fbpx

Yoga as self-care: how taking care of body, mind and breath will change your life

Self-care means taking care of ourselves, and yoga is a tool that allows us to do this in an all-around way. Let’s see together why practicing this Eastern discipline allows us to feel good and how it can change daily life.

Yoga and body care. Learning to accept yourself and slow down

If I say yoga, it is likely that the first image that pops into your mind is of a person intent on recreating a contorted position with the body. Here, what you may not know is that the postures, called asanas, are but a small part of what is meant by yoga,and especially that the degree of flexibility and strength you have does not make you more or less fit to practice yoga.

Yoga is not about putting one’s body into articulated positions, but training, through movements and positions that are right for our body, the mind to achieve balance and harmony. Indeed, behind each asana lies an entire philosophy of life, and the ultimate goal is not to recreate a pose according to a precise canon, but to do it in the perfect way for our bodies, which are unique.

Taking care of oneself goes through the body first, because putting the body in motion allows one to put the mind in motion and generate new habits. Even a short 10-minute yoga practice can prove to be an important moment of self-care: through exploring our bodily limitations, learning to stand in positions that create us dis-comfort and in others that relax us, yoga opens the door for us to a journey of self-acceptance; we learn to accept our bodies not only for what they can do but also for what they cannot do, discovering that if we allow ourselves to slow down and give ourselves the gift of the most precious commodity, time, our body is revealed as a place of possibility, strength, fragility and love. When we integrate all these components, we experience well-being.

Yoga and mind healing. Learning to be in the present

Yoga is body but it is also mind: in fact, self-care also passes through the mind; through movement we take care of thoughts and mental habits, which are reflected in concrete life.

During yoga practice you train the mind to stay in the present, letting thoughts go away as they came. Phrases such as: “I have to remember to buy cereal.” or “Where did I put that sweater that I haven’t found in a week?” and thoughts about the big and small decisions of our daily lives inevitably arise while we are trying to balance on one foot or trying to remember the sun salutation, but slowly we learn to let them go, learning the art of being in the present. Over time, one can then notice Changes in one’s mental habits and priorities: the “how clumsy I am in this movement” turns into “how beautiful I look when I do this position”; the “I’m too tired, I think I’ll shoot 3 episodes of a series” becomes “I’ll put on some music and do a little practice, taking care of myself.”

Yoga and breath: learn to flow

Yoga as an act of self-care then passes through the breath. In fact, often, without realising it, we contribute to our daily stress levels by forgetting to breathe properly. Inconstant, labored breathing to the rhythm of deadlines, commitments and pounding thoughts is what prevents us from achieving a healthy balance. Then, taking care of the breath becomes synonymous with taking care of oneself.

In yoga, breath is what unites body and mind; it is the central element of the practice; by breathing with intention and slowness, not only do we literally ventilate the brain, getting all the oxygen it needs, but we learn to flow, becoming more inclined to welcome life as a wonderful journey.

And did you ever think that paying attention to the way you breathe while brushing your teeth or riding a bicycle could be a moment of self-care?

 

If you liked this article, please share it with your friends!

You might also like...

Subscribe to the newsletter 🙂

Follow me on Instagram

🇮🇹🇬🇧👇🏼 ¡Qué no me quiten lo volao! 😆✈️
Ha sido un 2023 super intenso...y todavía queda 🤭

¡A qué el 2024 lo sea el doble!🙏🏼✨️
¿Ready para acompañarme en los próximos viajes? 😃

Comenta con el nombre del lugar que te gustaría descubrir conmigo 🥰 Habrá muchas novedades con My Friend in on tour para el próximo año 🥳

*****

#eatravelove
#myfriendin #myfriendinontour #viajarsolaengrupo #viajarsolo #lowcosttravel #solotravellers #girlswhotravelsolo #viajaconmigo #travelwithme #travelbloggerlife #2023recap
105 14
El próximo martes, 5 diciembre, vuelve una de las exposiciones artísticas que más me fascina 😍

El gigantesco Belén de arena de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, en su XVIII edición ✨️

Localizado en la playa de las Canteras, entrada gratuita todos los días de 10 a 22 hasta el 8 de enero.

¿Te lo vas a perder? 
Menciona a la persona con la que te gustaría visitar este lugar mágico 🥰

*****

#eatravelove #belendearena #laspalmas #laspalmasdegrancanaria #planesgratis #grancanaria #navidad2023 #xmas2023
51 1
🇬🇧🇮🇹👇🏼 ¡Feliz día internacional del influencer!(o, como prefiero, creador/a de contenido)
Casi nadie lo va a leer todo... pero aquí les dejo un trocito de mí y de mi mundo 🥰👇🏼

Quien me conoce sabe que prefiero definirme cómo una 

👜 Emprendedora
🫂 Fundadora del programa My Friend in
✈️ Bloguera de viaje
💻 Creadora de contenido
📷 Fotógrafa 
💪🏻 Y gran trabajadora

Antes que influencer 
🤣🤣

Por eso que hoy quiero hablar de lo que hay detrás de estos muros o vitrinas tan bonitas que ven: tantas, tantas horas de trabajo, inversión, sudor y noches sin dormir.

Desde afuera parece que estoy siempre "por ahí", "gozando" y "bien viviendo".

Lo que no se ve son
✨️las horas estudiando y creando contenido
✨️las noches enteras organizando viajes y excursiones "a medida" para que todos puedan vivir una experiencia única y segura; 
✨️los días escribiendo articulos de blog, editando fotos, montando videos
✨️Semanas discutiendo con App developpers, mejorando mi web y hablando con proveedores y clientes a todas horas 

A veces no logro ni apagar el cerebro y dormirme, porque me quedo pensando en todo lo que tengo que hacer. Y con mil preocupaciones al vivir sola y ser autónoma (que sí, que yo también pago alquiler, impuestos -MUCHOS- y tengo que comer, limpiar etc etc).

Así que la próxima vez que mires el video bonito de un influencer, dando vueltas por el mundo y pienses "que envidia te tengo, que bien vives", acuérdate de dos cosas:

1. Si quieres, tú también puedes hacerlo. Empieza. Dedícale horas, dinero, pasión, inversión, y no te pares hasta alcanzar lo que tú quieras (o ese estilo de vida que deseas").

2. Detrás de 8 segundos de video hay 8 horas de trabajo.

Viva el día de los creadores de contenidos, esos locos que han decidido contar el mundo a través de sus corazones ♥️ 

#eatravelove #influencerday #contentcreators #dowhatyoulove #dowhatmakesyouhappy #adayinmylife #blogueradeviajes #mividaloca #creadoradecontenido
120 16

Latest articles