Practicing Mindfulness Through Yoga

Yoga is a practice that I view to be very similar to meditation, even a form of it, because it allows us to become more aware of ourselves. However, yoga focuses more on the awareness of the physical and spiritual rather than the mental. Yoga helps us control our breaths as well as be mindful of our muscles, form, and any pains we may have.

Downward Dog

 

Origins of Yoga 

Though it is thought to be thousands of years older, yoga can be traced back to 5,00 years ago in India. The Indus-Sarasvati civilization first mentioned yoga in its sacred texts known as the Rig-Veda. Yoga was eventually taken up by various groups of people and became a sort of religious or spiritual thought that involved sacrifice and overcoming the ego. Centuries later, yoga masters began to incorporate ways to work the body to prolong life, believing that the means to achieve enlightenment were physical and rejecting much of the thought of the Veda. The physical-spiritual connection that is sought after eventually grew to become a more influential part of modern yoga practices (Yoga Basics).

Child’s Pose (My Favorite Relaxation Pose)

Practice in Life 

You may or may not be shocked to find out that it is totally unnecessary to spend a lot of money to take yoga lessons at a studio. This is why we have the internet. Many people get discouraged from taking up new practices to improve their bodies and minds because they think that they need to meet with a professional for guidance, which is certainly helpful but by no means a must. I bought a yoga mat at Target for about $5 and practice in my dorm room, and by the end I feel well-stretched and relaxed. If you’re not a broke college student like me, then there are usually options for studios in your town or nearby– Lila Yoga is a studio in State College on Beaver Ave. But, if you’re strapped for cash and want to become more aware of your body, YouTube tutorials are free, available, and often just as good as a real-life instructor.

Warrior I Pose

 

Some of the Basics

There are some basic components to remember throughout your entire yoga session, no matter what pose you are in. For one, focus on breathing. Take deep breaths and steady your breathing- it will help relax your muscles and calm your head even when the poses might be a bit difficult. Next is to find strength in your core. For many positions, you may find yourself putting too much strain on your wrists, ankles, or back. It is important to balance the forces of all your muscles to hold a pose, and I find I often tend to neglect my core, but actively working it helps to reduce the stress on one area of my body. Lastly, I recommend to to be mindful of elongating the spine.For certain poses, like the cat pose, elongating the spine is not the point of the stretch, but throughout much of the stretches it is important to keep the spine straight and the head forward. This helps with proper breathing technique and encourages good posture over slouching, which will lead to a more thorough stretch.

If you are interested in yoga, don’t be afraid to try it out! No one can do the poses perfectly the first few times and it’s definitely a skill that needs a lot of time to develop. However, don’t let this discourage you! What’s important about practicing yoga is that you are becoming more aware of your body and doing what you can physically to improve the spirit.

Corpse Pose (How I Always End a Session)

Sources

http://www.yogabasics.com/learn/history-of-yoga/

Must-Know Yoga Pose: Downward-Facing Dog

https://www.gaia.com/article/child-pose-balasana

https://www.artofliving.org/us-en/corpse-pose-shavasana

https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/why-we-practise-the-warrior-poses