Awaken the Senses: Interesting Kanna Power in Yoga & Dance
Picture flowing through an easy yoga sequence or dancing without restriction every breath and movement flowing naturally, each and every muscle and heartbeat alive and responsive. Several who engage with mindful movement have begun to look at natural plant extracts such as Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) to determine if it can bring them a little bit closer to being present in their bodies. The question remains, does Kanna truly increase body awareness with yoga or dance practice, or is that just an illusion stemming from enhanced feelings of relaxation?
Kanna is an indigenous succulent plant from South Africa that has long been used traditionally by the Khoisan for centuries at times of contemplation, ritual, and bonding. Modernly, it's valued for its soothing effect on mood and concentration. The active ingredients of the plant like mesembrine influence serotonin pathways within the brain, which correlate with feelings of calm and harmony. This does not imply Kanna "creates" awareness itself, but rather that it can dissolve the mental static that so often steals our attention from what's happening in the body as it moves. When the mind quietens, sensitivity to finer sensations, a deeper breath expanding the ribs or shifting weight through your feet tends to clarify for itself.
In dance and yoga, body awareness is beyond physical coordination. It's an experience of total presence, where breath and movement dissolve into a single experience. Practitioners call it quiet listening for the body's messages listening for the hips to open, sensing the shoulders fall, finding balance through the soles of the feet. Kanna may assist this state by conveying a quiet, attentive attitude of mind. Some users report it as getting in tune, receptive, or just at peace with themselves inside their skin.
If your intention is to attempt using Kanna for your practice purposes, do it responsibly. Go for a quality source such as HealingHerbals. And begin with little and then notice what happens with your body. You'll need to do this at a quiet practice or other daily routine in which you can notice subtle changes without getting distracted. You can also try journaling beforehand and afterwards and note what happens with your attention, breathing, and ability for movement. Some leave such journal entries as useful as the practice itself.
No, though, Kanna isn't a consciousness booster or a substitute for consciousness that's developed with practice and discipline. Just a soothing companion a substance that can accompany mindfulness and have the body and mind move along each other that much better. The effects run the whole range, and a few feel more balanced or conscious and others just feel no different at all. The beauty of herbal use is in what happens on an individual basis and not that there will be a set result.
The body's sensitivity develops over time with regular practice, not shortcuts. But for a few, Kanna appears to bring a second layer of warmth or intensity to the practice a background stillness that allows movement to happen more organically. When used with respect, it can be incorporated as a conscious investigation of the ways that we use our own body with movement, breath, and stillness.
If you would love to advance your embodiment, try genuine, top-notch Kanna from HealingHerbals and determine whether it is effective with your dance or yoga practice in a helpful manner.
MORE ABOUT KANNA HERE:
Beyond Caffeine: Why Kanna and L-Theanine Create Smoother Energy
Kanna’s Secrets: How Introverts And Extroverts Experience It Differently
Kanna’s Secret Power: A New Lens On Music, Art & Social Energy