Yoga & The Highly Sensitive Person

“Stop being so sensitive”

“You’re over-thinking”

“You need to toughen up”

“You’re far too fussy”

Deep thinkers, super feelers, sensers and all-round sensitive souls… We all know of these people, we may even be one, but are we supporting these members of our Yoga communities adequately?

The trait of High Sensitivity (or Sensory Processing Sensitivity) is a naturally occurring trait of neurodivergence found in roughly 15-20% of people and many other species too. Being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) involves taking in greater amounts of sensory information, processing that information more deeply, having increased emotional receptivity and empathy, and being more aware of small details in their environment. Despite there being many wonderful gifts that come along with High Sensitivity, the current culture generally does not value the trait and modern life can place a greater burden on those with this trait. As such many HSPs struggle with things such…