I never thought about yoga as being anything more than people either sitting in deep meditation or turning themselves into pretzels. I elected to take a yoga class this semester because it seemed like a nice break from some of my other rigorous classes. I didn’t think I would enjoy the class much. I mean who wants to be turned into a pretzel? Or do weird ominous chants? To my surprise, yoga has been a tool to keep myself centered throughout the semester and here are 5 simple ways to incorporate yoga into your life.
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Stretch it out
After a day of running circles around campus, yoga is a great way to stretch and relax your body. Yoga enables your body to stretch in ways it normally wouldn’t. After sitting in a desk all day listening to lecture, after lecture, after lecture it’s fun to move in ways we normally wouldn’t. Sometimes the poses seem a little silly, but even doing the simplest stretches help the body relax after a long day of classes or work. Any muscles that were cramped and tired at the end now become rof the day can be easily relaxed and loose.
2. Take a deep breath
During the week my schedule is jammed packed between classes, homework, and organizations. Sometimes these things can get very overwhelming and all seem to pile on top of one another. Yoga has given me the time to take a step back from all of my daily problems and just breathe. I am able to let go of all my problems and just be in that moment. My problems seem to dissipate and become less important. I know I’ve had situations where I have been fixated on a problem. I let it fester and become so overwhelming that I just cannot get past it. Take a moment to just breathe, relax, and let go. By doing something as simple as breathing can help you see a situation from a brand new angle
3. Have Some Fun
It’s always nice to have something to look forward to during the week. That one thing that helps keep you focused and energized for the days ahead. Yoga can brighten your week because it allows your body to simply enjoy itself. It allows you to spend time other than sitting at a desk rigorously jotting down notes. For example, when I practice poses that are a little strange and unusual I can chuckle with my neighbor about how ridiculous we look. I enjoy spending my time practicing the different poses and it seems to brighten my week. I know I become less of a bear during the week and become a more enjoyable human being. We all need a little fun in our lives to help balance ourselves out.
4. Look Within
Looking within ourselves is a hard thing to do. It’s sometimes hard to find the balance within ourselves and keep ourselves up right. We sometimes let others push us around or keep things bottled up inside. We feel so lost in a situation because we’ve just been stuck in the same situation. Yoga gives me the opportunity to look within myself and reflect on the things around me. I am able to look at feelings or problems that I have been holding in and channel them into a different form. If I’m feeling anxious or nervous about an exam coming up in the week I can channel my feelings into some of the poses we do. By doing this it helps me relieve myself of those pent up feelings and relax. It also allows me to pick up pieces of myself that I had put down. I am able to rebuild strength that I thought I had lost and become stronger than I was before. It helps me push myself through the week and realize how small my problems actually are.
5. Know your limits:
People always say you know yourself better than anyone else. When practicing yoga you have to know what your boundaries are in order to avoid harming yourself. But sometimes we don’t push ourselves to our limits. I’ve always been a pretty introverted person, until you get to know me. I get shy and skittish in new situations and it’s always held me back from thoughts about doing new and exciting things. I would always find an excuse not to do something that I found particularly interesting or new. Since yoga I have started doing new things to find my limit and test my boundaries. I’ve opened myself up to new experiences and when offered new opportunities that fit in my schedule I take them. It’s helped me break out of my introverted shell and meet wonderfully new experiences.
I know I have become a different person than I was before I started yoga and wish to continue having yoga as a part of my life. It has helped me push my boundaries and open myself to different opportunities. Even if you don’t take a yoga class there are other ways to make yoga a part of your life. It can help you become a better you and open your eyes to new experiences. So will you swipe right and give yoga a shot?