yoga dublin – Pure Health

What is Somatic Movement Education?

Bubbling in the Irish Yoga and Pilates circles is a new buzz word, Somatics. Over the last few years it’s popularity has grown as people discover the transformational benefits of this practice.

I guess many of you may have never heard of it before so I plan to give you some background to the practice, my own personal journey and some information about how it can benefit you. Somatic Movement Education comes from Dr. Thomas Hanna, a philosopher and movement educator who further developed the work of Moshe Feldenkrais. He designing his own system of body awareness based movements which are highly effective in relieving chronic pain & stress, improving bodily function and recovery from musculoskeletal conditions.

How I became interested?

Many people in our modern society experience some discomfort in their body which can linger unresolved for years. If you are like me you’ve “tried everything” to relieve your own pain. For me it was my shoulder, after flying head over heels off a bicycle in Australia I had pain in my right shoulder for 8 years! It would come and go, things like Yoga, massage and physio helped but the pain always came back and I could never really get to the bottom of what was causing the problem. That was until I discovered Somatics. After one workshop my shoulders felt light, spacious and pain free, like they were floating. I was a little confused, Somatics is such a gentle, effortless practice, I couldn’t understand how it had such a profound impact. My shoulders felt like new and I was hooked, I wanted more of that Somatics stuff. Several years later still fascinated by the practice, I now find myself teaching Somatics classes and workshops as a qualified Somatic Exercise Coach and continue my training to allow me to help more people individually on a one to one basis as a Clinical Somatic Educator.

How does it work?

A somatic movement, generally speaking, is one which is performed consciously with the intention of focusing on the internal experience of the movement rather than the external appearance or result of the movement. This holds the key to it’s success. Movements are performed slowly, focusing on quality rather than quantity. Working in this way allows the body and more importantly the human nervous system which controls our posture and movement, to learn new ways of moving. Thomas Hanna says “If you can sense it and feel it, you can change it.”. In order to regain stability and mobility, you must be able to sense, feel, and control yourself fully from within.The brain-to-muscle connection acts like a simple feedback loop: sensory (feeling) information goes into the brain and motor (movement) messages go out to the muscles. By sensing and moving we can reconnect the brain to the muscles, resetting muscle length, function and control. In Somatics Movement Education we call this technique pandiculation. Rather than using passive techniques for short term relief, Somatics changes the messages from your brain to allow your muscles to relax while also giving them the ability to engage and be strong when needed. The long term changes can greatly enhance your daily movements. The balance, coordination and proprioception skills learnt can improve other activities in your life such as walking, running, yoga, sports, the list goes on. Somatics may be just what you need to help you get back to your favorite activity or exercise regime this New Year.

How can it help?

Somatics is an educational process where you can learn the skills to self-heal your own body. The movements are gentle, therapeutic, and suitable for all ages and physical abilities.

Somatic Movement Education can help with a variety of issues including:

chronic back pain
neck and shoulder pain
sports related injuries
sciatica
herniated disks
whiplash
scoliosis
knee and foot pain
plantar fasciitis
tension headaches
tension caused by stress
disrupted sleep patterns
postural habits from long hours sitting at a desk or driving

Where you can learn more?

Following the success and positive feedback of our recent De-stress Somatics Workshop we plan to introduce a weekly Somatics class to our timetable at Pure Health this Spring. Keep an eye on our newsletter and timetable for more details on how you can book your place.

Deirdre Mullins

Yoga Practice Tips: Let’s Redefine Advanced Yoga

In 30 years of teaching, I can’t even begin to relate how many times I’ve heard people say that they can’t do yoga because they’re not flexible. Similarly, I wish I had a dollar for all the times I’ve heard a longtime student declare himself/herself to be “just” a beginner because in all these years he/she has never touched toes in a forward bend or done Upward Bow with straight arms. A few days ago I read a blog lamenting the yoga cultural emphasis on “advanced” poses and how all the social media photos of yoga practitioners in these poses is likely scaring people away from practice. This is probably true, and certainly a valid concern. But I want to take the discussion a step further and pose the question: “What is advanced yoga anyway?” Is “advanced yoga” the ability to slip easily into full Pigeon? Is it the ability to wedge your ankle behind your head? Is rocking arm balances on the beach advanced yoga?

