Yoga is as ancient as the Sanskrit language and it has been part of our culture for hundreds of years. To this day, people still recognise the power of Yoga and practise it with dedication.

Yoga practice creates mental clarity and calmness; increases body awareness; relaxes the mind; centres attention; sharpens concentration and many more. Maybe the only change you need right now is Yoga because it synchronises our body and mind in harmony and is powerful enough to change your perspective of living.

And maybe that’s all you need. So, let me present you with 6 points to add a yoga practice to your routine.

Our Wake up call.

I believe Nobody is an early riser unless they find their purpose for rising early in the morning. Yoga practice in peaceful hours of the morning is the most natural mean to commence your day. It doesn’t leave your body strained or exhausted rather it rejuvenate your spirit and energizes you, How? Yoga is mixes of warm-up, Intense flows, restorative flow including meditation. For instance, When I don’t have the energy to even move out of bed, I practice restorative yoga to heal my energy with fewer movements and to feel healthier.

If you are struggling with mental health, anxiety or peace of mind, practising yoga in the morning will reset your day and give it another start with a distinctive energy. You don’t need to push your body to the limit without any motivation because Yoga guides you to listen to your body. If you are feeling down, practice a flow to restore your energy; If you feel energetic, practice a powerful flow and try Yin Yoga for flexibility.

Mindfully listen to your body, what is it asking for?

Breathing.

‘There’s only one thing which stays with you from the day you were born and until you die -Your Breathing”. The ultimate truth yet most of us are still living without appreciating how important our breathing is.

In Yoga practise, we mindfully move with each inhales and exhales. Each breath in different postures feels different. No matter how challenging an asana is, with the right breathing technique, every pose is achievable with practice. Yoga makes you aware of your breathing pattern and teaches you how to control it. Moreover, the breathing technique is also an element of meditation.

Breathing not only serves you on the mat but off the mat as well because you carry the awareness of your breath everywhere, making you mindful and grounded.

The Art of Balancing.

Many of us including me, are quite clumsy and off-balance in life. Sometimes the reason is an object that we trip over, losing our balance and other times it’s due to circumstances leading to anxiety or tension. We tend to lose our mental balance when going through mental stress or a hard phase in life.

It’s essential to maintain a balance physically and mentally for a sound and healthy life. With yoga practice, you will build your balance with every posture and then holding that pose to maintain it for few seconds and believe me, it takes quite a lot of effort but you eventually gain more control of your movements and body. Off the mat, You will find yourself in a more balanced and sound mind of the state to make the right choice and decisions.

Body awareness.

Our willpower is very sensitive especially when it comes to food and to maintain a healthy lifestyle, we need to be selective in terms of our food. When we don’t bother about our intake, we often end up making bad choices.

It’s Important to be aware of your body and listen to it. Through yoga, you acquire mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice of focusing one’s mind at the present moment, with acceptance and without passing judgment, which helps us to make the decision consciously and inspire us naturally to pick healthy eating by keeping consequences in mind. When you find motivation from within, keeping a healthy diet becomes easy with regular practice yoga.

Flexibility.

If we don’t have sufficient body activity in our daily routine, our body can become stiff. It’s important to stretch our muscles to release any tension or tightness which result in better posture and easier movement throughout the day. Through various Yoga flow, your body will begin opening up by stretching every muscle of your body and releasing every stress, making your body quite flexible and powerful. Off the mat, Your physical performance will improve without tensing your muscles.

Besides who doesn’t want a flexible body?

Strength.

It’s true, Yoga doesn’t require any props. Our body is a prop itself in yoga. Be it Downward Dog, Warrior II or Chair pose, your body will be stretching, lifting and bending itself throughout practising which requires endurance and strength.

All your muscles and core strength will be challenged in yoga practice. At first, you might wobble or shake through posture because it takes time to increase strength and balance but with time, you’ll get better at holding postures and maintaining control. Your muscle strength will increase with time, making your body strong and firm.