7 Ways to use Yoga Instruction in Our Everyday Lives
By Diana Fletcher
I was happily listening to my yoga teacher's calm voice today as she gently instructed and led us through our class, and I had an insight. I could use her directions to live my life in a much calmer way!
I started listening more closely as I moved through my asanas, which felt so good after not having done yoga in a few months.
These were wonderful directions to help live in a stress-free way. I would like to share my thoughts and give you ideas how you can live your life in a "yoga" way!
1. Breathe. My instructor asked us to focus on our breathing. How often have I suggested to my clients and friends to stop and take a breath to relieve stress? Stop and make sure you breathe deeply into your lungs. Fill your lungs with the much-needed oxygen and fill your body with this life giving force.
2. Don't hunch up your shoulders. The way my teacher put it today, was "don't wear your shoulders as earrings." How often have we tensed and stayed tensed until our neck, back and shoulders ache?
3. Listen to your body. In yoga, your body will tell you if it can hold a pose and whether you can challenge it at that time. My instructor tells us to rest in child's pose if we need to. Throughout our own days, we need to listen to our own bodies. If you are tired, you need to hear your body tell you to rest. You need to learn to listen to hear whether you are truly hungry or thirsty. Your body will tell you what it needs.
4. Don't judge yourself by the other people in the class. Challenge yourself to live the best life you can, for you. Yoga is not a competition. Life doesn't need to be competitive. There is plenty for all of us and we all need to move and do things in our own way--a way that brings us fulfillment and happiness.
5. Each pose has a counter pose. When you work your body with backbends, you balance this out with a foreword bend. Here it is--the harmony we want in our lives. The balance between work and play, rest and activity, studying and experiencing.
6. Stretch. Feel your body extend itself. Do stretches throughout the day to loosen your muscles and keep your body flexible. Let's also stretch the mind toward learning and new ideas.
7. Try to do the balance poses, but realize that on some days we will not be as balanced as on other days. Sometimes, we can balance on one side better than on the other side. What if you cut yourself some slack on the days you didn't feel "balanced" and realize that you may have to take it slower or easier?
Let's use these ideas in our daily life and see if we can be a little calmer, a little gentler, and a little less stressed at the end of our "yoga day."
About the
author:
Certified Life Coach, author, and speaker Diana Fletcher is The Stress Reducing Expert. She is a master at helping her clients and students reduce their stress and live healthier, more balanced lives. For fun and easy ideas of how to improve your health and lower your stress level immediately, visit www.DianaFletcher.com and download "100 Healthy Things to Do in 15 Minutes," or register for one of Diana's free monthly teleseminars today.
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I wish you all the best on your yoga adventure!
To your health,
Thomas T :)
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