This is a great list I've culled from YogiApproved.com: 1. Anti-Aging Is yoga really anti-aging? Yes! A consistent yoga practice keeps the circulatory, endocrine, digestive and lymphatic systems healthy and functioning properly. Just a few minutes of yoga a day will enhance your overall wellness. Yoga helps to restore the parasympathetic system when the body goes into stress mode by slowing down our heart rate. 2. Self-Love The most important relationship students – and everyone – can have is with themselves. You are absolutely worth the extra time and effort it may take to feed your soul and be happy. Never forget you are a gift just by being you. Your time on your yoga mat is your opportunity to connect and learn to love yourself. 3. Pain Tolerance *This is why I fell in love with yoga, after a massive car wreck, physical therapy, etc. yoga was just what I needed to help with neck and shoulder pain. Yoga teaches you to move gently and lovingly to keep your body safe. 4. Better Sleep Having trouble sleeping? Yoga can help with that! If you practice restorative yoga close to bedtime, you will help calm the nervous system and prepare the mind and body for sleep. Legs Up the Wall is great for promoting better sleep. An energizing yoga practice such as vinyasa or Ashtanga Yoga can also help you sleep better at night, just make sure you've cooled down a couple hours before bed time. 5. Mindfulness Mindfulness is being present and paying attention to your daily activities. For example, we can practice mindfulness while we are walking just by listening to nature and feeling the wind on our face, or being mindful while eating by focusing on the texture and taste of our food. 6. Purpose Yoga is life changing, and some of us may have already experienced the shift in our thoughts and desires. What yoga also gives us is a sense of purpose – the desire to be the best version of ourselves and to make a difference in the world. 7. Intuition and Synchronicity Our bodies hold seven energy centers called chakras that run from the base of our spine to the top of our head. Practicing yoga helps the chakra energy flow with ease and allows us to clear any blockages in our body. Opening this energy flow allows you to feel subtle changes or shifts in your life. “Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.” – B.K.S Iyengar 8. Community and Relationships This is a wonderful benefit. Everyone who practices yoga has a story to share and wisdom to be heard. We all congregate as a community with no judgment, ego or competition and love every individual for being who they are. Yoga classes are where friendships are made and mentors are found. Yoga is a wonderful opportunity to meet new and like-minded individuals who share your keen interest in yoga and a positive lifestyle. 9. Compassion and an Open Heart Placing your hands in prayer near your heart emotes feelings of oneness and connection during your yoga practice. Heart-centered yoga comes from your soul, where gratitude and compassion can be felt on an intense level. 10. Inspiration and MotivationThere are many opportunities to find inspiration from yoga. Finding inspiration to live better, help others and be a better person are bonus byproducts of practicing yoga. If you’re a yoga teacher, you become motivated to inspire your students to find their inner strength and reach their full potential. Below is one of my favorite inspirational quotes: “This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.” -Dalai Lama
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AuthorI went to my first Yoga class after a pretty nasty car accident. Woke up hanging in a hospital bed encased in steel and straps like a cocooned caterpillar. It was yoga that helped me gain strength and balance after emerging from that cocoon. Archives
March 2017
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