Yoga originates from Northern India over a thousand years ago. It’s an ancient holistic practice that focuses on breathing, strength and flexibility boosting mental, spiritual and physical well being. “Yoga means to connect to the spiritual through controlling the mind, body & senses."
Yoga is healing, it’s wholeness, it’s energetic and it’s peaceful. Life can get overwhelming and we can get stuck with negative habits and thought patterns. Yoga on the mat provides a space for me to breathe in and breathe out all negative energy shifting my mindset into a positive state. Even if it’s a quick 20 minute gentle yoga workout in the morning or after work.
Benefits
It’s a great way to relax the mind & calm the nervous system down. It’s easy to get caught up with our busy schedules but cultivating yoga into our weekly routines can prevent prolonged stress which can lead to burnout. Whether you have had a long day at work or lack sleep, a quick 15 minute yoga workout for your abs or posture can boost energy levels and leave you feeling energized and happy. Additionally, it's a great way to practice mindfulness. An article by verywellmind states “mindfulness helps to focus on the present moment, identify and regulate your emotions.” All you need is a yoga mat to practice anytime & anywhere.
Mental Health
Finding a calm space and cultivating inner awareness through yoga helps me heal the mind, body and spirit. Yoga can treat anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress disorder. Studies show movement- based yoga therapies, breathing practices and music were the most effective to improve anxiety and depressive symptoms. Personally, my yoga mat is a space where I can find inner peace, build strength and feel good. It’s a space where I can move my body and enjoy the flow of the practice. Somedays I like to practice in the morning and others in the evening to improve my mood.
Confidence & Self-Esteem
It’s easy for us to compare ourselves and suffer from body image issues.However, since the pandemic there has been a huge shift in the culture of inclusion where diversity is beauty. Where all body sizes are celebrated. Having said that, Yoga does help us feel good and comfortable in our own skin by allowing us to reconnect with ourselves - body, mind and emotions. More importantly, it allows us to shift our negative self-talk to positive thoughts. I try to practice yoga every other day as it helps me rewire my brain, love my body and cultivate self-love.
Performance & Memory
I find consistent practice of yoga - breathing, meditation & stretching can help rewire our brain. It helps improve focus, memory & concentration, emotional & impulse control, and be more in tune with our senses - sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, lastly we get better at making decisions. I feel I experience everything better after a good sweaty yoga practice. I used to get caught up in a spiral of negative thoughts and overthinking but yoga has helped me become more self-aware and change my thinking. By starting to practice yoga once or twice a week you can build better habits and increase productivity levels. The best part is it's fun and peaceful with the right instructors!
Guides
Alo Moves
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, the brand has their “At- home studio” that provides personalized class recommendations that fits your lifestyle, you can find it on their website, YouTube channel and app. They have world class instructors from diverse backgrounds and interests, over 20 styles of classes other than yoga such as HIIT, Core and daily recommendations that help you achieve your daily wellness goals. All the instructors are passionate about community building and inspiring others to live mindfully with gratitude and love.
Lululemon
A favorite brand of many that focuses on inclusivity, diversity and sustainability. Lululemon empowers people to improve well-being, productivity and fitness through living a healthy lifestyle -mind, body and soul. Its platform has online yoga classes by inspiring teachers. Classes include 20- minute practices such as Vinyasa Yoga, Restorative Yoga and Power Yoga to name a few. You can choose based on your preference to boost your mood and keep you feeling positive.
Yoga with Adriene
Adriene is an international yoga teacher, writer and actress who hosts free classes on her Youtube Channel called YogawithAdriene that provides resources to build confidence and feel calm. One of her top videos is the Feel Good Flow, a 20- minute yoga session for the abs where you can “check in with your breath, move your body, regulate your nervous system and strengthen your core”. The platform and app provides challenges and goal setting which helps us reach our full potential with the right tools and resources.
Yoga philosophy
We all want to live a balanced and peaceful life. The questions we should stop and ask ourselves: Am I happy? Why am I not fulfilled? What can I do to change that? How can I live a meaningful life? Yoga philosophy - four aims of life helps us feel satisfied and free.
Dharma is about responsibility. It's the right way of living and being active in life. We all have our skills and talents that we can use to serve ourselves, serve others and give our best everyday. Questions we can ask ourselves. What’s my purpose in life? How can I serve the world and community?
Artha is about material possession. To be content with what you own, it can be the roof over your head, your health, food on the table, family or internet access. Of Course each of us have different needs but fundamentally it's about asking ourselves “What do I see as truly valuable?”
Kama is the desire for pleasure, which drives all human behavior. It's what brings joy into our lives, it can be art, friends, love, intimacy, kindness, music or nature. A balanced amount of kama is good without overindulgence which can lead to greed. What brings you pleasure?
Moksha is freedom. Its achieving nirvana - a state of no suffering and reaching enlightenment where we realize our highest potential of creativity and self-realization.
I hope you enjoyed this guide!
