I love nothing more than meeting new people at our classes who say “I just feel so much better for practising yoga. I am much more positive and people have noticed”. Yes yoga really does work and in a short space of time you can see real changes in your life.
Here’s how the five tenets of Yoga promote positive thinking and remove negativity:
Movement: Yoga has the benefit of making you feel fresh and happy by releasing feel-good hormones. The asanas or exercises of yoga increase the flexibility of the body by stretching the muscles. They also open up all the blocked pathways of the chakras or energy centres.
Breathing: Pranayama or breath exercises lay emphasis on correct breathing techniques. The rhythmic and deep breathing helps us to inhale more oxygen and exhale stale air. It also enhances circulation, which helps to clear toxins from the blood. Thus we feel rejuvenated in body and mind, which again helps us to dispel negative thoughts. We are literally breathing out the negative.
Relaxation: The gentle practice of Yoga Nidra is extremely helpful for relaxing the body and mind. As we lie still, breathing deeply all the tension drains out of our muscles. Our mind switches off as we follow the voice. Yoga Nidra classes are extrememly popular at the studio and all classes have an element of this.
Diet: Yoga believes that what we eat and how we eat has a definite effect on our body and mind. On retreat we eat fresh foods with lots of fruits and vegetables. This is known as Sattvik diet and encourages positive thinking, as well as higher energy levels. We are also advised to eat in moderation, eat slowly and follow regular meal timings for a perfect positive balance.
Meditation: Meditation is a key part of yoga. The various breathing techniques followed by poses, have a calming effect on the mind. They help to release negative emotions like anger, jealousy, despair and sadness. Silent sitting gives us the time and space to introspect. Often our most positive decisions come after meditating.
