5 Reasons to Channel Your Inner Zen and Start Practicing Yoga
I bet you've heard it all before... Yoga this, Zen that, live for the moment etc. etc. But, there is a method to this madness. There is a reason why it keeps being spoken about so much and so often. In a busy world full of to-do lists and smartphone addictions, it's easy to lose track of reality and forget to take care of ourselves and our minds. So, to counteract this frantic way of living, it would make sense to introduce something like Yoga, right? An exercise that nurtures our bodies and minds and ultimately brings home a permanent sense of serenity and peace.
We're going to make a bit of a statement now. We've decided, as a team, that Yoga is actually quite magical*. If you think we're being a bit far-fetched here, please read on as we reveal the 5 reasons that you should start practicing Yoga, along with the benefits that the exercise has had on our everyday lives and our outlook on health in general.
*(OK, maybe not magical... but pretty frickin' awesome).
1. It will improve your physical and mental strength
There are yoga poses out there to target just about every muscle you have. You build physical strength with the weight of your own body, so you can breathe easy knowing that you will be far, far away from those intimidating gym machines and weights. Find yourself being amazed at how quickly this type of weight training builds your body strength, and we can guarantee you'll be hooked with the feeling of accomplishment within a couple of weeks!
Mentally, the exercise strengthens the mind through meditation and breathing exercises, to promote mental strength, positivity and confidence. Medical research has even shown that those who practice yoga regularly experience decreased levels of stress, higher tolerance for pain, and a greater ability to cope with stressors. You will feel like your mind will be able to compete with King Kong, and although very fictional, it can never be a bad thing.
2. Your stress will be relieved
We all know that stress is quite bad for us - and a pretty tricky thing to alleviate. But, I have some good news... Yoga counteracts stress, and it starts with learning how to breathe. Learning to breathe may sound like quite a ridiculous thing, but breathing techniques in Yoga can give you the power to control your emotions in many situations, including moments of stress. You will be surprised at how you will subconsciously start using your newly found breathing techniques in everyday situations and when you start to eliminate all traces of stress in the body, suddenly you will find yourself opening up to how good life really is.
3. Your flexibility will increase
This is a bit of an obvious one, but the more you practice yoga the more flexible you will become. Most yoga postures include one of more spinal twists to loosen the many joints that make up your spine and not only will you feel super proud of yourself when you can reach back and touch your toes with ease, but the benefits on your body are pretty great aswell. If you need more convincing maybe Yogi Cameron Alborizan, yoga guru and healer, will persuade you, "Think of the body as a sponge filled with dirty sink water. Gentle twists help to wring the sponge out and purge toxins." Pretty gross, right? But Alborizan speaks the truth, Yoga not only increases your flexibility, but in doing it detoxifies your body and helps to flush out all of those nasty toxins.
4. Yoga will give you an hour of time for just you
If you think this sounds like a bit of a selfish statement, just take a while to really think about how much time you dedicate your day to disconnect from the rush of the everyday world and just 'be'? You are probably scuttling around completing your 'to do' lists, and then wonder at the end of the day where all your time has gone?
For an hour or so, Yoga lets you step on to a mat to breathe deeply into your body to either sort everything out or just let it all go. It's 60 minutes that will help make you a better person, mentally and physically. Your perspective shifts as you spend more time with yourself, and you'll realise that this is the only way to be.
5. Whatever you're feeling, you will feel better
You may initially try yoga just for exercise or because you've heard it will give you a nice butt, but as stated above, you'll almost immediately find out that yoga's benefits go far beyond the physical. Some people find a connection to the spiritual, but even if that's not your cup of chai, your mood will be elevated and you will feel so better.
