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Enrich Family Time with Yoga

Snow Yoga – Shovel Snow with Yoga

Why the wise go veg with yoga

Go VegetarianWhen diet is wrong, medicine is of no use; when diet is correct, medicine is of no need

Sattvic food brings a lighter, positive, happy and harmonious state of being

Increase your energy levels with yoga and vegetarian diet You are what you eat. 

That’s the principle yogic approach which takes a holistic view of human health, on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels. The ancient treatise of Patanjali Yoga Sutra speaks of the concept of ‘Ahimsa‘ (non-violence), as one of the core values of yoga. The ethical discussion on non-vegetarianism, cruelty to animals, animal-to-man diseases, toxin secretion during slaughter, and lack of economics in meat production are undeniable truths. Apart from this the human body and its digestive system is naturally designed for a vegetarian diet. Today, the entire debate between vegetarian and non-vegetarian food is practically resting in favor of the former with research and statistics available in bookshops and on the internet. Simply stated, vegetarian food is easy to digest; contains antioxidants, fiber, an array of vitamins; low in calories, sugar, fat, and reduces your chances of getting diabetes, heart disease, obesity, hypertension and almost all cancers. Numerous sites including The American Dietetic Association, World Cancer Research Fund and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey contain a wealth of knowledge on this. If that doesn’t alarm you away from non-vegetarianism, let’s focus a bit on a fascinating aspect of yoga which speaks of food.

Better food makes better mood

Ayurveda classifies food not as proteins or carbohydrates etc. but according to its effect on the body and mind. It classifies food based on three qualities or gunas that governs human life – sattva, rajas and tamas.

• Tamasic food creates lethargy or sluggishness
  
• Rajasic food creates activity or restlessness
  
• Sattvic food, which consists of vegetarian fare, creates lightness, energy and positivity
  

These three qualities are present in our body in varying degree and have a direct influence on us, our moods, emotions and consequent health. There is an ancient Ayurvedic proverb which sums it up- “When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”

Go on the special Mood and Energy Enhancers Diet for the next 30-days

Just for the next 30-days, go on a special diet plan. Include only sattvic vegetarian food in your diet plans and let us know how you feel: examine your energy level, moods, emotions, and thoughts. We’d like to hear from you. For better experience, add 30-minutes of yoga too. Write to us at info@srisriyoga.in.

Scientifically speaking, we need food for two reasons: as fuel to produce energy to exist (prana or life energy) and as raw material to regenerate the body. Yoga says that our system is a seamless blend of the body, mind and spirit. An irregularity in the body affects the mind and unpleasantness in the mind manifests as an ailment in the body. It has been observed that the practice of yoga, accompanied with a sattvic diet, can truly create wonders. This is because when one does Yoga, pranayama (breathing techniques), and complements it with sattvic food, the prana levels in the body increase. This creates a lighter, positive, happy and harmonious state of being. In fact, many yoga practitioners have experienced that one of the major impacts of yoga is an increased awareness of their body and mind. This allows for their natural progression towards sattvic high-prana generating food choices. It is almost as though the body desires to return to its innate mechanism which is attuned to a vegetarian diet. The best encapsulation of this is by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of The Art of Living, who says, “When you become subtle in your mind and go deeper in your heart, you turn vegetarian naturally.” Another marvelous benefit of a daily dose of yoga , coupled with a vegetarian diet, is that it is one of the easiest ways to stay fit, look younger and get that glowing skin and hair. But it would be prudent to allow more celebrated vegetarian yogis to make that all-consuming point. 

(Written by Shatakshi Chowdhry with inputs from Kaushani Desai, Ayurvedic Cooking expert and Sejal Shah, National Coordinator for Sri Sri Yoga (India).)

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Are You Doing Yoga Nidra?

By Pritika Nair

It is interesting to see how yoga nidra, where we literally do ‘nothing’, can do wonders for the body and mind. I find yoga nidra as restorative as sleep, or even much more than sleep. It offers benefits that go deep down to the subtler levels of our personality. Let’s see how.

