Imagine this: a world where stress is as obsolete and every twist, turn, and tummy-rumbling tumble the universe throws at you is manageable. Intrigued?
Stick around to unravel this harmony, and discover how to bring their synergistic powers into your self-care routine for an upgraded, mind-soothing, body-cherishing experience.
Yoga Benefits Your Mind and Body
Do you ever feel like yoga is just too much work? The balance, the poses, the breathing — it’s a lot to remember at one time.
Yoga is one of the most popular mind-body practices known today, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood.
But here’s the truth: you don’t even have to be flexible to start practicing — it’s much more than gaining flexibility! Many people have also incorporated the use of CBD into their health journey to enhance their yoga practices. Yoga is truly for everybody.
Why Should You Incorporate Yoga Into Your Life?
Yoga is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the U.S., with over 20 million people practicing it every day.
The practice has been around for thousands of years, meaning you can find plenty of research on its benefits.
But what exactly are those benefits? Here’s a rundown of a few reasons people practice yoga:
- 🧘🏾 Improved flexibility, prevention of injuries
- 🧘🏾 Strengthened core muscles
- 🧘🏾 Better balance and coordination
- 🧘🏾 Improved mood through deep breathing
When you practice yoga poses (asanas), the rhythm of your breathing syncs with the intentional movements of your body. This allows you to be more present “in the moment.”
A Technique So Effective It’s Been Practiced for Thousands of Years — Because It Works
Yoga is one of the best ways to improve your overall health and wellness. Deep breathing practiced during yoga helps increase blood flow throughout the body.
The practices of yoga have been used by many cultures worldwide for thousands of years to support the mind and body.
The term “yoga” means “union” or integration of the body, mind, and spirit. The ultimate goal of yoga is universal consciousness. In practicing yoga, the main objective is connecting with your fullest potential.
Yoga combines physical postures known as asanas with breathing techniques known as pranayama (literally, “breath control”). Combining these two elements of asanas and pranayamas forms complete health, healing, and spiritual growth.
Making Time to Care For Yourself
Last month, we visited with our local client, Linda. Sandwiched between caring for her aging parents and raising college-bound teens, Linda found herself exhausted, stressed, and out of sorts. She had reached the end of the search for a way to care for herself with minimal free time.
She struggled to find a way to calm her mind and still care for her body without it taking too much time away from her responsibilities. Linda decided to take action and recently started practicing yoga to combat her stress.
How Does Yoga Help You Physically?
Fitness just so happens to be a positive side effect of yoga! According to John Hopkins Medical, The American College of Physicians recommends yoga as a “first-line treatment for chronic low back pain.”
Yoga poses also stimulate blood flow throughout the body, which helps bring oxygen to cells and remove toxins from the bloodstream more efficiently. Check out these amazing health benefits of consistent yoga practice:
- 🎯 Improve posture
- 🎯 Reduce stress
- 🎯 Increase flexibility
- 🎯 Promote mental clarity
- 🎯 Improve circulation
- 🎯 Boost energy levels
- 🎯 Support immune system
In short, yoga has the potential to help your entire body — mentally, physically, and spiritually.
A Calmer You Using Mental Focus and Guided Breathing
Yoga guides you to focus on your breath and the movement of specific muscle groups. Many who practice yoga regularly find that the intense mental focus on their body and breathwork required during this exercise decreases anxiety and reduces stress.
It may feel like meditation, but it’s not as deep or involved because you’re constantly moving around!
This creates a state of deep relaxation while keeping you fully aware of your body at any given moment.
Getting Started With Yoga — You’ll Need a Few Supplies
Starting a new yoga routine can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ll point you in the right direction so you know where to begin. You don’t need all the fancy stuff like chakras or meditation techniques yet. Those will come with time. (more on that in a future blog).
Your first step should be finding the right supplies. Here’s what you need to get started:
- Yoga mat: A yoga mat is essential for any type of yoga practice, but especially when you’re just starting out.
- Yoga blocks: These blocks are pretty simple to use. They help you improve your form and alignment in poses that require extra support — like those pesky balancing acts!
Using the proper tools will allow you to focus more on your position and less about falling over or hurting yourself.
Practice Where You Feel Most Comfortable
Getting started with yoga is easy! It’s really great to begin at a professional yoga studio to ensure you’ve got the proper form, but sometimes it isn’t realistic to carve out the time.
It wasn’t an option for Linda. She was already spinning her wheels, trying to accomplish her to-do list. Like Linda, many people find it easier to practice yoga at home — especially when pressed for time.
Thankfully, there are many quality yoga classes streaming online and even apps to help you begin. You could even try the Down Dog app for a guided yoga routine streamed right to your cell phone!
If you decide to attend an in-person class, it’s crucial to find a class that’s right for you. Most classes give you a free trial class — ask locals for their favorite gyms or studio recommendations.
Beginner Poses to Practice at Home
Yoga involves physical poses and breathing techniques to maintain mental focus during your practice. This works best when you allow your mind to become more focused on the present moment.
Don’t get frustrated if you notice your mind shifting towards worry or dwelling on the past! Remember that yoga is a practice.
Gently bring your mind back to your surroundings and listen to your breath. You’ll notice it gets easier to stay focused for an entire session in time.
Here are a few poses to try at home:
Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutation: ☀️
The sun salutation is a series of 12 poses meant to warm up your body and get your blood flowing before diving into more challenging poses. It’s also a great way to get familiar with the fundamental movement patterns in yoga.
Here’s a LINK to a video demonstration of the series of poses in action.
STEP BY STEP SURYA NAMASKAR FOR BEGINNERS | Learn Sun Salutation In 3 Minutes| Simple Yoga Lessons
And here’s a LINK to a video demonstrating what NOT to do in your practice:
DON’T Do Surya Namaskars Like THIS 😩 [plus FAQs]
And if you REALLY wanna delve into Sun Salutation A (surya namaskar), check out this wonderful source: https://www.artofliving.org/us-en/yoga/poses/sun-salutation
How CBD Works With Yoga
CBD is a cannabinoid that interacts with your endocannabinoid system (aka the ECS). The ECS works with every other system in your body; cardiovascular, nervous, lymphatic, you name it! The ECS helps these systems return to homeostasis (i.e. stability, balance).
Interested in incorporating CBD oil into your yoga routine? We recommend using a high-quality tincture daily to balance your entire endocannabinoid system and a topical CBD balm after your yoga session to target trouble spots.
Back to Linda
Of course, we asked Linda if she was including Serenity CBD into her new yoga routine. As a long-time customer, Linda knew using her tinctures and balms helps balance her endocannabinoid system.
She found that the yoga paired with CBD has helped her achieve a balance between caring for herself and her loved ones. By including a simple yoga routine in the early morning, Linda was able to start her day with renewed energy and purpose.
And even better, Linda reported that her sleep quality had improved tremendously since beginning regular yoga practice, and CBD helped her maintain this practice.
Improving sleep can dramatically reduce anxiety and stress with all the demands of a busy life. And that’s something that everyone needs!
Remember, Serenity loves you. All of you. Regardless.
