Science and yoga have roots in curiosity, which drives exploration and discovery in both fields. Scientific inquiry is based on wondering about the natural world. Scientists formulate hypotheses and conduct experiments to uncover new knowledge. The questions lead the way, and answers reveal themselves. A hypothesis might prove wrong, or an idea might be revised with further exploration.

Similarly, yoga encourages practitioners to cultivate a sense of curiosity regarding their bodies, minds, and spiritual experiences. One of my earliest meditation teachers used to tell stories of how we in yoga are scientists, exploring phenomena as practitioners test an experience. For example, the blue pearl (nila bindu) is where a tiny blue dot appears in one’s inner vision during deep states of meditation. It may be a neurological perception as the brain tries to visualize sensory information. Enough practitioners “see” the blue pearl to codify the experience. 

In my current PhD work on Contemporary Human Anatomy Education, I am studying visual rhetoric, or how what we see in atlases or visual representations impacts what we understand. I started exploring anatomy from my movement background and with a desire to uncover different ways of seeing and understanding. While studying dance/movement therapy for a master’s degree in Baltimore, I explored yoga practice. It always felt like home. Soon after that, I moved with my husband to NY, and I began to explore even deeper with the Yoga Teachers Association and the wealth of yoga studios in NYC. At the same time, in the early 2000s, I was also beginning to attend anatomy dissections, as my movement therapy clients and yoga students did not look like the anatomy books but had unique variations in their bodies that I wanted to understand. I studied with several excellent teachers and soon taught as faculty in dissection labs, more recently branching out independently. I kept studying yoga throughout and teaching in teacher training programs, learning as much as sharing my knowledge. I don’t think we are ever “done” in either yoga or science explorations. As part of YTA, I was a board member from 2005 to 2014, from member at large to vice president, and then shared the co-president role with my friend and colleague Sylvia Samilton-Baker, who is on the current board. Part of the joy of belonging to this association has been the exposure to so many excellent teachers and styles of practice that continue to inform my work.

Photo courtesy Handspring Publishing, The Myofascial System in Form and Movement.

Fascial anatomy delves into the interconnected network of fascia, a specific connective tissue that envelops and supports the muscles, bones, and organs throughout the body. This fascial system forms a continuous web that links various body parts, and plays a crucial role in movement, posture, and overall function. It enlightens us about the intricate design of our bodies and fascinates us through its interconnectedness.  Myofascial anatomy originates from the myo (muscle) and fascia, which are linked together in extended connection areas. This is similar to our understanding of yoga (yuj) as the joining or yoking of separate things. 

As I work more in this area of anatomy, I enjoy serving as a communicator between scientists and all of us, as well as between our students and clients who want to feel their best to do the things they enjoy in life. The work in labs and lectures has also connected me to the far corners of the world, including Italy, Germany, Brazil, and many more. Both science and yoga are not just about learning but about continuous learning. They value observations, experimentation, and reflection to gain insights. By embracing curiosity, practitioners in both domains continually push boundaries, challenge assumptions, and strive for a more comprehensive understanding of the world around and within them, inspiring and motivating them to stay engaged in the learning process.

Photo of Lauri Nemetz, courtesy Handspring Publishing, The Myofascial System in Form and Movement.

More on Lauri and her upcoming schedules at www.wellnessbridge.com and on FB under Lauri Nemetz and Instagram under wellnessbridge, the.myofascial.system and anatomy_bridge 

Lauri will have copies of her books (including The Myofascial System in Form and Movement) available at the workshop, at Amazon.com, or locally at Hudson Valley Books for Humanity.