A long-term yogi in northern B.C. has launched a new online course, “Yoga for Neurogenesis: Practices to Build Your Brain," and it might just be what people need right now.
Mandy Lawson, originally from Prince Rupert, moved to Vancouver Island at 21 to study psychology. She then became a certified yoga teacher in Costa Rica, where she worked in the field for 13 years before returning to B.C. in 2023 to share her teachings.
When Lawson attended university in 2006, her courses focused on cognitive neuroscience, brain development and social psychology. However, the idea that adult humans had the ability to generate new neurons was not widely known or accepted. The concept had been controversial for decades, but newer studies have established that neurogenesis can occur not only during fetal development and infancy but also through adulthood and in older individuals aged 79 to 99.
“What’s really interesting with neurogenesis is it's relatively new, and I think a lot of people don’t realize that. We hear jokes like, ‘Oh, I just killed my last brain cell’ and they don’t understand that we are continually growing new ones. There’s lots of ways that we can help grow more, and then help the ones that actually do grow to survive, because they can die really easily as well,” said Lawson.
How does neurogenesis happen, and why should we care about it?
“Neurogenesis is essential for brain health, healthy aging, and mental well-being at all stages of life,” said Lawson.
Creating and maintaining new brain cells is crucial for cognitive functions such as learning and memory.
It could help avoid neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington’s disease. Also, it may help with affective disorders such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Lawson explains that neurons are born in the hippocampus, which plays a central role in learning, memory, and emotional regulation.
However, this part of the brain is also highly vulnerable to stress, which can damage the hippocampus and subsequently hinder neurogenesis.
This is where yogic practices come into play, but to understand how, we must broaden our understanding of what yoga truly entails.
Yoga and neurogenesis
“I like to share practices that are accessible to people, whether or not they are interested in doing headstands and handstands and all the things that we often think that yoga is. It’s sort of portrayed in the media in the West as pretzel poses and all of these things, when really yoga is so much more than that. I like to share offerings that appeal to everyone and can help in their daily lives,” said Lawson.
Research shows humans can boost neurogenesis through regular exercise, immersing themselves in enriched environments and reducing stress.
Although exercise is an integral part of yoga, it is just one of the eight limbs of the tradition. These principles were likely written between the second century BCE and the fifth century, primarily by the sage Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. These texts have become a foundational aspect of the Indian yogic tradition and are widely studied in teacher training courses around the world.
The eight pillars consist of principles that guide both practice and personal development. The first, Yamas, encompasses moral and ethical considerations that dictate how you treat and engage with others. Key values in this category include non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, non-greediness, and the right use of your energy.
Next, Niyamas refers to internal duties and principles such as cleanliness, contentment, discipline, self-reflection, and surrender.
The third pillar, Asanas, is the most widely practiced, focusing on postures and yoga exercises promoting physical health.
Pranayama involves various breathing techniques and breath control to enhance the flow of vital energy.
Pratyahara is the next pillar, which entails withdrawing the mind and senses from external stimuli to foster inner concentration.
Dharana involves the practice of complete focused concentration of the mind on a single point, while Dhyana pertains to meditation, encouraging a state of calm and awareness.
Finally, Samadhi represents bliss, liberation, or enlightenment, the ultimate goal of the yoga journey.
While achieving these goals may seem daunting, Lawson is applying a spin-off model of the concept based on incorporating small, yoga-inspired habits. Her course examines what makes an environment “enriched,” identifies the most effective types of exercises, provides practical strategies for reducing stress, and offers guidance on consistently integrating these elements into one’s daily routine.
Achieving neurogenises
“I use an LMNNOP model, these are lifestyle factors that we can do in order to encourage new cell growth,” said Lawson.
L stands for Love, M is for Movement, N is for novelty, the other N is for nature, O is for omega-3, and P is for pause. This model is derived from the eight pillars of the Yoga Sutras.
“Yoga is thoughtfulness, kindness, understanding, and truth. It’s living from a place of love and joy, and remembering that when we slip and forget our own divine nature, we can always get back on track through practices that resonate with us,” Lawson added.
Love: “This represents love and compassion. How can we embody this daily to foster connections? Whether in romantic relationships, with our children, or even with a barista, making eye contact, smiling, and creating loving interactions can promote a great boost of hormones which can encourage that new cell growth. In today’s world, the idea of love has been heavily romanticized by the media, often distorting our understanding of what it truly means," she said.