Yoga nidra can be better than sleep

Yoga nidra – my first understanding of this word was ‘sleep during yoga’. It was only after Sri Sri Yoga teacher, Dinesh Kashikar explained yoga nidra that I discovered it wasn’t yoga sleep. He said when you work with awareness (mind not wandering elsewhere), the work gets done better and faster. So true, I thought. He went on to explain that nidra means a relaxed state of mind but when we add awareness to it, it becomes yoga nidra. As we become aware of different parts of the body, relaxation is much more effective. But when we sleep, everything shuts down, including the awareness, and so relaxation remains incomplete somewhere. I reflected, how I would hit the bed every time I felt tired and worn out, yet feel lethargic and tired in the morning as though I hadn’t slept at all! When I started doing yoga nidra after my morning yoga postures, I felt relaxed like never before. My daily dose of yoga nidra not only charges up my body, but also calms my mind. I work better with a clear and focused mind.

Often emotional and mental patterns would continue from the previous day. But, as I experienced, these patterns erased after a yoga nidra session. It is as if someone pressed the refresh button. Following yoga nidra instructions, you can experience a state of absolute bliss too.

Vinitha Nishit, a DSN Course participant, echoes my thoughts when she shares, “On days I feel low and my mind is clouded with unnecessary negative thoughts, I lie down for a short yoga nidra and the change is very evident. I feel a lot lighter; my cluttered mind clears up. I think positively and the energy to work is tremendous.”

Experience deep relaxation in yoga nidra

Apart from its benefits off the yoga mat, yoga nidra works wonders on the mat too. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “It’s very important to include yoga nidra at the end of any asana sequence as the body and mind needs the time to assimilate the effects of the asanas.” Additionally, lying down in yoga nidra helps cool the body and restores it to normal temperature.

Sometimes after doing certain intense yoga postures, you might experience slight pain in the body because of muscle stretch. According to an article in the New York Times, whenever the body undergoes heavy physical activity, calcium ions leak into the muscle cells, causing the muscles to contract and feel tired. A similar thing happens after an active round of yoga poses. It is then important to lie down in yoga nidra for some time as yoga nidra allows the body to flush out these chemical deposits via the bloodstream and thereby help relax more and more.

Meditation is a ‘wow’ feeling with yoga nidra

As I follow up my yoga posture practice with pranayama and meditation, I realize the important role yoga nidra can play in preparing the body and mind to enter a meditative state. I remember struggling to meditate when I initially started, but yoga nidra made it easier.

As we take our attention to various parts of the body, we activate the nervous system which helps increase relaxation and enhances the meditation process.

The more you practice yoga nidra, the better it gets. You can also enhance your experience with simple yoga nidra tips.

Yoga nidra for me is like a ‘super nap’ that recharges me in no time. It is a complete rejuvenation package – a must to relieve ourselves of daily stress in today’s busy world.

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Living with awareness – Yoga for life with greater joy and productivity

Yoga and Creativity: Catch the wave!

By Marilyn Galan

Creativity is like the breaking waves at the ocean’s surf. The surfer waits for the right wave and when it materializes, the surfer latches on, riding its crest until the destination. When the big wave of creativity comes in with a rush of ideas, yoga can give you the skill to surf. Grab these yoga-inspired ideas like a surfer’s gear and get ready for your next big creative wave.

Start the day with yoga

Dawn marks a new day’s creation. Morning is a great time to start the day with a quiet hour of yoga and meditation. An effective morning yoga routine can end with a yoga breathing technique called the Sudarshan Kriya, taught by The Art of Living Foundation. Practicing Sudarshan Kriya has shown to reduce stress and calm anxiety over time, helping the mind relax naturally into creativity. After morning yoga practice, the day ahead is like a fresh canvas to paint on. At the end of your yoga session, take a journal with you and write down any creative ideas that come up.