The Anatomy of a Satisfying Side Stretch

Help even your stiffest students get the most from sidebends.

Sitting in a narrow, confined space, such as a plane seat, car seat, or office cubicle, can leave you feeling like you’ve been wearing a straitjacket or full-body cast. You may long for some twists and sidebends to loosen up your spine and torso. But while sitting sidebend stretches may feel great to experienced yoga practitioners and teachers, beginners and stiffer students may struggle to find any enjoyment in them—and they may in fact strain or injure their low backs in the attempt. As a teacher, your understanding of these poses and their benefits can help you motivate students to work appropriately on these asanas, avoid injury, and appreciate their benefits.

Sidebending poses include Parighasana (Gate Pose) and seated forward bends such as Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose) and Parivrtta Upavistha Konasana (Revolved Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend). In these positions, the torso bends sideways, which is also called lateral flexion. For example, in lateral flexion to the right (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana to the right), the left side of the torso stretches and lengthens, while the right side of the ribs and waist shorten. Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose) and Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose) aren’t true side-stretching poses because you’re working in them to keep length in both sides of the waist and ribs.

Side-stretching poses lengthen the muscles between the ribs and pelvis, including parts of the low back, and open the sides of the rib cage, improving rib cage mobility and the expansiveness of the lungs, which makes breathing easier in all situations, including aerobic activities and Pranayama. In sidebends where an arm stretches overhead to reach for the foot, the latissimus dorsi muscle, which extends from the back waist to the armpit, will also stretch.

The All-Important QL

One of the most important muscles stretched during a sidebend is the quadratus lumborum (QL). It sits deep in the back of the waist, attaching to the top of the back pelvis and running up to the lowest rib in the back. When it contracts, it pulls the bottom rib and the pelvis closer together. In standing, the left QL hikes the left pelvis and leg up away from the floor. When you do Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) to the right, it is the strength of the left QL contracting to support the weight of your torso (pulling the left ribs and pelvis toward each other, minimizing sidebending to the right and keeping length in the right waist). The QL can become short and stiff if you regularly spend long hours sitting in chairs, and it can become tight and painful, and even go into spasm, with lower-back and sacroiliac injuries.

In theory, it’s a good idea to regularly practice sidebends to keep the QL, latissimus dorsi, and rib cage supple and flexible. However, tight hamstrings and adductors (inner thigh muscles that pull the thighs together) can throw a wrench into this theory. That’s because these leg muscles attach to the sitting bone (ischial tuberosities) and pubic bone, and when they’re tight, they limit the ability of the pelvis to move, which “freezes” the pelvis in an upright position.

Ideally in Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana to the right side, flexible adductors and hamstrings on the right allow the pelvis to tip to the right, so when the torso bends over the right thigh, it lengthens out over the right thigh, with the right ribs approaching the right thigh. If the tight hams and adductors have “frozen” the pelvis upright, the right torso compresses down into itself during sidebending, which can cause painful pinching in the low back and may contribute to arthritis in the lumbar spine.

Help for Stiffness in Legs and Low Backs

For a student with a tight low back and hamstrings, especially one who has a history of lower-back pain or injury, it’s probably best to work first on sidebends while leaving the legs out of the equation. One relaxing way to do this is by sidebending over a bolster or stack of blankets. Ask the student to sit on the right buttock on the floor, with legs folded to the left beside her. Pull the long side of a bolster (flat on the floor) in beside the right hip, and have her lie sideways over the bolster so the right side, between the waist and armpit, will be supported by the bolster. (It’s important to support the weight of the torso so the side muscles are relaxing, not contracting.) Bend the bottom arm (which supports the head) and leg while stretching the top arm and leg out in line with the torso, as though the back of the body, top leg, and arm were lined up against a wall. In this position, the pelvis naturally tips to the right and the left waist and ribs are gently lengthening. This gentle stretch is an excellent one to teach to your stiff or injured students.

