If you focus on your physical fitness, it may be time to include your mental health in the journey as well.
Now that the semester of grad school is behind me, I’m finally engaging in some essential self-care and have signed up at a nearby yoga studio. My practice has been somewhat inconsistent lately due to everything happening globally and the added time demands of grad school alongside a full-time job. However, given my busy schedule, finding time for self-care has become all the more critical.
Though my yoga practice has been less frequent in recent months, with only a weekly outdoor class, I have been working on developing a different aspect. Over the past year, I have begun taking mindfulness and meditation much more seriously. I’ve explored everything from solo quiet time to a Calm trial, as well as meditation sessions on Clubhouse. Initially, it felt like a challenging journey, but as I cultivate stronger meditation routines, I find it significantly easier to remain mentally present when I unroll my mat for yoga practice.
Mindful presence is often the most overlooked aspect of yoga for certain practitioners. Even if you find yourself on the mat performing the movements, your thoughts might be elsewhere, racing uncontrollably. The greater the stress and responsibility in life, the more challenging it becomes to disconnect from it all and simply be yourself, fully present in the moment.
Moving in harmony with your breath is as fundamental to yoga as mastering the poses.
In the early years of my practice, I consistently undervalued the significance of breathwork. I often attempted to both maintain pace and control my breathing, yet when you’re just starting, juggling everything can be quite complicated. While I was genuinely focused on learning proper alignment and achieving fluid transitions between poses, I failed to prioritize mastering my breath.
Reflecting back, I clearly see the flaw in my previous approach. The breath is genuinely a vital component of yoga. It’s challenging to breathe mindfully while aiming to increase strength and flexibility, but truly moving with the breath, as teachers always suggest, compels you to be more engaged. It’s captivating and immersive. Syncing your movements with your breath requires significant concentration.
Even if it feels particularly daunting to you, as it did for me initially, keep persisting. As the poses grow more familiar and slightly easier, breathing through them becomes more instinctive. The synchronization of movement and breath transforms each pose into a notable experience. You prepare for every moment with each inhalation and exhalation. It enhances the sensation and stretch of each pose, making it easier to remain mindfully present during class.
In moments of stillness, counting breaths is remarkably grounding.
This practice is incredibly simple — tally the seconds that pass during your inhalations and exhalations. It’s a popular suggestion for entering a meditation practice since it provides a mental activity tied to the physical action you’re performing. Often, when you’re absorbed in your thoughts, what occupies your mind is unrelated to the physical actions you’re undertaking. For example, while driving, you typically don’t focus on driving every second you’re behind the wheel.
If calming your thoughts proves difficult, using your mind to count each breath is a superb grounding method. I once struggled to quiet my mind at all. That straightforward, automatic act of counting numbers made it significantly easier for me to transition into genuine meditation.
Moreover, if you find yourself in the winding down stages of a yoga class, intentionally lengthening your exhalations can be beneficial. Research shows this approach effectively slows your heart rate. For those interested in the science, extending your exhales beyond your inhales stimulates the parasympathetic nerve, promoting relaxation. As you ease into shavasana, this technique is a great way to decelerate.
Visualization techniques can assist in calming restless thoughts.
When your mind refuses to quiet down, try channeling it into something more soothing. Visualizing images and experiencing them in your mind’s eye demands a substantial amount of mental energy.
I began experimenting with visualization during shavasana at a studio that always played music. I often grappled with halting my thoughts, so instead, I would attempt to keep my mind still while visualizing concepts that aligned with the music. Sometimes I’d picture myself floating if the music had a nautical vibe. Other times, I’d simply visualize colors dancing in abstract patterns.
Visualization is highly personal and open-ended. If it benefits you, consider visualizing yourself