Make your own creative yoga space

Yoga and creativity can meld together for an inspiring environment at work and home. To make your space for yoga ready, gather some recorded guided meditations, a favorite chair to sit on, a yoga mat, and some pillows. Now, to add creativity, place some art supplies or musical instruments near your yoga space. Allow yourself at least 15 minutes a day to write, draw or play music in your own “creative yoga corner”.

Forming friendships with creativity and meditation

To catch the biggest waves, a surfer has to learn how to dive into deep waters. When you are ready for more than surfing on the waves, dive into your creativity. Take the challenge to learn more about an interesting sport, or an old love of art. Join a workshop. Couple this with a meditation practice, and you can find yourself picking up new skills and possibly uncovering hidden talents you didn’t know you had. Here’s a tip: Sit for meditation just before your creative class, then start your creative work for best results.

Be inspired by nature

Sometimes in the afternoon, I find my creative well starts running dry. That means it’s time for a nature walk. There’s a walking path nearby that meanders into fields of dense brush – great for taking in deep breaths of air and creative ideas. When I get there, I find a favorite place to sit and watch nature. What flowers are growing there? What birds’ songs do I hear? At least ten to 15 minutes of observing nature revives up my mind with a fresh new creative start.

Meditate through the day

A surf rider’s day isn’t complete without a few memorable moments on the waves. In between each new wave is the silent, quiet wait. The surfer has a chance to gather energy and notice the surrounding scenery. In the middle of the day, a meditation works like the ebbing ocean wave. Your chattering mind gently drops back into its quiet source. When your mind feels overwhelmed and no creative thoughts are materializing, a 10-20 minute meditation can calm the mind so new ideas can naturally surface. Before lunch, or at the end of the day, meditation can help you feel rejuvenated and ready for your next creative task.

Finding your flow with yoga

The surfer grabs the ultimate wave. A tunnel of water spirals forward, almost threatening to circle around him. No problem – the surfer has found the flow and sails right through to the other side. A good flow of ideas is effortless like breathing. Here is one yoga breath exercise to help you find your flow. Sit quietly with eyes closed. Slowly, take a deep breath in. Breathe out slowly. As you breathe, notice the flow of your breath. Does it seem to shake, or is it slow and steady? Do you find that you stop in between to take a bigger gulp of air to complete the breath? Continue breathing slowly and deeply for ten breaths.

Now, take out your journal. On the page, write down a central theme and circle it. For the next few minutes, keep writing down any thoughts that come to you relating to your central theme. Circle each new word and draw a connecting line to the main word. When your mind comes to a natural stop, you have completed the exercise.

Yoga helps you do what you love

Practicing yoga, we gradually build more awareness about our own creativity. We can move toward doing more of what we love. Yoga and meditation help focus the mind. With a more focused, calm mind, we can move more directly toward what we really want, toward the deep yearning of the soul, kind of like the tunnel opening at the end of the ultimate wave.

(Marilyn is a yoga enthusiast who loves to incorporate her inspiration about yoga postures and spirituality into her writing and art.)

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Moving Beyond Asanas

Yoga and Pranayama

Yoga in Airplane: 5 In-flight Yoga Poses

Yoga for Back Pain

Does your back pain due to sitting or standing for long hours?  Do this simple yoga exercise anytime, anywhere and be free from back pain in just five minutes with All Direction Back Stretch!

How to do the All Direction Back Stretch?

You can comfortably practice this yoga exercise anywhere as a part of office yoga on your chair at the work desk, airplane yoga, in front of your television during a break or on the yoga mat.

Sit comfortably in Sukhasana (cross-legged pose). Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed. Most importantly, smile. If you prefer to practise these yoga postures while standing, keep your feet parallel.

Lengthening the spine

1. Breathing in, slowly lift your arms up from the sides.

2. Interlace your fingers so that the thumbs touch each other gently.

3. Stretch up as much as you comfortably can. Keep your elbows straight and ensure that your biceps touch your ears.

4. Hold this posture for 2-3 long deep breaths.

Tip to deepen the back stretch: Gently pull the navel (inwards) towards the spine.

Twisting the spine to right and left

Your fingers continue to remain interlaced above your head.