As your students work toward increasing their side-body flexibility, have them continue practicing poses to improve their adductor and hamstring flexibility. They can accomplish this without risking lower-back strain or injury in poses such as Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe Pose) and Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose), with their top foot supported on a chair or ledge.

How will you know when they’re ready to combine the two for Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana? When their flexibility has improved, have them sit on the floor as they would for Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana to the right. Can the pelvis tip a bit to the right? Sitting them up on a folded blanket under the sitting bones will help their chances. If the pelvis will tip a little, they’re ready to start working on the pose. I recommend placing a folding chair, with the seat facing the torso, over the right leg. This way, they can reach for the back of the chair with the left hand, which helps lengthen the torso horizontally rather than compressing down. The chair seat can support the head, which will help them relax. With a little preparation and support, you can set the stage for your students to enjoy the benefits of side-stretching sitting poses.

Here you can leran more about The Anatomy of a Satisfying Side Stretch

25 Reasons to Take a Teacher Training

So you’re thinking about doing a yoga teacher training — great! Now you just have to buckle down and commit. Here are some great reasons why:

1. You’re ready for change. You will not be the same person after you graduate. Trainings ignite change in a person’s life, and not always in ways you expect or anticipate.
2. You want to deepen your practice. Look, you’re not going to walk away from your training knowing everything. It’s impossible to crush it in 200 hours. But if you’re ready to dig deeper into anatomy and philosophy and learn more about how your body works—do it.
3. You’re looking to make some of the best friends you’ve made since college or high school. These folks will watch you grow and change and before you know it, they will become family.
4. You want to face your demons. You will unearth some of the most negative self-talk and judgements and you will have the chance to let them go.
5. You want to take it past the physical. Yoga is so much more than asana (poses) and you’re going to find out how and why.
6. You want to read some of the oldest, most meaningful yoga texts. Don’t skip the reading assignments. They’re really important.
7. You want to figure out how to be a better friend/family member. Teacher training teaches you how to listen in a deep, intuitive way.
8. You want to share yoga with others. The best way to share something is to learn how to teach it.
9. You want to learn alternative ways to heal bodies and hearts. Yoga teacher training is especially useful for people in physical and psychological therapy.
10. You want to learn about Ayurveda. (Trust me. You do want to learn about this.)
11. You want to learn how to help people with your hands. Providing hands-on adjustments can be really scary. But you’ll learn how to gently guide bodies into safe and supportive postures.
12. You want to understand where yoga came from. This is key. It’s hard to share a practice with such deep roots when you don’t understand where it came from and how it became what it is in the West.
13. You want to become a better partner. So much of leading a yoga class is clearly and simply explaining what you expect from your class. Imagine being able to do that during a heated moment with your life partner!
14. You want to learn to hold space for everyone. Holding space is the key to being a good yoga teacher. Learning to do this will make you a better professional, a better parent, a better friend, a better partner, and a better family member. To be able to be truly present in conversations is exactly what the world needs more of.
15. You want to bust yoga myths. Thanks to the Internet, there’s a lot of misinformation out there. A good teacher training will help you understand what is factual and what is less than factual.
16. You want to be more open-minded. If you think life is black and white (or struggle to see it any other way), a teacher training will highlight how grey everything truly is.
17. You want to figure out what it is that you have to offer the world. By truly listening during a teacher training, you will start to understand what it is that you are here to do. This isn’t something most people figure out in a lifetime … Which makes training a helpful shortcut.
18. You want to learn from some of your favorite teachers. The best way to get close to your favorite teachers is to take a teacher training from them.
19. You’re ready for a life of integrity. It’s a lot harder to gossip about people you love when you know that your students are looking up to you.
20. You want to try different styles of yoga or meditation. This is an effective way to learn what the entire scope of yoga has to offer.
21. You want to learn more about how to live a life of balance. This is by far one of the most rewarding parts of a teacher training.
22. You’re ready to own your life. Do you blame things on others a lot? This won’t be as easy to do after you graduate.
23. You want to see how diverse the world really is. When you teach, you are not teaching to a room full of athletic models. Learning to speak to everyone in the room is learning to understand that the world has a lot of very special people in it.
24. You want to make an investment in the future of your whole self. Teacher trainings aren’t cheap. But there isn’t a single part of me that regrets it. And I know I never will.
25. You want to fall in love with yourself. After you learn how hard you’ve been on yourself, you’ll figure out how to love yourself.

