Cells GLOW in Yoga and Meditation-Afterglow

Yoga isn’t meant to keep us in a perfectly calm state every second. I definitely am not, although I have measurably gotten better. Certain poses, stronger flows, balance work, heat, backbends, or challenging breath practices can activate the sympathetic nervous system and creating flashes of lights in our cells, the part of us designed to mobilize, respond, and meet intensity. The ability to move from activation toward regulation is part of what the parasympathetic nervous system does.

Yesterday I went down a rabbit hole that had me come across a fancy word "biophotons". Biophotons are incredibly faint particles of light naturally emitted by living cells. Scientists usually refer to this as ultraweak photon emission. Some of these photons are produced during oxidative chemical reactions occurring naturally inside our cells. We can’t see this light with our eyes, but scientists can measure it with extremely sensitive equipment.

What fascinated me even more was learning that some small studies of meditation have found lower ultraweak photon emission during meditation or in experienced meditators. Say what. So our cells light up, but they get more dim with yoga! At first, that confused me. Shouldn’t meditation or yoga make us brighter? Yoga pop culture loves to tell us to "shine brighter", but biologically, not a great metaphor. More photon emission doesn’t necessarily mean more health, energy, or spiritual illumination. Some of this light appears to be associated with oxidative chemical activity. Not illumination and "shining bright".

So I asked chat if biophotons act like a lightning storm and when we practice yoga and meditate does it calm the storm to more of a steady glow? I need images to simplify things. It said YES! That is super fascinating to me.

Erratic behavior and thoughts cause flashing. Muscles bracing. Breath shortening. Heart racing. Our chemistry reacting. Our nervous system scanning and responding. Then we practice yoga. We move, breathe, challenge ourselves.

And then we recover.

The storm doesn’t necessarily disappear. It begins to organize. The flashes become quieter. The static settles. Instead of a lightning storm, we get a glow.

Maybe this gives us another way to think about the phrase “raising our vibration.”

Meditation and mindful movement can influence breathing, heart-rate variability, brain activity, stress responses, and nervous-system regulation. Raising our vibration with steady consistent practice is not necessarily becoming a brighter light, it's about being more clear.

Growth isn't louder or brighter, it's becoming steadier. More regulated, integrated, less reactive. So let our light be the one that remains present, consistent, and clear.

Perhaps being alive is supposed to have static, electricity, all sorts of weather. We have bodies, memories, fears, desires, emotions, nervous system. There is lightening because we get to be alive. The spiritual path is not about elimating that lightning or shining brighter, it could be that we are always glowing becuase we carry the divine glow from God, Source, Divine and that is magic. Like Helen Lowrie Marshall wrote in "Afterglow". " I'd like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done." The body leaves, but the love we gave keeps glowing.

Try This Before and After Your Yoga Practice

Here’s an experiment I want you to try. Before your yoga practice, pause for a moment and notice how you feel. Then ask yourself the same questions again about five minutes after savasana.

Rate each statement:

• 0 = Not at all

• 1 = A little

• 2 = Mostly

• 3 = Very much

  
  

• My breathing feels slow, easy, and spacious.

• I can comfortably breathe through my nose without feeling like I need more air.

• My exhale feels long and unforced.

• My jaw, tongue, shoulders, belly, and pelvic floor feel relaxed.

• My heartbeat feels calm rather than pounding or racing.

• I feel present inside my body rather than trapped inside my thoughts.

• My attention feels clear rather than scattered or hyper-alert.

• I feel safe enough to soften rather than constantly brace.

• I feel grounded and awake rather than numb, foggy, or checked out.

• I can tolerate stillness without immediately needing to move or escape it.

• After something physically challenging, my breath and heart rate recover fairly quickly.

• I feel more regulated now than I did before I began.

  
  

Your goal isn’t to get a perfect score. Look at the direction you moved.

For me, one question may capture all of this better than any number: Do I feel more like myself after my practice than I did before?

That may be one of the greatest lessons yoga gives us. Yoga isn’t necessarily teaching us never to enter a sympathetic state. Warrior III might create intensity. Chair Pose might make the heart pound. Holding Chaturanga or plank might produce a little internal lightning.

The practice is learning: I can experience intensity without becoming consumed by it. I can breathe. I can recover. I can soften. I can come home. Yoga isn’t asking us to eliminate the lightning. It is a practice of assimilation, teaching us how to observe the storm without becoming the storm. We are much more than the individual moment. Our emotions and experiences can move through us and become our identity. I can remain held by the Divine or God connection in steadiness and faith.

Weekly Schedule

• Monday: Gentle Flow with Alex - 9am to 10am (Sheila still in Texas with mom)

• Wednesday: Hatha Flow - 9am to 10am

• Friday: Hatha Flow - 9am to 10am

• Sunday: Gentle Flow with Alex - 9am to 10am

Yoga Sutra 3.6

"When the mind is concentrated, it can perceive the true nature of reality." This sutra points to the ability to access the steady inner light through focused meditation and concentration.

Love you all. Thanks for sitting with me.

Lo

Dates to Save:

Winter Slostice: December 21st at ShangriLa with Lo 6pm-8pm Tickets ON sale now

Lo's Seasonal Yoga Retreat: January 30th 9:00am-2pm Lover's Key State Park