1. Breathing out, gently twist to the right side. Hold this position for 2-3 long breaths.

2. Inhale, come back to the center.

3. Exhale, turn to your left side and again hold this position for 2-3 long breaths.

4. Inhale and return to the center.

Bending the spine right and left

Your fingers continue to remain interlaced above your head.

1. Exhale and slightly bend to the right side. Hold and keep breathing.

2. Breathe in and come back to the center.

3. Exhale and bend a little to the left side. Ensure that you are not bending to the front or back, and that one hand is not stretched more than the other.

4. Breathing in, come back to the center.

5. Tip to deepen the back stretch: Engage your abdominal muscles during the stretch.

Bending the spine forward and backward

1. Breathing out, stretch your hands out to the front.

2. Breathe in and as you now breathe out, stretch forward from your lower back.

3. Breathe in and as you exhale, turn to your right side. Ensure that both the hands are parallel to each other and stretched equally, else gently correct the posture.

4. Breathing in, return to the center.

5. Exhale and repeat the stretch, turning to the left.

6. Return to the center as you breathe in, and slowly bring your arms up.

7. Unlock the fingers and stretch back.

8. Inhale and come back to the center. As you exhale, slowly bring your arms down from the sides.

How this back stretch helps? Gives a nice massage to the lower back.

Twisting the spine from side-to-side

1. Keep your left palm on your right knee. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, slowly twist to your right side. You may keep the right hand on the floor beside your right hip.

2. Stretch upward by pressing the right palm on the floor. Do not lean back or forward.

3. Inhale and return to the center.

4. Exhale and repeat the stretch on the left side. Keep your right palm on your left knee and left palm on the floor. Remember to keep your back straight and stretch tall.

5. Breathing in, return to the center.

6. Change your cross-legged position. If your right leg was placed over the left, now place the left leg over the right and repeat the stretch as explained above to the right and left sides.

Tip to deepen this stretch: Engage the abdominal muscles in addition to the hip muscles to twist further.

Benefits of All Direction Back Stretch

• Helps improve the body posture
• Strengthens the back and abdominal muscles
• Completely relaxes the tired back
• Good way to warm up the body before practicing other yoga postures
• Helps open up the lungs so that they can be used to their full capacity

Note: We strongly advise those suffering from slip disc to practice yoga postures to relieve backache only after consulting their doctor. Practice yoga postures at home after learning it under the guidance of a Sri Sri Yoga teacher.

Inputs by Dr. Sejal Shah, a Sri Sri Yoga teacher, the All Direction Back Stretch yoga exercise strengthens and stretches your back muscles in all possible directions, offering a complete workout for a healthy spine.  Additionally, this yoga exercise also works out the abdominal muscles.

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Yoga and Meditatio

Yoga and Meditation

Yoga and Meditation go together. Many wonder why it is necessary to meditate after practising Yoga asanas/ postures. One of the many benefits of practising yoga asanas/ postures is the fact that it allows us to slip into meditation effortlessly. Meditation being one of the main aspects of Yoga, it’s essential that we sit for meditation after practising Yoga asanas and pranayama; else it is like preparing our dinner but not eating it! In meditation one delves deep into the self. There are many kinds of meditations though they might seem different most of them are, in essence, the same. The Panchakosha and Hari Om meditations can be experienced in the Art of Living Courses.

Panchakosha Meditation

According to ancient Indian scriptures, we consist of five sheaths or koshas – body, breath, mind, intellect and finally bliss. In this meditation we are guided from the gross to the subtler aspects of our being, finally experiencing the joy and peace that’s inherent in everyone.

Hari Om Meditation

It is said that there are seven chakras/ centres of prana-flow (the flow of subtle life energy). In this meditation, we guide the prana to flow from one chakra to the other. Though very simple, the Hari Om meditation leads to a profound experience.

