Yoga is way more than just getting fit. It is all about practicing a healthy lifestyle in a fast-paced world. Ideally, yoga goes beyond poses and exercises as it is a philosophy and a way of life that brings a balance to life, soothes, calms, and helps one become a better person.
It is not a work-out but a work-in. This spiritual practice aims at making us responsible, able to open our hearts and focus on our awareness Lord Buddha once quoted, “Meditation brings wisdom; lack of it leads to ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.” This is what Yoga is.
Here is how and why one can learn to balance both mind and yoga by practicing yoga:
1. Practice Meditation Regularly-Meditation is an excellent way to find balance within your body and mind. If you incorporate it into your daily routine, you will see a difference. Make sure your body is clean and fresh before beginning it. Remove all negative and unpleasant thoughts from your mind. Focus on yourself while practicing it. Meditation helps you to find your answers.
2. Better sleep- Stress and worries lead to anxiety and depression, which affects mental health. But besides physical benefits, yoga also provides mental benefits. You can relieve stress and tension by practicing yoga regularly. Above all, when you practice yoga, you can indeed feel lighter and sleep better.
3. Benefits of Asanas and Pranayamas-When you practice your asanas regularly, you keep your body healthy, prevent several health problems, manage the ailments you already have, and relieve pain. As for the pranayamas, they teach you to control your breathing, regulate your lungs’ airflow and expel toxins with every breath. Moreover, they teach you to check your negative thoughts and improve your focus and concentration. When combined, they create a sense of balance and strength.
4. Make conscious choices in life-With a balanced mind and body, one can keep their impulses in check and make better choices while considering the ethical impacts. One should, for instance, make wise purchases and avoid wastage in any way possible. It is also necessary to be considerate. One should be kind to the animals, plants, and people around them. It is important to make our planet a better place for everyone.
5. Beneficial for your relationships-Yoga teaches the philosophy of being honest and not harming anyone intentionally. Hence when you get into yoga, you can also get some benefits of philosophy. Above all, it helps in improving relationships.
Regular yoga practice helps to increase mobility in the muscles and joints, boosts your flexibility, and massage the internal organs. It activates the whole body. It is a holistic practice where the mind and the body get rejuvenated, leading to a higher level of functionality and an all-around happier, more balanced you.
Anjana is an experienced yoga tutor based in North Carolina who started her yoga journey with back and knee pain. Rather than treating the symptoms, she focused on this pain’s root cause. As a result, she looked for a solution to eliminating her pain at its source, and as everything else had failed, she tried yoga. She learned how to breathe, let go, and surrender what she could not control by practicing yoga. She shares this wisdom with her students.