What do yoga exercises have to do with mindfulness? Many people do not know this. but asana practice is a great time to practice mindfulness. There is a specific reason why you would want to practice mindfulness during an asana practice. The main reason is because practicing mindfulness while engaging in asana practices will help you to learn more about your mind, body, and spirit.
What is mindfulness and how does it help?
Mindfulness is a practice that is about focus (paying attention). The great thing about mindfulness is that it is a practice that can be extended towards any object, function, or task. You could be mindful of anything. Mindfulness has even been shown to reduce stress levels. Mindfulness is paying attention to your experience of focusing within the present time.
How to practice Mindfulness with yoga?
One way that you could practice concentration with yoga exercises is by being mindful of the asanas. When practicing this method of focusing with yogic practices, it is essential to concentrate on what is going on in your body. For example, are you feeling relaxed, tension or a good stretch? One of the things about mindfulness is that it will make the exercise more intense. You will also be more aware of what is happening, and this can help you to improve with your practice. The great thing about focusing is that it helps to give you more clarity about the thing it is you are doing. Mindfulness can be practiced with any yogic posture, the goal is simply to be mindful of the posture.
Mindfulness Made Simple
The great thing about mindfulness is that it is a practice of simple effort. The goal is not necessarily to always be mindful, but to simply train the mind to be more and more mindful of everyday situations. Over time, as you practice mindfulness more and more, you will feel yourself becoming more aware of life. You will not as easily be thrown off and stressed out or angered. From time to time, you might forget to be mindful of your asana practice. It is important not to get upset about forgetting, but to simply bring yourself back to the practice. Be happy that you were mentally aware enough to spot your lack of awareness in the present moment during your yoga practice.
Yoga training is a great practice for mindfulness because your practice can teach you how to be more aware of your entire experience from start to finish. The great thing about adding mental presence to your physical yoga exercises is that it can also help you to avoid injury. If you are more aware of your body, you will be less likely to strain yourself to the point of injury.
© Copyright 2013 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division
Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/
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