So. What are you waiting for?

Our Yoga Teacher Training course begins soon check all details here

Here you can read more about 25 Reasons to Take a Teacher Training

Want To Kick A Bad Habit? Try Yoga.

Whether it’s smoking, drinking or eating unhealthy foods, we all have bad habits we struggle to work through. There are many ways to attempt to eliminate such tendencies, but most of them don’t work. We can try to painstakingly hack away at the problem or deprive ourselves, but old behaviors are relentless – and they often come back to haunt us. To tackle those unhealthy habits for good, try a more holistic approach: yoga. Here’s why it works:

1. It cultivates self-awareness.
Most bad habits are so deeply rooted that they become your default response. When you go to reach for that candy bar or cigarette, for instance, you don’t think about it, you simply react to your craving. You need to force yourself to slow down and notice your compulsive behavior – that’s the first step to eliminating it. And, that’s where yoga comes in.

Perhaps the greatest teaching in yoga is to pause and make thoughtful decisions instead of mindlessly going with your knee-jerk reaction. When you practice, you deepen your breath and sync your movements with it. To do that, you must pay attention to how you are feeling and how your decisions affect your body and attitude. Your connection to your breath tells you if you are pushing too far or moving too quickly. You want to maintain full, deep inhalations and exhalations throughout your practice. When you’re gasping for air, you’re no longer in control. In that case, you need to stop until you can reestablish control over your breath and maintain a calm state of mind. Eventually, you’ll be skilled at stopping yourself to process your thoughts before you act – both on and off the mat.

2. It requires commitment.

If you have tried to deprive yourself of something you enjoy, like carbohydrate-rich foods, you know you will most likely give in and cheat once in a while. This happens to all of us, and it’s OK as long as it doesn’t happen consistently. What matters is that you are making progress and you stick with your plan.

When you practice yoga, the poses challenge you to balance – sometimes on one leg. You are going to fall repeatedly. But more important than accomplishing the pose is the commitment to getting back in it and trying again. This cycle of attempting a pose, falling and then recommitting to it teaches you not to get discouraged and to stay with it until you reach your goal. Consistent effort over a long period of time adds up to incredible progress in all areas of your life.

3. It gives you perspective.

In a culture obsessed with instant gratification, yoga gives you a broader outlook on what you really want for sustained happiness. There is an underlying philosophy in yoga that helps you become honest with yourself. This attitude helps you realize there is something greater you are working toward, and to savor every step of the way. It demands that you look beyond physical accomplishments and recognize that anything worth doing takes time.

In yoga poses, you strive to advance toward more challenging variations. As a beginner, you are given clear, physical landmarks to know when you are ready to move onto the next stage of the pose safely. Yoga provides a light-hearted and playful atmosphere while working toward a goal pose.

Take the time to acknowledge your progress and don’t be too tough on yourself. When you recognize what you are capable of, it motivates you to advance. This feeling empowers you to make strides toward meaningful changes off the mat.

