Kabat-Zinn, the founder of stress reduction clinic and the center for mindfulness in medicine, health care says, “Mindfulness is the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment,non-judgmentally”.
Mindfulness is a state that can only be achieved when you are alone and in your thoughts or no thoughts at all. One such great time to practice mindfulness is during yoga. Studies have shown and proved how specific asanas have helped people practice mindfulness throughout. One of the main reasons to practice mindfulness while asana is because you learn most about your body in that state. And along with your body, you also understand the needs of your mind as well as of your spirit.
What mindfulness is and how it can help you in a better living:
Have you ever heard the saying, “You are physically present in the place and not mentally”? This is what defines mindfulness partially. Mindfulness is a state of a human body to be fully present in the moment, place and can accept the changes calmly. Now, this can be naturally present in many of you, but not everybody has this tendency to be attentive throughout. However, daily practices of mindfulness not only help the attentive ones, but also the non-attentive ones.
You must consider every emotion you are feeling while practicing mindfulness. Studies have shown that mindfulness can help you restructure the physical state of your brain. It can help you in your daily life by reducing your stress. You can practice it while doing any activity. Be it meditating, or doing usual chores. It’s just been in the moment, in the present.
Mindfulness is the simplest practice anyone can perform. You don’t have to prove to someone. There’s no pressure or anything. You have to train your brain to be more mindful in every 2nd situation. You don’t always have to be mindful.
When you practice such a great thing regularly. You observe and enjoy life more than before. You become calmer. It’s hard for anyone to stress you out easily. And when you will feel all these emotions from within. There’s likely to be overall changes in your body by being mindful. Below are 5 mindful yoga exercises to evolve you as a person
As mentioned above, mindfulness is being calmer, focused, and more aware of things in life. Yoga has also similar aftereffects, and just by following some basic yoga postures, you can find peace.
1. Hero’s pose / Virasana
To give a great stretch to your thighs, which have been resting in the chair 24*7, ankles, tired spine. It can be easily practiced as well.
- Sit on your heels, slowing after coming to a kneeling position.
- Rest your hands on your thighs, stretch forward and after touching the ground below, lift your body with your spine.
- You feel a stretch in your shoulders, broaden your shoulders, by putting stretch over your collar bones. You will feel a slight relaxing stretch in your chest as well.
- Stay in the same positions for a minute or so and observe your calmer breathing.
2. Balasana mindful yoga
Balasan yoga can not only help you in practicing mindfulness but also in reducing that rigid lower back pain. It stretches over the inner thighs, chest.
- Continuing from the hero pose, stretch your knees wider than your hips and stretch your arms in front of you.
- With this position, move your forehead below, touching the ground.
- With deep breaths, relax your shoulders. Observe the pattern and the duration of your breaths, to practice mindfulness.
- Tighten your throat a little, it will help you caLM YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM BY CREATING A WAKE LIKE SOUUNd behind your throat. Try to start with staying like this for 1 minute and gradually increasing the time.
3. Seated meditation
Meditating while sitting can help you practice mindfulness a lot. It also helps in stretching out arms, spine.
- Continuing from the Balasana pose, try to lift yourself as much as you can, and get into a crossed leg position.
- Join your hands at your heart, close your eyes slowly with your palm on your eyes. Observe your breathing. Be in this pose till you want.
- After a good 1-2 minutes, inhale and move your arms above your head.
- While exhaling, hold your hand in the back, after stretching them out. Repeat this movement while calming down your mind 45 times.
4. Forward foot / Janu Sirasasana
These yoga practices focus on your lower body, i.e your glutes, lower back.
- If you are in a seated meditation position. Get your right leg in front of your left leg in a cross position. This will put your heels away from your hips.
- Tighten your glutes and don’t put too much pressure. Inhale while moving your arms out and up.
- Exhale while putting a stretch on your spine. Move your hand in front of you lifting your hips as well.
- Take 10 deep breaths in the same position
- Repeat with the second leg in front of the previous one.
5. Lateral bend
Lateral bend, as the name suggests, focuses on your sides and intercostal muscles. It can help you remove air from your joints and experience mindfulness.
- Being in the crossed leg position. Put your left hand down on your left side.
- While inhaling, move your right hand to your left side, examining a stretch on your sides.
- Relaxing your shoulders and moving your head forward on the ground.
- Stay there, and have 5 good deep breaths.
- Come back in the crossed position and repeat with the other leg this time.
These yoga practices can help you in practicing mindfulness. They can easily be done at home without any equipment whatsoever. At first, they might be a little difficult for you since you weren’t in the habit of moving. But with gradual practice, you can do great. Mindfulness with yoga is more about training your brain to be better than a perfect posture in one go.
