How to Improve Mind-Body Connection with Yoga: 5 Steps
Mind-Body connection’, sounds like an elusive theory from the pages of a Harry Potter book, isn’t it? Well, it’s not, to be honest. It is something that we experience quite often but fails to understand the actual link.
Have you ever felt butterflies in your stomach when you went on your first date? Yes, right? That is how the feeling of elation affected your intestinal functions. Similarly, after a good session of workout, do you feel happy and satisfied?
That’s the effect of the body on your mind. The thing is a mind-body connection is felt by every person but more often, it creates problems that affect us in negative ways.
Therefore to keep the bad responses in check and create a state of optimal balance, we need to practice yoga. This thousand of years old holistic practice that originated in ancient India, creates a calming effect on the mind and keeps the body in great shape.
Though yoga is vast and it may take a lifetime for you to understand the art but you can certainly reap the benefits if you adopt it in your daily lifestyle.
There is a complex and deep relationship between the body and the mind. Often at times, it is seen that even the most renowned doctors cannot come up with an explanation behind the occurrence of a disease which in fact, may have stemmed from a mental condition.
Though genetic inheritances along with other issues are the main causes of a disease a happy and relaxed mind can have a significant impact on the healing process. According to research by Northwestern University, eighty people who were diagnosed with HIV were given lessons on how to increase mind positivity.
They were asked to practice all the skills daily. After 15 months, 91 percent of volunteers showed fewer amounts of HIV in their blood samples.
Thus, it shows that if we create a healthy relationship between our mind and the body, chances are we can lead a much happier, healthier and satisfying life. Now, let’s take a look at the five steps from the yoga perspective that will assist in enhancing the mind-body connection.
Contents
1. Meditate for a Quiet and Calm Mind:
Mindful Meditation is the seventh and one of the most important limbs of yoga. Although there is a notion that meditation is all about emptying the mind but actually it is about bringing the focus to a particular point.
It can be anything from a bottle to a flickering candle to even a ball lying on the floor. Meditation can be thought of as restful awareness where the mind is quiet and awake whereas the body is at rest.
With gradual practice, meditation will not only make you calmer but bring about changes in certain areas of the brain that deal with empathy, memory, stress regulation, and sense of self.
2. Practice Yoga Daily:
Yoga which means ‘union’ is a practice that allows a person to connect his egoic self with a higher self or the highest truth. The practice of the bodily movements accompanied by the breathing techniques is aimed at improving bodily functions.
Regular practice of the asanas will keep your health in prime condition and that, in turn, will affect your mind positively. It is always a good idea to devote at least 10-15 minutes every day to yoga instead of longer sessions only a few days of the week.
3. Indulge in the Practice of Pranayama:
Pranayama or breathing exercise helps to clear the emotional and physical obstacles in the body through the free flow of breath and enhances prana or life energy.
According to ancient Indian sages, the regular practice of pranayama not helps in the rejuvenation of the mind and the body but also increases the lifespan of the practitioner.
Apart from releasing stress, the breathing technique is effective in increasing blood circulation throughout various parts of the body. It stabilizes your mood and you’ll be able to achieve a greater sense of calm with its daily practice.
4. Adhere to theNiyamas:
Niyama is the 2nd limb of yoga which has more to do with spiritual observances and self-discipline. There are 5 Niyamas which are – Sauca (cleanliness of mind, body, and speech, purity), Santosha (optimism, contentment, acceptance), Tapas (perseverance, persistence, austerity), Svādhyāya – self-reflection, self-study, and Īśvarapraṇidhāna (observation of the divine).
Regular adherence to these 5 Niyamas will not only make a better person out of you but allow you to accept a life that is more fulfilling and rewarding. These are reflective as well as self-discipline practices that will instill a sense of respect in you both in terms of spirit, mind, and body. You’ll start following a disciplined life that will have an immense effect on your mental and physical well-being.
5. Cultivate Awareness:
No, it’s not about keeping an eye on who is wearing what or whether the price of a particular stock is bullish. It’s more about opening your mind and witnessing things that you would generally fail to notice.
Take a look at the flowers blossoming, the leaves of the tree turning yellow in the beautiful spring season, the little singing a sweet rhyme. Experience happiness and joy in the small in life and respect life for what it is.
Conclusion
These tips will help you to improve your mind and body connection using yoga. It is the initial step to make sure that you are leading a healthy life.
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