The ancient wisdom that I have learned from practicing yoga has helped me on my self-improvement journey. Over the past several years post teacher training, I have continued to explore yoga history and philosophy and to try to incorporate what I have learned into my modern daily life.
Yoga is a practice, so this isn’t about being perfect or having judgement on yourself if you don’t get to where you want to be quickly. For me, it’s about building self-awareness and recognizing we all have a special something inside of us that’s uniquely ours to give back to the world.
Here are a few things I have taken away from my yoga practice:
Move Your Body
The physical act of yoga, asana, was originally designed to prepare the body to sit in meditation. In the 1900’s, yoga became much more physical as exercise became more popular in the world taking influences from gymnastics and martial arts. Yoga asana can help improve your sleep, strength, flexibility, mood, reduces depression, and even counteracts declines in memory and other cognitive skills. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends Neuromotor Exercise, like yoga, for 2-3 days a week or more for 20-30 minutes a day.
In our modern world, most of us stay in our head for most of the day constantly thinking of what’s next, or what hasn’t gotten done, etc. You get to reconnect with your body when you bring yourself to your mat. Here, you can show up for yourself with whatever that looks like today without judgement or competition. As you move through the sequence of poses, listen to what your body is craving. Staying present in your practice can be challenging but that’s part of what you can explore on your mat and take those insights off the mat when you need to stay present in your life. Which relates to my next thing I learned from yoga to help my self-development.
Increase Self-Awareness
Your mat is a microcosm for your life. At the beginning of most yoga practices, you start by tuning in. You notice how you are feeling at that moment and become aware of your breath. Is your breath shallow or full? Is there tension in your body? Maybe your jaw is clenched, or your shoulders are up by your ears without even realizing it until you take the time to notice without the distractions of the day. When you get into a challenging pose, what language do you use when you are talking to yourself. Is it kind, encouraging, judgmental, or harsh? The internal dialogue that you use for yourself on the mat is typically the same that you use off the mat in your life. And these words matter and can take a toll on your self-esteem.
As you become more self-aware, you may begin to recognize old stories and patterns. These stories and patterns stem from past experiences, how and where you were raised, your social groups, and even your ancestors. You can get trapped in these patterns of doubt, fear, and anger which may keep you from where you want to go and what you want to achieve. Through self-study and awareness, you can learn to recognize the behavior pattern that comes up and realize you can release it, or it may be beneficial and you want to keep it.
Be Content
The Sanskirt word for contentment, acceptance, and satisfaction is Santosha. The ethical principle of Santosha is an ongoing practice for me. Yoga continues to teach me that everything I need is inside of me. We look for approval in our jobs, our partners, and our friends to make us happy. Instead, you can use yoga to slow down and look to yourself to fulfill that need. Releasing the if/when scenario of happiness and success in life and instead finding enjoyment while working to achieve your goals.
Cultivate Gratitude
Cultivating gratitude for what you have right now helps you stay in contentment. When we don’t continue to seek more, we can appreciate what we have right now. This also helps you stay in the present moment with an open, curious mind. Living in appreciation and gratitude and not striving for a particular outcome in a situation or goal and allowing the moment to unfold, not as we think it should be, but just how it is. Studies have shown that gratitude is linked to better sleep, increased creativity, decreased entitlement, decreased hostility, and aggression, increased decision-making skills and decreased blood pressure.
Just Breathe
It is said that when you control and calm your breath, you calm the mind. The practice of Pranayama, the yogic practice of controlling energy through breath has been transformative for me. Your breathing can regulate your autonomic nervous system which regulates breathing, digestion, heart rate, and blood pressure. Unfortunately, most of us live too much in our Sympathetic Nervous System that controls the “fight, flight, or freeze” response in times of stress or danger. This can lead to insomnia, anxiety, tension, and muscle pain. I usually use pranayama to activate my Parasympathetic Nervous System (PSNS), or the “rest and digest” system that controls reproduction, digestion, growth and repairs, learning, and fighting disease.
Eliciting the PSNS relaxation response in your body can decrease the effects of stress by decreasing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and respiration rate. Research has shown that the relaxation response can lead to genomic changes that are positive in both the long and short term. Hypertension, anxiety, IBS, and cancer have shown to improve by regular activation of the PSNS.
It’s OK To Rest
I am Type A so allowing myself time to recharge and rest can be challenging but, just like anything you practice, it is becoming easier. This is going to look a little different for all of us. Meditation helped me realize that in stillness, even if it is brief, I can feel better than what I did before I started. Sometimes this looks like a very short round of slow deep breaths in silence with my eyes closed in the car before I walk in to teach a class. Or sometimes I am sitting on my meditation cushion, a candle is lit, soft music is playing, my eyes are closed, and it lasts for 20 minutes. Meditation is a single point of focus so for some that can be knitting, swimming laps in a pool, etc.
A word of caution with rest, be mindful that you aren’t using it to numb. You numb to avoid thoughts and feelings of pain and disappointment but also to avoid your secret hopes and happiness. You can do this by scrolling through your phone, watching tv, drinking, eating, exercising, and spiritual bypassing. Remember, increasing self-awareness asks you to explore your feelings with an open, curious mind and heart.
I hope that some of these things resonated with you and have made you more curious about exploring yoga as a practice. I would love for you to dive deeper into the blogs that are linked in this one.
If you are ready to reconnect with yourself, feel empowered, and release old patterns and stories that are no longer serving you, practice with me in my 21-day digital course, Release, Reconnect, & Renew.
Much love & health,
Carrie
