I am at the beginning of my yoga journey – I really only started practicing regularly six months ago but from the very first moment I stepped foot into the yoga studio, I knew it would change my life. Although it seems like just a series of postures, the reality of yoga practice is much more than that.
The main thing that yoga has going for it above other types of exercise is that it creates a sense of flow that you can take into other areas of your life. Yoga creates a zen-like state in which you feel almost solely focused on the moment at hand, reducing negative head chatter and allowing difficult sensations to arise while feeling simultaneously at peace and in acceptance of these feelings.
This is exactly what you want to take off the mat. Life isn’t easy, and when difficult situations or emotions arise it is tough to stay focused on the ‘now’ because what you really want to do is escape the moment and either move towards comforting feelings or dwell on the negative ones. It’s easy to escape the present moment by looking back on the past, fearing the future or creating an instant diversion that protects you from having to experience what is happening right now.
Yoga is the practice of living in the present moment, despite difficulty and adversity. It is about acceptance when difficulties and challenges arise, yet not creating a drama out of these situations.
Here are three ways that you can infuse your life with bliss by practicing yoga both on and off the mat.
Maintain discipline and build self confidence through regular practice
I struggle with this at times – some weeks, I practice yoga very regularly and I do notice a difference in how I feel about, and experience, life during these times. Other weeks, I allow distractions to take over and I don’t take part in my practice as regularly as I should. The trick is to simply show up. Some days, you will feel more enthusiastic than others and more willing to stretch yourself. On other days, it may be that you need to step back a little and although you’re taking part in it, there’s no need to push yourself too hard when you’re feeling a bit more fragile. The more regularly you practice, the more discipline you will build and through this, promote higher levels of self confidence within yourself and what you can achieve.
Be kind to yourself and build self-awareness both on and off the mat
There’s moments when you can push yourself harder, and there’s others where you need to let yourself simply exist. This is true when practicing yoga, and also day-to-day. Life is full of ebbs and flows and by riding with these highs and lows, rather than pushing against them, you are able to diminish resistance or ‘fighting’ with life and allow yourself to be absorbed in the flow of it. The more that you become aware of how you are feeling on any given day, at any given moment and accept it, the less energy you will put towards riling against the present. This leaves room for you to breathe, grow and nurture yourself positively. When all of your energy is taken up by fighting against what is currently happening, there won’t be anything left to put towards the positive.
I have found this particularly important when I am pushing myself to achieve multiple outcomes, even when I’m tired and feel myself left with very little energy. Sometimes I can work through it and continue to tick off actions and create new things, but during other times I need to accept how I feel and take a step back. It’s an ongoing process of learning self-awareness. There’s so much to be said for positive thinking, but it’s also important to be realistic about what you can do while still taking care of yourself as a number one priority.
Use the strength that you build physically and mentally through yoga in life
Being well, fit and healthy is not just about exercising and eating well. It’s also important to build strength mentally and spiritually to support yourself in life. This is one of the biggest challenges I encountered when I was in my early twenties – I was physically fit and healthy but spiritually malnourished, and I didn’t know how to use my own strength to support myself fully. I still felt at the mercy of external influences, and it’s an ongoing process of learning that I continue to work through today. Practicing yoga helps you to encounter adversity in a healthier way through focus, discipline and self-awareness – or being kind to yourself.
Building physical strength and creating healthy habits is a key foundation for self-confidence and wellbeing. Supplementing this with a solid spiritual grounding and practice of self-awareness is the missing piece of the puzzle.
How do you take yoga on and off the mat?
