This is my personal experience.

🔹 Each time we learn a new asana that challenges us, we develop new pathways that move into areas that may have been dormant.

Through lifelong practice, we are able to keep our mind sharp, maintain and develop the essential neurological pathways that control our movement, our autonomic, and sympathetic functions (neuroplasticity). 

🔹 Yoga brings focus to all the different areas within the body.

Through dynamic movement, we are able to deliver oxygen-rich blood to support organs and upregulate the lymphatic system, which detoxes the body.

🔹 You are only as young as your spine. All the nerve endings of the body are originating from the spinal areas.

Unless we bring mobility to the entire spine, the disks will shrink, dryness comes, mobility decreases in the hips, neck, shoulders, and joints. We begin to deteriorate. 

Do you agree that yoga keeps you young and healthy?

Does Yoga Slow Down Ageing?
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Is pranayama an underrated self care routine ?

🔑 Pranayama is a very subtle practice that activates the energy vibration within the body. This is referred to as Prana (or life force).

🔑 In the beginning, it can be slow, and for many, boring. The results are subtle and not as obvious as the transformation in our bodies through the postures.

🔑 These are the very reasons the practice is so good for us. We are in need to learn to slow down, and we are only bored because our minds are unable to focus for periods of time before we have thoughts and feelings taking over.

🔑 The progress is at an organic level, outside our desire for instant gratification.
The practice will help you develop your lung capacity and your ability to release into the present moment, develop the ability to focus and direct your thoughts.

As a result you will feel less anxious and stressed and more relaxed.

Is Pranayama An Underrated Self-Care Routine?
asamitam

How to kick off Monday to stay productive the entire week?

Monday can be stressful as we have the whole week’s plans and a long to-do list in mind. This is what I do to stay calm and feel ready to tackle a busy schedule
🔷  On Sunday, write down your entire plan for the week ahead so that you are clear on what you want to focus on and what results you want to create.

🔷  Practice breathwork and meditate for 30 minutes each morning when it’s quiet so that you have mental clarity and energy for the entire day
Give it a try if you are feeling like you need to have mental clarity today! if you are resonating with this, please save this post for future use and let me know in the comments if you feel more ready.

Practice yoga to increase productivity
asamitam

There are more forms of misalignment than you may expect

We think of deformity as a birth defect, in fact, the misalignment that we create in our body through the daily routine, even the sports that we do, are causing deformity in our body.
The way we sit, we lie in bed, the way we use our devices, all force our body to overcompensate in certain ways and create imbalances. For example, when you bend your head forward while texting on your phone, which we all do quite a lot, it places 50-60 lbs on our small vertebrate and disk.

Even a lot of sports that you love, such as surfing, golf, and tennis, are very “one-sided” and involves a lot of twisting. And a lot can go wrong.
In Iyengar yoga, we identify where our imbalances are, and bring awareness to them. We start to correct some of the deformities and bring balance back through our practice. Through this, we can become more sensitive to how we use our bodies in our daily life so that we can prevent pain and injury in the future.

What is misalignment?
asamitam

I couldn’t even sit up straight…

I know what it’s like when you scroll down your social media feeds and all you see are flexible yogis showing off their impressive poses.
When I started 30 years ago, I was so stiff I couldn’t even sit up straight.
The truth is, naturally flexible people need to be more cautious because the muscles around their joints might be weak and underdeveloped. If this is you, you might not get messages your body is sending until there is pain in the joint, which takes time to feel, and you are more prone to injury.
Remember: all bodies are different, and that’s why we use props if needed in Iyengar yoga to allow any body shape and flexibility level to do ONLY what YOUR body is ready for. 

Why flexibility is overrated
asamitam

yoga is meditation in action

There are many practices within yoga that help train concentration and focus. The physical practice of asana develops meditation in action.
This helps build resilience in dealing with a high stressed, dynamic life lifestyle so that you can have mental clarity even while being in the eye of the storm.

Practice yoga for mental clarity
asamitam

❤️ Work with yourself in a forgiving and compassionate way.

The most important is to know your body and your limitations.
🔸  Learn different ways of using props to support yourself in poses requiring stability and balance. This will allow you to tailor your practice to your needs and your body.

🔸  Have a positive outlook and be accepting. Our bodies are constantly changing. It’s natural to have days that feel better than others. just get on the mat and be willing to change your plan based on what comes up.

🔸  Maintain regular practice and don’t forget your standing poses for balancing and arm strength. Think of the body as an instrument, we must tune it regularly in order for it to perform well.

How to have a safe and empowering practice as a senior yogi
asamitam

What’s your go-to mantra?

Whenever I feel the need to stop things around me, observe myself, and be less reactive, I remind myself to simply breathe….

What really helps is to extend my exhalation, which is a great way to release, slow down, and bring myself to the present moment.
Long exhalations will engage your autonomic nervous system, which stimulates a more relaxed state of mind with a physical effect of releasing your tension and anxiety. It helps with creating some space.

The benefits of breath awareness
asamitam

Yoga is more than a fitness program

It’s a practice for self-discovery through movement. A quiet place to confront your reality, and work things out.
We live in a world of information overload and we are constantly stimulated. We feel like we are doing a lot but sometimes we are actually procrastinating on things that are truly important by staying busy.
yoga practice gives you that space to have a conversation with yourself and find out what you are truly feeling deep down.

How to deal with Over stimulation
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What is mindful walking?
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