Take Your Yoga Life Style to the Next Level
Guest blog from Dana Brown
You already know the importance of yoga to your overall well-being. Yoga improves your strength, balance and flexibility. It can ease back pain and the discomfort of arthritis as well as strengthen your heart. When practiced regularly, yoga helps reduce stress, helps you sleep better and improves your mood, making you happier.
Below we share some ideas on how to take your yoga life style and practice to the next level.
Set Some Mini Time Goals
One of the best ways to stay motivated with your practice is by setting some simple goals. Aim for a set number of days you want to practice yoga every week or month. Or how long you’d like to practice each day.
Learn About Yoga and Your Body
The more you know about how yoga affects your body and how it acts on different muscle groups, it will be easier to focus on what you want to get from your yoga practice.
Yoga as a Holistic Practice
Keep in mind that no matter what your primary goal is, yoga is meant to be a holistic practice. Yoga is not a mere set of exercises. It goes beyond physical exercises and connects the body with thought processes. It seeks to build a lifestyle that values calmness, harmony, and positive thinking. So, if you’ve been engaged in yoga to lose weight, and the pounds aren’t coming off as quickly as you’d like, remember it’s not the only benefit you’re getting.
Fuel your body with the right nutrients. The Mayo Clinic advises eating whole, fresh, seasonal foods and locally grown foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Try growingyour own vegetables or herbs in a garden or container. It’s easy to consume your required number of nutrients by preparing a delicious smoothie. (Smoothies can be jam-packed with fruits, vegetables, and even chia seeds.)
Use Tech (wisely!)
YogiFi can help you learn new postures using Artificial Intelligence to track your motions and make suggestions to improve posture. Pair the mat with the YogiFi App to set your goals.
The Muse S headband has a variety of built-in sensors to gather information about your current state of being. And it uses a powerful mobile app that provides hundreds of guided meditations.
Nadi X is smart digital yoga pants with embedded sensors. They work with vibration and audio around the hips, knees, and ankles to help teach you yoga step by step.
Make Your Yoga Space More Inviting
Repaint the walls in your yoga space to make it more conducive to gentle exercise! According to Studio Growth, walls painted in hues of purple or violet help restore the unity between the creative, physical, emotional, inspirational, and intellectual realities.
Invest in “mood lighting.” You want your studio to be well-lit enough to keep an eye on how you’re doing your poses. Nevertheless dimming the lighting slightly can enhance your mood and your overall experience. The pink-white hue of a salt lamp elevates your yoga room’s decor, feeling closer to a yoga space than a spare bedroom or den.
Also maybe add some plants to provide a feeling of growth and life. Plants help to purify the air, which is beneficial for the deep breathing you incorporate into your poses.
And lighting some candles and essential oils also helps create the right mood for your practice – especially if you’re practicing a slower class like yin yoga.
Go on a Retreat
Combine holidays and yoga by going on a yoga retreat. It’s a great way to get away from it all while improving your yoga experience in a live setting with fellow practitioners. The benefits of going on a yoga retreat are being able to practice every day without distraction and deepening your practice.
You’re already doing great things for yourself by making yoga part of your life style, eating healthier, and taking a holistic approach to your health. Ttaking all of that to the next level can bring you even bigger and better benefits for your physical and mental well-being. You’ll soon be on your way to living your healthiest, happiest life.
Are you looking to start yoga (or pick up yoga where you left off) in a friendly, welcoming environment? Connect with us – we have a 7 day intro offer to get you started.