Strengthen your Mind, Feed your Body
Do you ever find yourself waking up from a long night, and your mind feels so cloudy that it affects the entirety of your day? SAME.
Some days, my bed would feel like the only safe place around. My mind would disconnect itself from my body, and the only plausible option for me to survive this day was to just stay in bed. Covered in my blankets, curtains closed, isolating myself from all responsibilities.
It was when I met this glorious woman named "yoga" that I finally came to the realization of my self-destructiveness. As most of us know, our minds can be the key to our effectiveness of our day. Rather than looking for options to realign my mind with my body, I would eat my way through depression, pinpoint my insecurities, and sulk in my sorrows. My self-destructiveness would take over me, and it seemed like an escape was impossible.
Until I finally started listening to what my mind and body were aching to tell me all a long.
About a year and a half from today, I stepped out of my comfort zone and started practicing yoga weekly. I put in the effort, focused mentally, and pushed myself to fully understand the benefits of yoga. While yoga can be used to improve flexibility, balance, and strength, it can also be used to align your inner being to a full calm state. Now, what does this mean?
Well, if you've ever been to a yoga class, you probably noticed how the practice is focused around the rhythm of your breath. Inhaling in through your nose, spine is straight, posture is aligned, and exhaling out through your lips- bringing awareness to your breath as it enters the body and leaves with intention. This is the base of many yoga classes taught today, and that is because breathing is such a privilege that we take advantage of. Without our breath, humans wouldn't exist. Just by focusing on your breath and giving your mind time to relax, your stress levels can dramatically decrease as well as an improvement with your attitude.
Below, I've listed some tips and benefits that can improve your mood and mind daily. (Don't worry, they are not hard!)
1. Lotus Pose - Breath Awareness
In this pose, your shoulders should be relaxed and your spine should be nice and elongated. Your palms can rest either beside you, in your lap, or on your knees. Close your eyes, and really focus on the sound of your breath. Feel your chest rise as you inhale, and sink in as you exhale. Give your self at least 3 minutes in this pose without your mind wandering onto another topic (it can be harder than it seems!) Once 3 minutes comes naturally to you, increase it to 5. Then 10, 20, and so forth. This will give you mind clarity, relaxation, and awareness to your mood.
2. Cat/Cow Pose - Spine Alignment
If you struggle with back issues/soreness, this pose is the one for you! Getting in table top pose (shoulders stacked on top of wrists, hips stacked on top of knees, with a straight flat back), try to slowly inhale through your nostrils while arching your back- making sure the shoulders are pushed away from the ears, the neck is elongated, and the hips are tucked out while the spine is rounding to the floor. With the next exhale, slowly round your back and shoulders towards the ceiling- tucking in your chin and your hips. Repeat these two poses as much as needed. This will warm up your spine for the day, stretching out those tight muscles in your back. Repetition will eventually strengthen those muscles, and back pain will slowly start to decrease.
3. Sun Salutations - Bodily Movement
This sequence can be used at any time and will revive the body back to it's normal energy state (I personally do this right when I wake up to make sure I don't slip right back in bed). Start out by being fully standing, with your palms facing forward. Slowly inhale your palms to the ceiling, making a large circle, and forward fold your palms to the floor as you exhale (feet still standing). Release your palms from the floor and grasp your elbows, making sure all of your upper body is relaxed and hanging from your legs. Sit in this position for a couple of breaths, and then slowly exhale your palms back down onto the floor (legs still standing). Move your feet backwards into a plank pose, exhaling as you slowly descend your body to the floor into chaturanga- once you reach your stomach to the floor, flatten your feet, and inhale your chest up into a cobra pose. Your shoulders should be relaxed and pushed away from your ears in cobra pose. Sending your hips back up to the ceiling while your palms are planted on the floor, walk your feet to your hands and slowly roll up your spine back to standing. Repeat this cycle as many as needed. After repeating, your body should feel nice and energized :)
4. Child's Pose - Relaxation
This is my all time favorite relaxing pose! This pose can be used to open up the hips, as well as refocus our breath to it's natural rhythm. In table top pose (on all fours), slowly angle your knees outward and push your body backwards- finding your upper body in between your two knees. Stretch your arms out in front of you as far as you feel comfortable, and place your forehead onto the floor. Give yourself multiple minutes in this pose, focusing on your breath and tuning in with relaxing your muscles and mind.
Repeating just one of these poses daily will increase your positivity, clear your mind, and return your body to healthy mental stability.
Through my journey, I've learned that yoga is so much more than a toning exercise- it gives us time to focus on ourselves (which we don't do often...)
Thank you to everyone who has read this far, and I hope these poses will guide you to a state of mental clarity. I am so happy to be able to share my love and story through yoga, and I love each and every one of you.
As always,
Stay Loving.
Stay Kind.
XOXO,
Hannah