Life has its challenges, for each of us that looks different during the various stages of our lives. Yoga is more than exercise, it will help you balance your body and mind through returning to a deeper breath, movement, and meditation. Many people report that yoga has changed their lives from increasing mobility to finding calm in the chaos of life’s demands. A yoga practice is one that encompasses the mind, the body, the spirit, and the ability to be open to the emotional experiences that surface as we practice, both comforting and the uncomfortable.
Improving Your Health
Balance Body & Mind
It is important to practice regularly, at least twice per week to experience the benefits of practicing yoga.
Being Present
It is important to be present while practicing yoga, turn off your phones, forget about the things in your life that will distract you. Disconnect from the outside world and make space to reconnect with self. Kripalu Yoga teaches a technique called BRFWA:
- Breath to relax and connect with your body and with your movement
- Relax your muscles and release the tension held in your body
- Feel the sensations, emotions, and energy as practice or even when you rest
- Watch how you experience your practice without judgement, observe and feel
- Allow yourself to come to the mat as you are, allow yourself to feel and experience every moment
It is important that you are not consuming alcohol or drugs prior or during your yoga practice.
Finding Your Edge
The edge is the point where you are comfortable in a yoga position and feeling some tension as you stretch your muscles. You may feel a bit of discomfort but you will not be in pain. If you are in pain, then you are challenging your body beyond its limits. This is the time you listen to the wisdom of your body. While practicing yoga you want to breathe, stretch, and relax; yoga is meant to be calming. Ahimsa is a Yama meaning non-violence which is to be practiced on and off the mat. When you are practicing Ahimsa on the mat, you want to nurture not harm yourself. Yoga is a practice, by keeping up with your practice, you will notice a difference in your strength and mobility. Being patient with our bodies is the best gift to give oneself.
Nutrition
We all know we need to eat healthier, but it can be hard to change bad habits. Try to consciously change one or two things each week. A good start is replacing sugary drinks with water. Do you hate drinking water? Try adding slices of lemon, or other pieces of fruit and let it infuse overnight. Another trick is to add sliced cucumber and fresh mint, it is better than it sounds. What we put into our bodies is important to support our health. Reducing things such as sugar and trans fats are a good place to start. Another trick is to avoid the processed food aisles, stick to the other edges of the store for the refrigerated fresh food. Also, it is better for your digestive system to eat smaller amounts more often than one or two large meals. Be sure you do not practice yoga on a full stomach or just after eating, it may be uncomfortable for you during your practice. If you are hungry before class, have a healthy snack.