When I hear the word yoga, I think of: Structure, Control, Balance, Angles, Mindfulness, Peace, and Clarity.
Mindfulness/Meditation go hand and hand with yoga. That is why it come to mind when I think of yoga.
The dictionary describes Mindfulness as: a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
When practicing yoga, you are aware of the present moment. You find the ability to stay calm while acknowledging the movements it takes to accomplish one’s task.
I love incorporating meditation in my yoga routine because it allows my mind to push out the negative energy so I can receive positive energy from the earth.
By incorporating meditation at the beginning and end of a yoga session I am able to focus solely on the positive aspects of my life. Once my session is over, I can go about my everyday life while feeling level headed and clear of any negative thoughts. It also provides me with a state of calmness so I can work through problems that I could not work through without the assistance of mindfulness.
Let’s take a step back and look at the power of mindfulness within my life. A few years ago I stopped working out and I felt as if I was stuck. The depression set in and took control of my life. I was like a volcano ready to erupt. Once I acknowledged my actions and my depression I searched for ways to heal myself. Knowing that medication was not the answer for my type of depression, I started working out. I started going to the gym to release the negative energy from my life. It helped a lot but for me it was never enough. I know with any type of workout, whether its cardio or weight lifting, stretching is very important to prevent injuries so I started incorporating 10 minutes of stretching into my 2 hour long workout session.
After a few months of doing this I craved more. I remembered how flexible I was when I did yoga years before and also remember the way I felt after a good yoga session so joined the yoga class at the gym every Sunday. Oh, the feelings of calmness. It was amazing. It took me back to a time of when everything in my life flowed. Not because I was happy in my situation but because I was able to control my train of thought during that time in my life.
I wanted to explore more into the yoga world but I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t have the money to join a yoga school so I started researching videos an learning more about the power of yoga and mindfulness. After years of research and practice I found a way I could incorporate mindfulness into my daily life. It has been a beautiful and empowering journey for me and no matter how many times I derailed from my goal to be mindful, I have always found my way back and I feel better than I did before I learned to utilize it as an outlet.
Mindfulness is essential in performing ones daily life decisions.
I say this as a statement because even the healthiest person in the world understands this state of clarity. It doesn't always have to be achieved by laying on the ground in corpse pose or siting in lotus with your environment quite and calm. It can be achieved by listening to you favorite song, dancing, playing your favorite video game, working out or creating art. It is anything that can help you acknowledge the world around you while being at peace within yourself.
Mindfulness is a powerful and beautiful tool that is worth discovering and finding your state of peace.
I want to thank each and everyone of you for tuning in on Yoga Sunday and exploring the world of yoga with me.
Make waves and become the myth, MermaidStace