To know more about Meditation click here

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Yoga and Food

When diet is wrong medicine is of no use.
When diet is correct medicine is of no need.
~Ayurvedic Proverb

Yoga and food go together. ‘Isn’t it enough just to practice the Yoga asanas/ poses, do I have to regulate my food?’ wonder many. In itself, practicing Yoga asanas is one of the most beneficial regimes, but when complemented with the right food, it can really create wonders. In fact, eating the right food is an essential part of living a Yogic life.

What we eat, not only influences our physical well being, but also our emotions and thoughts. Yoga, does not dissect food into proteins, carbohydrates or fats, instead it classifies them according to the effect they have on the body and mind, into three types – satva, rajas and tamas. Tamasic food is the kind of food which makes us lethargic or sluggish, while Rajasic food is that which brings about activity or restlessness. Whereas, Sattvic food is the kind which makes you feel light, energetic and enthusiastic.

Not just the right kind of food, it is vital to eat the proper quantity of food at the right time. Overindulging leads to lethargy while under eating will not provide enough nourishment. Most of the times we know that our stomach is full but tempted by the taste buds we tend to indulge. The right amount of food cannot be quantified into cups or grams, when we listen to our body attentively we will know when exactly to stop!

We might eat the right kind of food in the right quantity but if we are irregular with our timings then the whole system goes for a toss and the natural rhythm of the body is hampered. Therefore it is of prime importance to eat food at the same time everyday and eat it at regular intervals.

It is said that the state of the mind of the person cooking/ eating also affects the food. The energy in the food cooked by someone while he/she was angry will definitely be lower than that of someone who cooked it with a feeling of love, contentment and gratitude. Listening to some soothing music or chanting while cooking and eating can help retain the Prana (life force energy) in the food.

Yoga also prescribes a more personalized diet according to the nature of our constitution. Food that might be favorable for someone might be harmful for a person of another constitution. It is best to consult an Ayurvedic physician to decide what kind of food is necessary for you and which should be avoided. It is definitely worthwhile to pay some attention to the food that we eat as the ancient Indian texts say that we are what we eat!

SATVIC FOOD

Sattvic foods are those which purify the body and calm the mind

Cooked food that is consumed within 3-4 hours can be considered sattvic

Examples – Fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, nuts, grains, fresh milk , certain spices 

RAJASIC FOOD .

They stimulate the body and mind into action. In excess, these foods can cause hyperactivity, restlessness, anger, irritability, and sleeplessness 

Overly tasty foods are Rajasic

Examples – Spicy food, onion, garlic, tea, coffee, fried food 

TAMASIC FOOD

Tamasic food are those which dull the mind and bring about inertia, confusion and disorientation

Stale or reheated food, oily or heavy food and food containing artificial preservatives fall under this category

Example – Non vegetarian diet, stale food, excessive intake of fats, oil, sugary food  

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9 Yoga Tips to Overcome Anxiety disorder

Stress, fear, anxiety – if we start counting all those instances in life when we experienced these emotions, we may just lose count! Anxiety about the result of a Board exam or the reaction of our parents to the report card; nervousness about the first date or a job interview – we all would have lived through these moments. A little bit of fear is normal; in fact, just like salt in the food, it is needed so that we remain disciplined, focused and dynamic.

The problem starts when this fear becomes persistent and so intimidating as to start interfering with our everyday life. Then it becomes an anxiety disorder, a state of excessive uneasiness, worry, or fear of the unknown, which needs to be treated, and this is where yoga can help.

It’s also good to know that yoga alone should not be considered as the only treatment option. It should complement proper medication after consultation with a doctor or specialist. The doctor would guide you on the condition better and help you understand the type of anxiety disorder you may have – Panic Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder, to name a few.

Note: Allopathic medicines may have side effects; you may consider alternate lines of treatment such as Homoeopathy and Ayurveda.

How to know if you have anxiety disorder?

• You feel unusually panicky, scared and uneasy.
• You tend to get uncontrolled, obsessive thoughts of past traumatic experiences.
• You wake up from frequent nightmares.
• You tend to repeatedly wash your hands.
• You have problems sleeping.
• Your hands and feet stay unusually sweaty.
• You get frequent palpitations.

How can yoga help get over anxiety?

