By Natalia Vargas
As students rush around campus, stressed by their busy morning routines as they prepare for final exams, a room in the Wellness Center is an oasis of calm. People join in deep breathing guided by Erika Van Dyke, who – with a soft and relaxing voice – invites us to leave all our stress behind and join her yoga class.
This breath is the most important thing in the class. It is the beginning of personal work. As we inhale cold air into our tense and tired bodies, we can feel the buildup of heavy emotional burden and body fatigue. And as we inhale, it is as if the problems and worries we carry could not pass the door of the studio. We immediately begin to perceive the cozy and soft music in the environment and move from a hostile environment to a warm, personal workplace – i.e. “the mats” – where a healthy and more relaxed lifestyle begins. This is the place where the body and soul work together as if they could touch each other and tell each other all their discomforts.
Yoga is an ancient practice of Indian origin, which has multiple benefits and uses. Over time it has gained many followers worldwide and has acquired different variations. Yoga consists of the practice of “asanas,” which translate as the “balance between breathing, postures and mantras.” The emotional practice of patience and inner peace. According to Dr. M.L. Gharote, the founder of the Lonavla Yoga Institute in India, personality has five different aspects: physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual – and “they must work harmoniously with each other.” Such personality work is used as a basis in any type of yoga.
The most common form of yoga is Hatha, which consists of breathing and stretches called “14 Sun Salutation and their different variations.” Hatha is a basic style of yoga, ideal for any beginner, which has created the basis for different popular types of yoga practiced today.
Back in the Wellness Center, the practice begins. “A moment of self-care to pause, find balance and stretch,” says Van Dyke, an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Athletic Counseling at Springfield College. For the first exercise we plant ourselves firmly at the tip of the mat, recharging positive energy to start with the different asanas. Along with an inhalation, we gently direct our arms back toward the sky and leave our arms stretched upward as if we could sun for a moment. Following this we exhale, letting our arms and upper body fall as if bowing. This is known as the “Sun Salutation,” a vigorous and simple stretch loaded with energy that reactivates our spirit to continue with the different exercises during the session.
Van Dyke has a particular and special way of leading the class. The details and dedication that she gives to each of her classes make these sessions a unique experience. She slowly and calmly encourages each participant to take small risks in class, to try more complex variations than those currently practiced, to hold out for a few more seconds in difficult or uncomfortable positions, and to seek comfort in doing each of the poses. Thanks to these skills the class becomes both challenging and entertaining. On the other hand, her tone of voice and gentleness, when she is speaking, maintain an atmosphere of peace. That peace comes from years of practice.
Van Dyke has been an avid athlete all her life. She started participating in gymnastics at eight years old. Van Dyke grew up in California. Her parents were psychologists, so in their home conversations of emotional connection were encouraged and understanding was a fundamental value. Not only did it shape her perspectives, but it also sowed the seeds of passion for psychology as a powerful tool to understand and improve her life. Van Dyke was home-schooled and her mother was her only teacher through eighth grade. Being homeschooled allowed her to focus on competing with her club gymnastics team.
Because of this, when Van Dyke entered a difficult stage in her life, she used gymnastics as a tool to get a college scholarship and pursue her dreams of being a psychologist. She earned a scholarship to the University of California-Davis, where she became co-captain of the gymnastics team, received multiple All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors – including MPSF champion on balance beam – and tied the school record of 9.90.
She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from UC Davis, and then a Master of Science degree from Springfield College in 2015 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from West Virginia University in 2019. Achieving this goal has not only brought her much pride and joy. It has also given her valuable life experience that has made her the healthy person she is today.
In college, she realized that there were a lot of things that bothered her, stressed her out and made her feel overwhelmed. Her mental health was affected, and she wondered if it was what she really wanted to do and how she could achieve it without giving up the things she cared about, like teaching, whether in sports or pursuing her education. All of this was taking a toll on her.
The book “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” by Richard Carlson, which talks about the author’s life as an office worker and gives advice on how to change and approach routines in a stable way, had a big effect on Van Dyke’s perspective when she was young and helped her find strength during the period of change she was going through.
The stress of being on a team, being a good student and having some toxic friendships made her realize the importance of finding a fair balance in life. This allowed her to connect with herself, change her bad habits, learn to set limits where necessary and look for people to help her build this important part of her life in a more sustainable way. She learned to look for people who would complement her better in a constructive way.
“Yoga is a remedy to leave sadness behind. But also to leave happiness behind and transcend death.”
Finally, when she was working on her master’s degree, she decided to make the transition from gymnastics to yoga. Today, yoga has an important role in her life. Yoga is one of her experiences that, apart from being one of her current jobs, is a respite from the busy routine she manages daily that connects her with herself and has helped her find a healthier path.
This is also the case for Julia, a first-year grad student, who comes to Van Dyke’s class at least once a week. The first time she came to the class, she realized how challenging some yoga exercises could be. However, being an athletic person, she didn’t mind sweating a lot. She found the class to be a perfect way to regulate the stress of college, and her favorite part of the class is at the end, when people sit in silence with a view of the ceiling, simply relaxing and sharing a pleasant moment of yoga. This made her reflect on the importance of having breaks and appreciating the simple moments in life. This class makes it easier for her to start her day and see things from a more positive and active perspective.
Kelsey is also a fan of Van Dyke’s classes. Her first impression was that it was an extremely relaxing experience and she loved Van Dyke’s enthusiastic and calm way of leading her class which led her to continue practicing this discipline 2 to 3 times a week. She explained that when someone does something she loves and shares it, the details are clearly visible and make this class particularly addictive. The event invites anyone to find a small work routine since exercise could have a positive impact on the daily routines of each student just as it invites people to try the yoga experience at Springfield College.
I have been participating in this class since September, when I came with a friend. My first impression of yoga was all about flexibility. I had yoga in my undergraduate class that was more difficult and made me not motivated. Van Dyke’s class is not difficult so it catches my attention. However, I feel more relaxed after the class with Erika. I like her class.
Van Dyke tells us that it is important to recognize when one needs to have a break. Sometimes we are so trying on doing well and giving our best that we forget about what is best for our body and soul. We need space to breathe and remind ourselves of everything we are capable of, who we are and where we come from.
“It always seems hard until it’s done.”
This quote by Nelson Mandela is one of the phrases that Van Dyke uses as part of her personal philosophy, which is: “Let go of the small problems that are not really important and take us away from our true goals.” Van Dyke is interested in helping other people and giving her best in every project. However, she is also an inspiring person who seeks balance between mind, spirit and soul.
Photo courtesy of Springfield College