“Your body hears everything your mind says.”

This quote from American singer songwriter Naomi Judd follows the same idea put forward by author Caroline Myss, “Your biography becomes your biology…”

Every day we use expressions that reflect the mind/body connection and many are so commonplace that most of the time we don’t even realise what we are saying.

“I can feel it in my bones”, “bitten off more than I can chew”, “I feel the whole weight of the world on my shoulders”.

The root of these sayings are a thought that plays out in our body in obvious and imperceptible ways, changing our physiology and our anatomy. It is not until they become visible, painful or in some other way noticeable that we become aware of them but anything that presents physically follows a “dis-ease” process, long or short, prior to it showing up. You could say that physical symptoms are the tip of the ice burg.

Yoga and many other mind/body practices seek to restore “normal” biology – health. Some focus on the mind, others on the body. The method doesn’t matter, it’s what works for the individual at their particular stage in their life.

The Buttafly Effect, the unwinding of the spine that happens in supine, not only by-passes the mind but somehow seems to be reaching the parts other stretches, movements, mobilisations and practices are not. This was not anticipated or predicted but has been my experience in working with people directly after a session of Yoga, Feldenkrais, the Alexander Technique and Thai massage.

There is no research as yet to back up the anecdotal evidence but that does not negate the powerful responses.

Yoga teacher Rebecca wrote this week, just 24 hours after trying the Buttafly for the first time:

“I have already felt a difference in my lower back with no pain at the moment which is incredible!”

TillyLou James

Designer of the Buttafly