4. It provides a supportive and healthy community.
Nothing is more disheartening than finally taking the first steps to change your bad habits – only to be discouraged by your peers. Yoga brings together like-minded people who willingly choose to do something healthy for themselves every time they step on their mats. If you surround yourself with supportive people who are positive and want you to succeed, you feel stronger and more capable to take on obstacles. Knowing there is a whole community you don’t want to let down also encourages you to keep moving forward.

5. It holds you accountable to your goals.

While most of the time we practice in groups, yoga is a very personal experience. You are asked to be honest with yourself and notice your alignment in poses before advancing. It demands that you check in and never push into pain just to keep up with those around you. This outlook takes some time to cultivate and is humbling, but it’s crucial to hold yourself accountable to your body and ego. After a couple weeks, you will start to notice that this attitude translates to your life off the mat, and you’ll become more sensitive to what you say and do. You’ll develop a new appreciation for yourself and the effect you have on others.

6. It offers role models and coaches.

Everyone needs a teacher or a coach who has faced similar obstacles and can guide you along your path. Seek out teachers whose classes you enjoy the most and with whom you connect. Most teachers love to answer questions. If you feel stuck on a certain pose or otherwise, ask the teacher before or after class for advice. Remember: Your teachers are people, too. They might not have all the answers for you, but they are great resources to help you move past any difficulties that arise. This relationship is invaluable and the right teacher could evolve your yoga practice into a complete wellness lifestyle.

Here you can find more about Want To Kick A Bad Habit? Try Yoga.

5 Stress-Busting Yoga Poses You Can Do At Your Desk

It’s hard to get away from work. It follows us everywhere. Forty-plus work weeks are the new normal. Most of us eat lunch at our desks, increasing the number of hours we put in day to day.
Working so much, it’s normal that most of us experience that mid-afternoon slump when our blood sugar drops and a nap would come in handy. Too many of us head to the vending machine or to Starbucks, when a little yoga would instead stave off those sugary cravings and boost energy levels.

Yoga – you are never to old to start

1. Can Seniors (Above 65 Years) Do Yoga Asanas?

Yes, of course older people can do asanas. The basic premise in yoga is union – union of the various aspects of our existence like body, breath, mind etc. In fact the word yoga comes from a Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’, which means ‘to unite’. Hence, it is possible for people of all ages and from all walks of life to utilize the techniques of yoga for creating a harmonious and joyful existence.

Elderly can do yoga asanas – provided they keep some guidelines in mind.

2. What Kind Of Asanas Should One Do As Age Progresses?

Substitute warm-ups with brisk walking and joint movements.

Standing Yoga Poses Triangle Pose (konasana series) and Standing Spinal Twist (Kati chakrasanas) Sitting Yoga Poses Butterfly Pose, Cradling (if possible), body rotation, Cat stretch and Child pose (Shishu Asana). Yoga Poses lying on the back or stomach Focus on repetitions rather than holding any posture such as the Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana), the Locust Pose (Shalabhasana) or the Knee to Chin Press (Pawanmuktasana). Yoga nidra is by far the most essential part of any yoga practice, and as age progresses, it becomes even more essential to help assimilate the effect of the asana practice into our system.

3. Are There Any Easy Exercises For Senior People?
Restorative Yoga may be practiced independently or as part of a larger yoga plan. People of every age can practice and receive the benefits of these exercises that can be comfortably practiced within 20-30 minutes. It includes simple and gentle exercises for the neck, hands, feet, knees, ankles and hips.

4. Are You Getting Your Yoga Practice Right?
Check your inner gauge, your smile-o-meter. Just do as much as you can, with a smile, for that is the indicator, which tells you whether you are doing it right or not.

5. How Does Yoga Practice For Seniors Differ From Those For The Young?

The same asanas performed by a younger individual could be more challenging in terms of effort put into the posture, the duration of holding the posture and amount of flexibility required. Some cardio vascular movements and abdominals would be more appropriate for a person with higher level of endurance and body fitness.

