People have a pre-conceived notion about Yoga that it is only for Yogis or Yoga Gurus. In fact, people believe that Yoga is limited to just practicing asanas and here is where you have mistaken.
If you are one of those who think that Yoga is boring, slow or too demanding in terms of perfecting the arc of asanas, then you have got it all wrong. Yoga doesn’t demand you to spend hours practicing asanas or pranayama.
Yoga is not just about practicing asanas on the mat for 1 hour. The true meaning of living a yogic life is to imbibe the teachings and lessons of yoga in your daily life. The aim is to develop a perfect harmony between the mind, body and spirit and be in sync with the higher consciousness. Yoga means to live consciously where the philosophy of Yoga reflects in your behaviour and thoughts.
In fact, if you have a hectic lifestyle and you are struggling with a work-life balance, then Yoga can help you to lead a fulfilling, blissful and happy life. Here’s how you can make a daily yoga routine by following simple steps. Remember, Yoga is a way of life. It educates you to live life consciously by having healthy habits and thoughts.
1) Eat Light and Right
Are you one of those who skip meals or end up eating late owing to work or household chores? And because of this, you end up overeating or splurging on junk food. Then this is the first habit that you need to change and bring yoga into your life. Wondering how? Let us explain.
According to Hatha Yoga , the foo d that we consume should be fresh, light and pleasant to eat.
सुस्निग्धमधुरहारः चतुर्थांसाविवर्जितः भुज्यते सिवसम्पृत्यै मिटहारः सा ुक्याते
Mitahara (a moderate diet) is defined as consumption of sticky and sweet food, leaving one-fourth (of the stomach empty), eaten with the intention of pleasing (Lord) Siva (or any other deity of choice)
The Mitahara method says three things:
•Only half of the stomach should be consumed with solid food
•One-quarter of the stomach should be for water
•Remaining one-quarter should be left empty for the gases and air to freely move around
When it comes to food, always keep in mind two phrases – ‘We are what we eat’ and ‘We shouldn’t live to eat, but eat to live’. Try to follow this when it comes to forming eating habits. You will benefit a lot out of these ideologies.
We understand that making drastic changes could be difficult in the beginning. And ideally, you shouldn’t make extreme alterations in your routine as it could play havoc with your body. Take baby steps but be consistent in it.
Start by eating right and on time. Include fruits and vegetables (green leafy), legumes and nuts in your diet. Avoid junk, packaged, canned foods and opt for seasonal and fresh food. Also, when you sit to eat, be mindful and present. Say a small prayer of gratitude before you start eating and feel the difference.
Read More:A Morning Routine to Make You Fit.
2) Be Mindful
How many of you actually listen to people when they talk to you? How often are you completely with the person without letting your mind wander? The habits of being inattentive and absent from conversations is often a cause of dispute among people in relationships. This is where Yoga can help you to live in the present and focus on the now. Yoga is not just limited to practicing on the mat. It is leading a yogic life where we are kind, compassionate and attentive towards ourselves as well as others.
Yoga is about enjoying the present moment without thinking about the past or worrying about the future. Whether you are walking, running, working, eating, praying or conversing; learn to focus in the moment and make the most out of it. Live the present moment completely and be mindful of your thoughts and life.
Mindfullness brings a b alance in your life and you learn to deal with the highs and lows of life from an aware, conscious and controlled state of mind. You also learn to have an empathetic and accepting approach towards yourself and others.
3) Take Care of Your Body
Majority of the office goers work demands sitting in a chair for a very long period. This leads to weight gain as there is very limited movement or physical activity. Whatever one eats, it gets stored in the form of fats in the body, leading to various lifestyle disorders or diseases. This causes obesity, diabetes, PCOS, hypertension, thyroid and so on.
An unhealthy body leads to an unhealthy mind as there is more room and reasons for stress and imbalance. Yoga is the best approach as it enhances overall wellness by adopting a holistic approach. Yoga exercises and daily yoga asanas help in strengthening the body system, especially the endocrine system. Daily yoga practice prepares one to be better in their day-to-day work, adopt the right and positive thoughts and habits.
There are numerous advantages of Yoga asanas, which will work as the best treatment for your physiological and psychological illnesses. Yoga exercises improve physical strength and fitness and clean the internal organs of the body. It further helps in building a strong immunity that helps in fighting disease.
Additionally, Yoga brings balance and makes you more centered and relaxed. You can either have a morning or evening yoga routine where you start by practicing simple yoga asanas for daily life. This could be Parvatasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana, Paschimottanasana and many more.
4) Deep Breathing
Pranayama or breat hing is the core and essence of Yoga. One of the easiest ways to make Yoga a part of your life is by focusing on your breath. Yoga teaches us to breathe correctly, consciously and slowly. Pranayama is a very old method or practice which benefits a person a lot. Prana is energy and ayama is regulation.
