In a time when our health is prioritized more than ever, it’s important to know how to best care for our bodies. Yoga is a holistic way to increase strength and resistance, which in turn can lower chronic pain and stress. At Celestial Yoga, I specifically help stressed-out caregivers, first responders, and health care workers. While this is my niche, I want it to be known to all that gentle yoga can have significant positive impacts on your overall wellbeing.
STRENGTH
According to Yoga International, “yoga is great for building stress resilience”. The beauty of yoga is that it can teach us so much about ourselves. The practice gives us time to look into how our minds work, what we’re feeling, and how to spiritually check-in. Think of it this way, if you get frustrated for faltering on the poses in practice, this is a thinking pattern that you likely carry in all areas of your life. Realizing this is a helpful first step. Imagine instead, Yoga International suggests, “what would happen if, instead of getting frustrated during your practice or stopping altogether, you embraced faltering and uncertainty?” When you step onto your mat, “examine how you respond to frustration and uncertainty,” and use this as a guide of managing strength. The more you practice yoga, the more you can practice your strength and response to stress.
You do not have to adopt a rigorous yoga routine in order to build up your strength. Weights are not the only way to burn a little fat and tone up. If you have noticed sore muscles after a yoga session, you did your body some good. Gentle yoga twice a week can be enough to start to reap the benefits and notice a difference in your body. Yoga is a way of thinking, feeling, and being. A regular yoga practice will reduce your risk of injury and better condition your body for daily physical activity like walking, lifting, and standing for prolonged periods of time.
RESILIENCE
A regular yoga routine will also increase endurance. This is from holding a pose for a longer period of time. Your muscles stretch and contract, increasing blood flow and flexibility in the muscles in joints, aka resilience. Resilience spreads to all levels of our life: emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual. It takes time, consistency, and practice to build resilience. According to Calm Moment, when you are resilient, you tend you “have a healthy attitude to setbacks and failure. Resilient people trust in their ability to regulate their emotions. This kind of resilience can be learned, but it takes practice and that’s where yoga” comes into play.
With practice, yoga can “enhance flexibility, balance, calm, optimism, and resilience”. The more grounded you become with your movements in practice, the more grounded your mind and emotions are for handling daily life. Regular practice of yoga can help encourage us to “act from a place of care and compassion for self and for others to ensure these potentially stressful and painful situations are met with grace and an open mind”. As you build upon your yoga practice, you will connect with yourself and the universe and build up resilience.
No matter what level you are at, gentle yoga is flexible enough for any person to attempt to practice. Take your time and be patient with yourself while you build strength over time. As always, reach out to learn more about how I can help.
Feel free to comment below. Would love to know what resonates most with you?
Have a beautiful day & Namaste,
Jen James
Celestial Yoga, LLC
www.celestialyoga.org
p.s. I help caregivers, first responders, and health care workers, manage chronic pain and stress through a holistic approach with gentle yoga exercises, mindfulness and self care techniques.
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