6. Do Yoga Asanas Increase The Efficiency Of Immune System For The Elderly?

The Patanjali Yoga Sutras provide a clue – it says – “heyam dukham anaagatam”, so that we can avoid the misery that has not yet come. As our age increases, the efficiency of our bodies and immune system seems to deteriorate, bringing on the possibility of various diseases. Regular practice of yoga techniques, such as asanas, pranayama and meditation can help to avoid these conditions, remove the misery, and lead to a happier and more fulfilling life.

10 Reasons to Practice Restorative Yoga

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Karen’s Yin Yoga

What is yin yoga?
Yin yoga is a slow-paced, meditative style of yoga, we hold each asana (pose) for a period of time, usually around 3-5 minutes. In our yin practice we are focusing on our joints, applying moderate stress to the tendons, fascia and ligaments of the joint with the aim of increasing circulation and improving flexibility. A yin class can bring a lovely balance to a (usually yang) yoga practice, giving you time to slow down; softening, yielding and accepting yourself just as you are. The classes can still be quite challenging though, as holding a pose for a long time takes both mental and physical commitment.

What are the benefits?
We work mainly with the joints, the connective tissues of the hips, pelvis and lower spine. Yin aims to keep these joints flexible and juicy! There is also the meditative benefit, we try to come to a complete stillness in each pose; body, mind and breath all quietening and slowing down.

Who is it suitable for?
Yin is suitable for everyone, especially for those who are maybe more ‘yang’ in nature, if you find yourself busy and stressed then a yin class might help provide some much needed balance.
Is there any preparation needed?

Just wear comfortable clothes, as you would for any other yoga class. As we don’t move much, it could be good to have a warm top to keep cosy and it’s okay to keep socks on too. We use lots of props in yin, but these are all provided by the studio.

I look forward to seeing you in class one Sunday 🙂
Namaste
Karen

Marion in India

What does advanced asana mean to you?
Asana as the physical practice in yoga.
What is the definition of an advanced pose?
Is it a challenging pose which is not accessible to everyone and requires strength and flexibility? In fact there is no definition to ‘advanced asana’, it clearly depends, some people find one pose challenging, others not. We are all different, our bodies are different, we all live different lifestyles, so don’t get frustrated and don’t compare yourself.

Advanced asana doesn’t mean necessarily being in a challenging arm balance, inversion or other kind of ‘fancy’ pose. Advanced asana to me means being aware of my body, accepting the limits of my body at that moment and honouring my body’s needs.

All those good looking photos on social media give us a wrong picture about being advanced in yoga and we think if we are not able to twist, stretch or bent even deeper in a pose we are not good enough in yoga and we are not doing it properly. But yoga comes from the inside and it’s more about how we feel in a pose. Those photos also keep us from trying as we afraid of failing or we think we are never able to achieve it. But through a consistent practice and finding the balance between trying and letting go, you’ll be surprised.

We can be practising for years and we are still not be able to do a certain pose, maybe because of compression of bones, maybe because of lack of strength or flexibility. This doesn’t mean that your are not an ‘advanced’ yogi. Being advanced means in that sense you know your ‘weaknesses’ and you know where to work on, but also you know not to overdo it and you give yourself that break your body needs to recover, just respect your body, it’s smarter than you. It will teach you the lesson if you are not listening.

While it’s important that we know our limits and we respect our body, we also need to move out of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves. Feeling the fear and doing it anyway 🙂 This is how we can grow – on a physical and spiritual level – , finding the balance between effort and ease. Challenge yourself, try out new or unfamiliar poses, put yourself on the spot, but find the right moment and know when to let go. Again listening to your body’s needs, be mindful. Feeling sensation is good, feeling pain is a bad idea.

I recently went to India for my 500h yoga teacher training, the advanced teacher training. The training focused also a little more on ‘advanced’ poses and how to get deeper into the practice. How to teach advanced poses to your students, how to break them down, how to use certain poses as a peak pose and create your class around it. It was really really interesting and I learnt so much, for my own practice and for my teachings.

