We celebrated International Yoga Day on June 21. But even though the date has already passed, you don’t have to wait until next year to pick up a mat and strike your best yoga pose. In fact, you should consider incorporating yoga into your daily life, especially when you live in a busy city.
Turn to yoga as a way to de-stress after work or in between deadlines. It clears your mind and elevates your productivity. As a result, it improves your overall well-being. So say “namaste” and embrace a calmer, more peaceful you.
What is Namaste?
Namaste is the first thing you learn when you meet a yogi or enter a yoga studio.
Some people believe it is the simple act of placing the hands together, bowing down, and putting the hands over the heart. But it’s more than a symbolic gesture. The term translates to “I bow to you,” meaning your soul acknowledges the soul of the individual you say it to.
Yoga classes may start and end with namaste. Oftentimes, the yoga instructor initiates it at the end of the class, when everyone is relaxed, and the energy in the room is serene.
Why Try Yoga?
Yoga, put simply, gives you clarity and helps you find inner peace regardless of how busy you are. How exactly do you benefit from the discipline, you may ask?
First, it increases your concentration. Yoga is not merely a series of physical postures. It is a unique exercise that concentrates on the small things, such as the rhythm of your breath. It encourages you to breathe deeply and equally to calm your nerves and improve your concentration.
Second, it connects your mind and body. When you practice yoga, you subconsciously connect your mind and body through breathing exercises. It requires you to clear your mind and direct all your energy on each pose or movement throughout a session, giving you a better sense of overall awareness.
Finally, it develops body awareness. Unlike other types of physical exercises that strain your muscles, yoga requires you to relax. You may still stretch or contract specific muscles, but it ultimately makes you more aware of every movement and every ripple of those muscles. Hence, you become more aware of your body’s strength and weaknesses.
Try yoga today to clear your mind, find your focus, and listen to what your body’s trying to tell you. Once you are more self-aware, you will find better ways to approach daily tasks and challenges — at work and in your personal life.
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