In her course, Lawson explores love from a broader perspective and shares everyday practices to incorporate it into people’s lives. She links love to oxytocin, the brain’s best friend, and its role in neurogenesis, emphasizing how to improve social connections, intimacy, shared activities, and acts of kindness.
(Mandy Lawson practicing in Cabuya, Costa Rica. Photo: Casey Jones)
Movement: “Unfortunately, as we age, the hippocampus naturally loses volume at a rate of one to two per cent per year,” said Lawson.
Research indicates that engaging in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least three times a week, for an average of 40 minutes per session, slows the loss of hippocampal brain tissue and can increase its volume. A one-year aerobic exercise program led to a two per cent increase in the size of the hippocampus, effectively reversing what would typically be two years of age-related decline.
In this section of her class, she teaches how to incorporate practical aerobic exercises tailored to your needs, along with her videos doing ideal yoga styles such as vinyasa, power, and ashtanga for this purpose.
Nature: “It’s hypothesized that neurogenesis, aerobic exercise, and natural landscapes are intricately linked,” said Lawson.
Before the advent of farming and the availability of easily accessible food, humans walked or ran an average of 15 kilometres (9 miles) per day to hunt, gather, and explore. This constant movement often occurred in natural environments, contributing positively to their physical and mental well-being.
In contrast, urban living is associated with a significant increase in mental health disorders—up to 56 per cent higher than in rural environments. She offers tips on increasing sunlight intake, studying near nature, and bringing elements of nature indoors through photos and plants, among other items.
Novelty: involves creating environments rich in physical, social, and cognitive simulations. Lawson shares ways to stay visually engaged, learn new hobbies, and play games that can help reduce the risk of dementia. Additionally, she emphasizes the importance of consuming a varied diet and creating creative opportunities. She demonstrates how to incorporate dharana, or concentration, and adjust one’s routine to meet these needs without too much effort.
In her own life, Lawson creates fresh, engaging experiences for others. She serves as a board member of the Prince Rupert and District Métis Society and offers yoga classes to Métis citizens, with the society reimbursing most of the costs for attendees. She also instructs chair yoga lessons for senior citizens and observes that at least one new participant experiences it for the first time each week.
Omega-3: “When we take care of our body and mind through what we ingest, we are practicing Ahimsa (non-violence) towards ourselves,” said Lawson.
Essential fatty acids play a crucial role in brain development and neurogenesis. Specifically, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and may help slow the progression of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Lawson shares meal-planning recipes for those looking to incorporate these beneficial fats into their diet.
Pause: “Our modern lives typically bring loads of pressure, expectations and general busyness. When we pile on more activities that can amp up the sympathetic nervous system, it can add to the stress, and not allow a chance for a break. As we have seen previously, stress is the number one thing that prevents neurogenesis,” said Lawson.
“For a while there, we were really leaning into defining our worth by how busy we were. On social media we watched our friends do it all. Raise kids, cook amazing meals, plan elaborate parties, take sunny vacations, have perfect relationships etc., all while looking like they were aging in reverse. This was never the reality for anyone, however, this illusion can be pervasive,” she added.
Yoga’s Yamas and Niyamas include principles such as saucha (cleanliness), highlighting ways of cleansing one's thoughts, body, and environments. Aparigraha, or non-attachment, encourages us to set healthy boundaries and to let go of the idea that we need to do everything all the time.
“When you’re asked to bake something for the school bake sale, you can say no,” said Lawson.
She incorporates dharana and dhyana practices through mindfulness and meditation practices. Pranayams, or breathing techniques, are used to achieve calmness, alongside Restorative and Yin yoga styles, which are ideal for providing a pause. In Restorative yoga, the focus is on attaining deep relaxation without any stretching, whereas in Yin yoga, the emphasis is on deep stretching.
“What we do when we’re healthy is what helps our immune system get sick less often,” said Lawson.
“I know a lot of people feel like maybe they’re not in shape enough, or they don’t know enough about yoga, they’re not flexible, or even if they can’t get down on the floor, there’s a class that’ll work for everybody, and I promise you, you’ll feel better after,” she said.