Through breathing, one learns to be present in the moment and build a connection with themselves. Regular deep breathing helps you in maintaining a calm and balanced emotional and mental state. When stressed, one’s breath becomes erratic, fast, short and incomplete. This is a sign that the person’s mind is unsteady. Owing to stressful situations, one tends to become angry, irritated and frustrated, which is not good for the physical and mental state.
Hence, when a person regularly practices deep breathing, it creates a positive effect on the nervous system. Through breathing exercises, you learn to slow down your thoughts and relax your racing mind by living in the present.
One can start by practicing for just 1 or 2 minutes. Sit with your eyes closed in a quiet place with your hands on the lap, legs folded and focus on your breath and movement of your body. Feel the difference and state of your emotions after each exercise. You will feel fresh, relaxed, controlled and less-stressed.
5) Connect with Nature
While we are busy striving for more, we tend to forget to enjoy the little joys of life. Being happy is not that difficult as we make it. All one needs to do is look around themselves and you will find beauty in everything. Yoga teaches us to appreciate life and beauty all around us, including plants, animals, trees, humans.
When you are stressed or feeling low, go out for a walk and sit under the trees in a garden. Take it all in, experience the stillness, serenity and divinity of nature. Take some time out of a busy schedule and spend quality moments with an animal and feel the joy. Feed the animals if you can and see how it makes you feel from within.
Through Yoga, you learn to enjoy life as it comes, be appreciative and respectful of another life. It also helps you to form a connection with nature and absorb positivity in life while being grateful for all the blessings.
6) Spread Happiness
Knowingly or unknowingly, we fill our minds and hearts with anger, jealousy, hatred and negative feelings which make us hollow from within. When we start practicing yoga asanas, pranayama and learn to apply yogic teachings in our life, we learn to practice Maitri, Karuna, Mudita, and Upeksha (Friendliness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity) in our daily routines.
According to Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Chapter 1.33
(By Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra & Smt. Hansaji Yogendra)
Maitri karuna muditaopeksanam sukha dukha punyapunya visayanam bhavanatas cittaprasadanam
By Constant Feelingful Thinking of Friendliness, Compassion, Goodwill and Equanimity in Happiness and Misery, Virtue and Vice, Respectively The Chitta Becomes Pure
Your mind should be a home to positive and happy thoughts. And you should be able to give the same optimism and motivation to others at all times which is possible through daily yoga practice. Yoga brings an ease into life and gives you the strength to get through smoothly and effortlessly. You are in a happier and healthier state when you practice Yoga. Yoga makes you kind and believes in uplifting people to live the best versions.
Make a conscious effort to spread happiness and joy around you. If anyone tries to be negative, refrain from being a part of it. Remember the essence of your soul, which is happiness, peace, joy and positivity.
Must Know: How to stay motivated through your daily routine?
7) Begin your day with Yoga
We are aware that there are some who always complain that ‘we are too busy and we just can’t find time’. Well, the truth is, each one of us can find little time out of our day to take care of the beautiful life that we have been gifted with.
The moment you wake up and while you are sitting in your bed, chant a gratitude prayer and meditate for a few minutes. You can follow this by doing a few stretching exercises like Yashtikasana , Pavan` a Muktasana, Setu Bandhasana and Sukhsma Vyayama. The idea is not to be perfect but consistent in doing this. You need to form this as a habit.
When you start doing this on a regular basis, you will start noticing changes in your life. You will be more patient, happy and calm. You will feel energetic to perform the daily tasks of your life with a controlled emotional state and balanced mindset.
8) Seek a Yoga Guru
With today’s advanced technology and the rising demands of yoga, there are many options for acquiring knowledge about yoga. But the question is… Does it give you the right information? Is the source credible? It is crucial to gain knowledge about yoga philosophy and its asanas from the right guru and education centre.
The Yoga Institute is the oldest and government-recognized Yoga Centre which comes with 100+ years of experience and wisdom from the Yoga legends. You can visit our institute, check our website and enrol for a yoga course according to your requirements and interests.
Finding the right guru is no less than a blessing. It helps you on the path and journey to a wisdom-filled and blissful life. With teachings and guidance from Dr Hansa maa, you will be able to transform your life on all levels – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
One doesn’t have to be a Yogi to practice Yoga. You can practice yoga asanas and pranayama to lead a quality, healthy, happy and stress-free life. Once you begin practicing Yoga, you will realize that it comes with so many benefits and cures for each one of your problems. Start slow but be consistent in your practice. Learn to trust the process, go with the flow and enjoy every moment.
Check Out Our Course: 200 hrs TTC - 1 Month TTC Online & On Campus - English - Batch 1
Tags: Yoga Routine, Beginner yoga routine, Yoga practice, Yoga exercise, Yoga life, Pranayama, Breathing exercise.