So, come and join me in my classes at Purehealth and we will explore together some familiar and unfamiliar poses – feel the strength and sweetness in your practice.

I’m looking forward to having you all

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8 Reasons Why I Do Yoga

I am a human, much like you, and that means we are consciousness somehow floating inside a meat sack supported by bones. The mind-body duality maintains the same mystery as it did when the ancient philosophers were thinking about thinking, and then thinking about the relationship of those thoughts to the physical form that contains them. Even though we all have minds and bodies, the complexities keep us in a state of wonderment – and this is why I yoga.

Yoga is what provokes me to examine the awe of existence in both the practical world and the esoteric. There are the physical poses that connect you to your body, but that is just 1 of 8 limbs of yoga. As you explore the full spectrum, yoga becomes a life practice and not just an exercise routine.

Here are my 8 reasons why I yoga:

1. Gets Me Out Of My Own Selfish Head
I don’t know about you, but the vast majority of my thoughts are about me. If I am hungry, what I should wear tonight, what I did yesterday, what I am going to do tomorrow. Me, me, me. I think about me all the time and it is the root of misery. The more I think about me, the less happy I am. Yoga reminds me to direct that internal obsession to the external needs of others. The more I prioritize helping those around me and caring about the beings on this planet, the more peace I feel inside myself.

2. Keeps Me Honest
Let’s face it. The last thing you want to do when hungover and smelling like stale American Spirits is a Downward Dog. A commitment to my practice keeps me away from making unhealthy and self-destructive decisions.

3. Makes Me Feel Strong
Using my body and improving throughout the years reminds me of how capable I actually am. I don’t need someone to help me with my bags, I can move furniture, throw my 35-pound 3 year old in the air, hike mountains, swim across lakes, run far… I don’t feel limited by my physical self and that is an empowering state of being.

4. Reminds Me To Breathe
I can’t tell you how many times I have almost lost my cool and psychically eviscerated someone who made me mad, but instead took a deep breath and remained calm. The ability to react to aggression with peace has drastically improved my relations with others and decreased my stress. The more I connect to my breath, the clearer I think, and that not only makes me a better person, but also a more patient parent.

5. Keeps Desires In Check
We all have desires that feel dire – when you are like “I need that piece of cake,” or “I must have those yellow suede boots” or “if they don’t kiss me right now my face will implode.” Of course in the moment it might seem necessary, but taking a step back to question why you want what you want will remind you that you want a lot less than you think you want.

6. Helps Me Stay Focused
In our modern world we are assaulted with distractions. And now that we have smartphones we have portable units that suck us into a vortex of being anywhere but the present. Come to think of it, when was the last time I emptied my bowels while not looking at Facebook? Every day I have to make a conscious decision to avoid the chaos of modern living and genuinely direct my attention to what is happening in front of my face – whether it’s work, chores, or spending time with others. I want to be a person who is actually there living it.

7. Helps Me Deal
Life can really suck. It can be wonderful and beautiful, but it can also totally blow. That is never going to change. You are going to have shitty days, and that is just a part of the human experience. Although we can’t control the complications of life, we can control how we deal with and react to these situations. I have been meditating daily now for over 5 years and I have to say it hasn’t made my life any easier, but it has made how I cope infinitely better.

8. Connects Me To The Divine
I lost my best friend the same year I started practicing yoga. I was 20 years old and totally devastated by the death of someone who meant so much to me. My mourning was overwhelming and I felt destroyed. The more lost I felt, the more I turned to the teachings of yoga for the answers.

It was during those years that I started to feel the eternal nature of love. How even though my friend was no longer tangibly with me, our connection was boundless. This, I think, was the greatest gift of all.

Toni Nagy – writes for Huffington Post, Salon, Alternet, Elephant Journal, Yoga Dork, Hairpin, Thought Catalogue, Muses and Visionaries.

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