Don’t worry, this isn’t another Covid-19 article. I am not going to fill a filled cup.
Although, one of the trending things that came out from what seemed like a yearlong lockdown was Home Workouts. Thousands of home videos came out showing different types of workouts like Mat Pilates, no equipment workout, body weight workout and many others. I have seen people struggling with it but also just having fun with it. Some were enjoying it with the sunrise and morning breeze, making a fantastic start of day while some were doing family workouts. I, personally, am interested in Yoga.
Any form of physical activity was advised by the medical community to stay healthy, fit and improve immunity. Yoga turned out to be the most convenient form of exercise since it required zero equipment and could be done very easily at home. It provided an opportunity for people to do something to get away with their boredom and bring some tranquility in life. Many people shared their own yoga videos and their failed attempts at advanced postures.
One point that I observed was that practicing Yoga made people feel calmer and did wonders in calming the anxiety of the uncertainty which was very evident in the lockdown. So, what’s up with Yoga? And no, I am talking about hot yoga, goat yoga, beer yoga or Bikram yoga. I would like to talk about the traditional Indian Yogic practice.
Live quietly in the moment and see the beauty of all before you. The future will take care of itself...
― Paramahansa Yogananda
What is Yoga?
Before practicing anything, it is logical to understand the origin of what you are practicing and thereby confirming its authenticity. The start of Yoga can be traced back to BC era. Yup, its that old and it can be found in writings. It is nuanced and layered form of practice that brings your mind and body in harmony. The word yoga was derived from the Sanskrit word ‘yuj’ which means ‘to join’ or ‘to unite’. The union refers to the feeling of oneness of mind and the body.
One of the prime elements of yoga is to be able to control one’s own mind (or thoughts) and breath as this plays a vital role in how one expresses themselves through their physical body. For example, the traditional yoga is medium paced. This automatically slows your body down in this fast-paced 21st century.
That’s okay, but why should I do it?
With the practice of yoga, you get in tune with your body. It makes you aware of the little muscles that you didn’t know you had. The most important of yogic practice is alignment. When you lose your alignment, you lose control of your body and no one likes losing control. For example, while doing tree pose, if you are not standing properly, you lose balance and get hurt.
While coming in a posture, you naturally become aware of where your left foot is, in which direction is your chest facing. This improves your concentration power, mind control and obviously tones your physical body. Let’s take a very simple example. In a posture called Tadasana, you stand straight with equal weight on both legs. A simple posture of standing takes care of your mind control and muscle awareness as you have to persistently check where the weight is.
“It is through your body that you realize you are a spark of divinity.”
– B.K.S. Iyengar
Yoga takes care of the Mind-Body connection
During yoga, your attention turns inwards and this enhances your mind body connection. The mind body connection is mind influencing the body and the body influencing the mind. Although, this connection is experienced by everyone every day in trivial things, the practice of yoga improves this connection and makes you more aware of this connection.
However long may be your yoga practice, 30mins, 60mins or 90mins, in that time, you are completely present in the now. You have the opportunity to remove all sorts of thoughts from mind and entirely concentrate on the practice. In your yoga session, you become more aware of your thoughts, feelings and sensations and free them from the jail of your mind.
Side note- Yoga is no-noise full body workout, so don’t worry about neighbors complaining.
With Yoga, meditation or conscious breathwork comes complementary. Most of the meditation techniques are used to quieten the mind. It is to be able to bring peace in the mind in daily life also. For example- A meditation practice called Bramhari creates vibrations in face, head and the throat region. After doing this practice, you experience these vibrations in your mind. It brings immense clarity in your mind.
Researches have proved that yoga helps in stress reduction, against anxiety, depression and many health problems such as back pain and arthritis. It increases flexibility, muscle strength and tone and improved respiration, energy and vitality.
“Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory.”
– Sri Pattabhi Jois
Pick your flow
Yoga is a multi-disciplinary practice. By this I mean that, different people have different approaches towards the practice of yoga and meditation. Of course, this doesn’t mean that one is better than the other. Each school just has different focal point. For example, Hatha Yoga is the basic form of yoga and it focuses on the alignment of different postures whereas Yin yoga focuses on holding a posture for a considerable amount of time.
So, just try different schools and pick what connects with you. From the first session itself, you will feel minute changes in your mind and your body. Once you have tried multiple forms of yoga, you can mix up your own flow and practice that including meditation. The most important point is to keep practicing to sustain your well-being.
Hi! I am Mrunal Mohite, a dedicated psychologist working mental health since the past 3+ years. I've helped individuals and couples increase their self-awareness, improve their communication, and foster a deeper understanding of themselves and others. Hope to connect and meet with you
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