Yoga is for your mind and body

When I trained to become a yoga teacher, I fell in love with how yoga made my mind and body feel and I truly understood the famous quote "Yoga is a journey of the self, through the self, to the self" The Bhagavad Gita.   

Yoga is a practice that offers a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Yoga is beneficial for everyone and it can be adapted to meet your physical needs. Yoga is a personal practice and has many benefits for your mind, body and soul. It can be healing and transformative as well as strengthening and lengthening your physical body. Yoga taught me to feel safe, present and comfortable in my own body and mind and in a noisy and chaotic world this is a superpower. 

Some days, I get on the mat and just do some light stretches, breathing and a meditation. Other days, I feel like pushing myself with challenging balancing poses and each practice is giving me what I need to get into balance and best of all there is no judgement. Yoga teaches us to move our bodies, create flow with our breath and still the mind. I love seeing my clients transform after a yoga and meditation practice and achieve a state of balance and flow. Below are some of the many benefits of yoga for your mind and body:  

Physical Benefits:

1. Flexibility: Regular yoga practice gradually increases flexibility by stretching and lengthening muscles. This is great if you sit at a desk, in a car or are guilty of spending too much time on digital devices, as yoga stretches out your muscles. 
2. Strength: Many yoga poses require you to support your body weight in different ways, which can help build and tone muscles throughout your body.
3. Balance and Coordination: Yoga poses often challenge your balance and coordination, helping to improve stability and spatial awareness.
4. Posture: Yoga encourages awareness of body alignment, leading to improved posture both on and off the mat.
5. Joint Health: Yoga's gentle movements and stretches can help maintain and improve joint health, reducing stiffness and promoting joint mobility.
6. Pain Relief: Yoga has been shown to alleviate chronic pain conditions, such as lower back pain, arthritis, and migraines, through improved body awareness and relaxation.

Mental and Emotional Benefits:

1. Stress Reduction: Yoga incorporates breathing techniques and mindfulness practices that can help reduce stress, promote relaxation, and lower cortisol levels.
2. Anxiety and Depression Relief: Yoga can have a positive impact on mental health by reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, enhancing mood, and promoting emotional well-being.
3. Mind-Body Connection: Yoga encourages you to connect with your body, fostering greater self-awareness and helping you stay present in the moment.
4. Mindfulness: Many aspects of yoga involve being fully present, which can enhance mindfulness and help manage racing thoughts and stress.
5. Calmness and Relaxation: Yoga's focus on deep breathing and relaxation can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, inducing a state of calmness and relaxation.

Other Benefits:

1. Improved Circulation: Yoga poses and movements can improve blood flow and circulation, contributing to cardiovascular health.
2. Better Sleep: Regular yoga practice has been associated with improved sleep quality and patterns.
3. Digestive Health: Certain yoga poses can stimulate digestion and alleviate digestive issues by massaging the internal organs.

It's important to remember that the benefits of yoga can vary from person to person. Whether you're seeking physical fitness, mental well-being, or a combination of both, a consistent yoga practice can contribute to a healthier and more balanced life, it has certainly changed my life and as a professional and a mum it really helps to keep me grounded, centred and present. Yoga can be adapted for most physical conditions however, consult with a yoga instructor or your doctor if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or concerns.

See you on the mat!