YOGA | MEDITATION | BREATHWORK
Yoga
As a certified yoga instructor, I can attest that yoga provides both instant gratification and lasting transformation. In the fitness world, both are extremely important. Yoga can change your physical and mental capacity quickly, while preparing the mind and body for long-term health. Most yoga studios and local gyms offer yoga classes that are open to all ages and fitness levels. Yoga is for all ages; whether you are ninety, forty or even thirteen, yoga can help you too. Yoga encourages overall health and wellness and is not just about working out; it’s about a healthy lifestyle. The practice of yoga allows students to find stillness in a world consumed with chaos. Peace and tranquility are achieved through focused training. Yoga’s deep breathing and meditation practices help relieve stress and declutter the mind, helping you to become more focused.
Yoga’s focus on strength and flexibility is of incredible benefit to your body. The postures are meant to strengthen your body from the inside out, so you don’t just look good, you feel good too. Each of the yoga poses is built to reinforce the muscles around the spine, the very center of your body, which is the core from which everything else operates. When the core is working properly, posture is improved, helping to alleviate back, shoulder and neck problems.
Adapted from the basic ashtanga yoga, power yoga requires increased energy, focus and strength. How does it help build muscle? Most poses are held for five full breaths versus the usual one to three breaths. Muscles are challenged as the mind and body have to work together simultaneously to hold a position without giving up. Breathing, posing, moving and increasing flexibility happen together at one time, which creates a mind and body connect.
Here's a list of some of the most beneficial aspects of power yoga:
It increases endurance, strength and flexibility.
Mental endurance and physical stamina are tested through holding postures for extended breaths.
Arm and shoulder strength are increased as you use your own body weight for resistance.
Lats, traps and other back muscles begin to support the spine better than before.
Abdominals and obliques are refined and toned through building core muscles.
Posture begins to correct itself over time.
Hip flexors are stretched and strengthened.
Glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves are strengthened.
Meditation
Meditation and Breathing (Pranayama in Yogic Tradition)
With the hectic pace and demands of modern life, many people feel stressed and over-worked. Our stress and tiredness make us unhappy, impatient and frustrated. We are often so busy we feel there is no time to stop and meditate. But meditation actually gives you more time by making your mind calmer and more focused. A simple ten or fifteen-minute breathing meditation as explained below can help you to overcome your stress and find some inner peace and balance.
Meditation can also help us to understand our own mind. We can learn how to transform our mind from negative to positive and from unhappy to happy. Overcoming negative thoughts and cultivating positive thoughts is the purpose of the transforming meditations found in the Buddhist tradition. This profound spiritual practice can be enjoyed throughout the day, not just while seated in meditation. We feel relaxed when we take slower and deeper breaths. Taking a moment to focus on your breath and practice deep breathing can help your mind and body feel calm and relaxed. Taking time out of your busy day to meditate and calm down can be extremely beneficial for managing stress and anxiety.
If you can slow down your mind and body long enough to realize that you are not in mortal danger, you will remain calm. One way to do this is by breathing deeply or using a mantra technique – a slogan or phrase often repeated. Relaxation lowers your pulse rate, respiration and blood pressure. When you combine different techniques such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, meditation and yoga, you can significantly lower your stress levels. You will also elevate your mood and improve your ability to focus.
Breathing Exercises
Belly Breath:
With one hand on your belly, relax your abdominal muscles, and slowly inhale through the nose, bringing air into the bottom of your lungs. You should feel your abdomen rise. Continue to inhale as your rib cage expands outward. At the peak of the inhalation, pause for a moment, then exhale gently from the top of your lungs to the bottom. At the end of the exhalation, contract your abdominal muscles slightly to push residual air out of the bottom of your lungs.
Ocean’s Breath:
Also known as Ujjayi, this will immediately soothe and settle your mind. Take an inhalation that is slightly deeper than normal. With your mouth closed, exhale through your nose while constricting your throat muscles. If you are doing this correctly, you should sound like waves on the ocean, feeling the outflow of air through your nasal passages.
Alternate Nostril Breathing:
Known as Balancing Breath or Nadi Shadhana in the yogic tradition, this will immediately help you feel calmer. Hold your right thumb over your right nostril and inhale deeply through your left nostril. At the peak of your inhalation, close off your left nostril with your fourth finger, lift your right thumb, and then exhale smoothly through your right nostril. After a full exhalation, inhale through the right nostril, closing it off with your right thumb at the peak of your inhalation. Lift your fourth finger and exhale.