Regular yoga practice can help you stay calm and relaxed in daily life and can also give you the strength to face events as they come without getting restless. Yoga practice ideally includes the complete package of asanas (body postures), pranayamas (breathing techniques), meditation, and the ancient yoga philosophy, all of which has helped several anxiety patients recover and face life with new positivity and strength.

Shares Sushama Goyal, homemaker, “I would always remain tense and worried about little things in life. Every small or big event would shake me up. My husband decided to consult a doctor who told us that I had generalized anxiety disorder. I underwent treatment for the same, along with regular practice of yoga and meditation for about six months. And today I feel I have got a new birth. My thinking has changed, I feel much settled from within, and I have faith that whatever will happen will be for the good. I’m not scared of the future anymore! Yoga gave me this strength.”

Like Sushama, even you can say hello to a positive, fear-free life with yoga. The following yoga techniques can help calm an unsettled mind.

#1: Move your body and relieve your mind of stress with asanas.

These yoga postures can help achieve a happy and healthy mind and body. Asanas help release tension and negativity from the system.

• Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
• Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
• Janu Shirsasana (One-Legged Forward Bend)
• Setubandhasana (Bridge Pose)
• Marjariasana (Cat Stretch)
• Paschimottanasana (Two-Legged Forward Bend)
• Hastapadasana (Standing Forward Bend)
• Adhomukha Shwanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
• Shirshasana (Headstand)
• Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

Note:At the end of the yoga posture session, lie down inYoga Nidra to give your mind and body a few minutes of through relaxation. The technique is helpful in flushing out body toxins, a primary cause of stress, from the system.

#2: Breathe right with pranayamas to relieve anxiety

Taking your attention to the breath can help free the mind of the unnecessary clutter of thoughts that breed anxiety. Try the following breathing practices:

Kapal Bhati Pranayama (Skull-Shining Breathing Technique)
Bhastrika Pranayama
Nadi Shodhan Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing) – effective in releasing stress from the system (where the exhalation is longer than the inhalation)
Bhramari Pranayama (Bee Breath)

#3: Meditate to enjoy the gift of a relaxed mind

Meditation can be an excellent technique to relax a distracted mind, give you a sense of calm and peace, and also observe with daily practice how your mind works to keep you involved in small, petty things around. It can also help you not worry too much or get anxious of the unknown future.

You might have often heard the term ‘adrenalin rush’. This happens when we get too anxious about a potential threat. For instance, while taking an adventure ride. At such a time, the level of adrenalin hormone goes higher, leading our heart to beat faster, making the muscles tense and our body sweat profusely. Scientific research has shown that regular meditation practice can help significantly reduce the level of this stress hormone.

#4: Apply yoga philosophy in your life; stay happy and enjoy every moment

Knowing and applying the ancient yoga knowledge in daily life, which talks about some simple yet profound principles (yamas and niyamas) of yoga, can be the secret to happy and healthy living. For instance, the Santosha principle (niyama) teaches the value of contentment. The Aprigraha principle can help us overcome greediness or the desire to keep possessing more, which can be a reason for stress and anxiety. Also, the Shaucha principle talks about cleanliness of the mind and body. This rule can particularly help if you tend to get too anxious about catching infectious diseases.

The yamas and niyamas of yoga will also help us eat nutritious food and live a healthy lifestyle which greatly helps to overcome anxiety and stress. To understand the yoga philosophy, you may consider reading Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Commentary on Patanjali Yoga Sutras.

#5: Pray, keep faith and smile!

Prayer is the best form of reassurance and support to keep you anxiety-free. Developing habits of daily prayer, chanting or singing bhajans (devotional songs) fill you with positive energy and also help still the mind. They also instill a sense of deep faith that all happens for the best and that there is a higher divine power that takes care. Moreover, make a conscious effort to smile more and more. It will instill confidence, calmness and positivity instantaneously. Try it out right now!

#6: Think about what you can do for others

When we constantly remain stuck in ‘me and mine’, it makes room for stress and anxiety. We keep worrying about what will happen to us. Rather, shift your attention to how you can be of some use to others around you. Energizing yourself with some service activity can give you deep satisfaction and immense joy.

