A Comprehensive Guide on why Yoga should be a Habit and not just a Hobby
Turns out Yoga day has always been the key to the chest we’ve all been looking for. Imagine that guys! It’s amazing what this extraordinary piece of craft can help us achieve. It’s designed in a way that imitates nature at its finest, to work its magic on the different configurations that make us who we are. Yoga is more than just about finding our inner bliss, it’s a tool that helps us become one with who we truly are underneath all those layers of reality that we’ve built to keep ourselves shielded from the real world. But trust me guys, there’s so much more to the real world than meets the eye. It is that paradise constituting life as we’ve dreamt it to be.
Mental Health has become one of the biggest struggles that our era is challenged with, since mental stimulation is at an all time high. Throughout the day, we unknowingly end up consuming more content than we know what to do with. This is what drives our reality. What is real may not seem to be anymore, since reality is twisted by all that we consume and not by our actual creative prowess. Mental Health is as fickle as they come. If you look after it well, it can do wonders for you, and if you don’t, it can become your worst enemy.
Yogic Practises are the means to help us find stillness in a world of chaos, and a still mind is a sharp mind. It helps put focus on those things that really matter to us. In other words, it can also be considered as a gateway to finding our Ikigai (doing that which brings us joy and purpose). We’re all unique in our own quirky ways and that is the core of being human. Yoga is a journey into our deeper self which helps us realise our innate potential. Making peace with ourself and finding our flow : are the two biggest impacts brought to us by this practice.
As we age, we start to realise that a Healthy Lifestyle soon becomes a necessity and that prevention is better than cure. This thought is what gives rise to the idea of mindfulness. Being mindful of our habits, our actions and ourselves as a whole is our one way ticket to achieving bliss in its purest form. When we are in a meditative state, at that moment it feels like no worry in the world can stir up chaos in our mind. And this is exactly what yoga as well as its subsets have to offer.
Yoga, Meditation and Breathing exercises are like three peas in a pod. They work hand in glove to deliver the results that make it possible for the practice to bear its fruit.
Asanas or otherwise commonly known to us as poses are the cornerstone of this whole practice. Let me tell you guys, at first it seems intimidating, I mean, I was once a victim too, I won’t lie, but as days pass by, you’ll gradually begin to develop an affinity, so strong, you wouldn’t want to miss a single day of practice thereafter. Mine has been an on and off journey and my devotion to the practice became more absolute when my eyes were opened up to the truth of how life without yoga is.
Nicola Tesla once said, if we want to speak the language of the universe, three terms help us understand that : Energy, Frequency and Vibration. And our beloved yogic practices speak that very language.
In case you’ve ever dreamt about finding and harnessing your Inner chi at one point (featuring a film of the mighty and famous ‘kungfu panda’, in case y’all still remember?), well this is it. This is your holy grail. Energy flows through all of us and the majority of us aren’t aware of the potential it holds. These yogic practices help us tap into this stream of potential energy and channelise it to start working for us. Being aware of the rhythm of our breath is the first and foremost step. Breathing also known as prana (meaning life’s force) helps us build presence of mind, and is the essential ingredient to channelise this force into generating momentum. It is a mechanism that helps us accelerate the wheels of life, and the better we get at it the more expertise we gain on how to dodge the pot holes that the road of life puts in our way. In other words, it helps us gain clarity and rids the body of toxic and unwanted energy in order for it to be able to perform at its highest potential. Breathing being such a basic thing has been undermined for years and I think it’s high time we all realise its importance in our lives and give it the credit it deserves, don’t you feel?
The beauty of the art is that physical flexibility is neither the prerequisite nor the ultimate goal, meaning it’s been engineered for us all. If you feel at peace and in the present moment then you are practising yoga. Now let’s talk about impact : when it comes to doing its job, yoga is designed to improve flexibility, strengthen, and balance Mind & Body.
Meditation is a powerful technique which trains the mind to be attentive and maintain a state of continual awareness. This helps in achieving mental clarity and emotional calmness & stability. It is the backbone of the entire practice and mindfulness is its by-product. It also builds a sense of separation from our thoughts which helps us realise who we truly are underneath all those layers. Meditation has many forms :
Concentrative – focused attention, including breath meditation and visualizations;
Generative – developing qualities like loving, kindness and compassion;
Receptive – open monitoring;
Reflective – systematic investigation, contemplation
Some of the many benefits of yogic practises :
- Significantly improves our cellular functioning and regenerative capabilities.
- Helps create good chemicals in our body.
- Alleviates stress and anxiety.
- Enhances our physical performance, and thus our productivity.
- Improves immunity, which helps prevent diseases and increase longevity.
To put things into perspective, yogic practices help bring about a state of calmness & clarity and develop a sense of balanced energy flow, giving us not just the opportunity to discover ourselves but also tap into our innate abilities and potential as human beings. It equips us with all that we need to go through life’s journey and make the best of it. Falling into the bucket of spiritual practices, these exercises bring alignment to our mind-body-soul and is the key that gives us the power to operate on maximum capacity. It most certainly is an intense journey guys, but believe me it is worth the whole shebang. Thus it’s time we bring these ancient practices back into the limelight and give it the importance it deserves.
