cookie-cutter solutions of medication and cognitive therapy
Benefits of yoga and meditation for your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing
How to start your yoga journey, starting with finding a good teacher!

You can stay up to date with Dylan by following him on Instagram and Facebook! You can also check out his website or reach out to him directly at dylanyo@gmail.com

Connect with Nikhil to learn more about The Shelly Story:

32. Dylan Bernstein: Yoga Expert on Natural Techniques for Managing Mental Wellbeing

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