#7: Know the impermanence of the world

When this realization sets in that everything around us is temporary and would change, we become relaxed and settled from within. A feeling of ‘this too shall pass and not remain forever’ arises in us and frees us from anxiety. Meditation can help us see this founding principle of life.

#8: Remember a similar past situation when you could overcome anxiety

This fills you with immense courage that you can pass even this situation. Keep reminding this to yourself often.

#9: Keep positive company around you

When you spend more time with positive-minded people, you are influenced by similar thoughts, which reflects in your overall attitude to life. Only a positive mind can breed joy, peace and relaxation.

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Benefits of Yoga

Yoga and Spirituality: Exploring the Connect

Yoga is a holistic package for happy living. It provides techniques to unite the body, mind and breath, and connect to the inner core of our being – the spiritual aspect of our lives.

Still yourself & shape up with yoga postures

Begin your inner journey now!

1. Get on to the yoga mat, your launch pad for a journey of inner discovery

2. Take your seat – making it steady and comfortable with yoga poses (no seat belt is required, when you are so stable!)

3. Breathe easy for takeoff – breathe in, breathe out and calm your mind with pranayamas

4. And just glide into meditation…

Ask yourself: Do trivial things easily throw you off balance? Are you confused? Is your mind in conflict?

The mind often oscillates between the past and future, causing worry and anticipation. Desires, fear, cravings, aversions grip the mind. To drop the conflicts in the mind, it is essential to bring the mind to the present moment.

Yoga cleanses the body and mind of accumulated stress and negative impressions. Pranayamas calm down the agitated mind. With regular practice of yoga poses, you will see that clarity dawns right away, body balance and flexibility improves, and makes you healthy, strong and alert.

Yoga & meditation maintains inner & outer harmony

What’s more – the balance, flexibility, alertness that you achieve on the yoga mat, reflects in your actions and attitude off the yoga mat too.

1. Learning to breathe through difficult postures can help you breathe through difficult times.

2. Stretching in the yoga poses to your limit without comparing with another, can lead to an attitude to do your best in a situation and let go. This attitude helps in overcoming stress.

3. Being physically flexible leads to mental flexibility. At the same time, being mentally flexible (for example: ‘I can do it’ attitude) leads to physical flexibility.

“The word yoga means skill – skill to live your life,
to manage your mind, to deal with your emotions,
to be with people, to be in love and not let that
love turn into hatred.” – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

How can we obtain this skill?

Spirituality gives inner strength

“For me, spirituality is all about living a happier life ‘in the moment’, responding to situations rather than reacting, de-programming and connecting with my Self to come with a fresh response to situations that repeat. Yoga and meditation give me just that!” shares Sylaja Kannan, an IT professional from Bangalore, India.

The practice of yoga and meditation prove to be a powerful combination and many enthusiasts like to round their yoga routine with a meditation. When the wobbling body becomes steadier and the disturbed mind becomes calmer, meditation can provide a deep sense of relaxation.

Spirituality gives inner strength to manage difficult situations and to keep smiling. Being established in the Self, your inner peace spreads outward, and makes you a more responsible human being full of caring, sharing and love.

In sleep you get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in your body. Meditation, yoga, and Sudarshan Kriya cleanses even the deepest layers of your consciousness, leaving you rested and refreshed.

Deepen your yoga practice and soar with your spirit

Do you find that you can smile in any situation? Do you recognize that something deep in you is non-changing? Deepen your yoga practice and experience the joy that you are.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “The truth about ourselves and our lives need to be updated. We need to revisit them and ask ourselves these questions again and again, ‘What do I want?’ ‘Am I doing the right thing?’ ‘Am I happy?’

Spirituality is not just some mumbo jumbo, sitting somewhere and doing something. It is revisiting the truth about ourselves…”

– Written by Daya Krishnan with inputs from Shriram Sarvotham, who has been a yoga enthusiast from a very young age.

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