Sunday, June 21st is International Yoga Day, and Bridget Riepl of the NJ Yoga Collective, and one of WEforum’s Wellness Ambassadors, shares some tips with us on how to incorporate a bit of the powerful practice into our daily routines.
Yoga.
The practice you’ve been told to start for years by all of your yoga-loving friends.
The workout you “shoulda, woulda, coulda” tried after an injury sidelined you from your usual fitness routine.
The healing modality you keep talking about with your chiropractor and physical therapist.
The “moving meditation” you may have considered when quarantine began in March, in hopes of maintaining some semblance of inner peace.
And yet, something has kept you off of a yoga mat.
Maybe you believed you weren’t flexible enough, calm enough, or quiet enough.
Maybe it seemed sort of “blah” after years of bootcamping and Soul Cycling. Or maybe it’s been a timing thing; yoga classes can feel REALLY long when you first start. I hear you on all accounts. I’ve been practicing yoga for almost 20 years, and I STILL experience waves of wanting to run away from all the deep stuff that can happen when you dig into yoga.
That being said, you don’t have to “go big or go home” when it comes to yoga. You can do something every single day, even if it’s just for five minutes (or 30 seconds), and almost immediately begin to experience the powerfully positive effects of the practice.
Here are three ways to start, and you don’t need a yoga mat for any of them!
1) Breathe:
Ahhhhh, the breathing. It seems like it should be the most natural bodily function of all; the first thing we must do, without being taught how, the second we are born. But then there’s yoga breathing: pranayama. It’s the art of breathing. Taking breathing to the next level. Learning different breathing techniques can add more beneficial oxygen to our bodies, aid in digestion, hone our concentration skills, calm our nerves, and much more. Pranayama techniques are essential during a yoga practice, but can also be employed any time; when you wake up in the morning, when you’re sitting at your desk during a stressful day, when you’re relaxing after dinner, or as part of a bedtime routine. To start, try a Three-Part Breath.
The Three-Part Breath, or Dirgha pranayama, is a simple and powerful practice.
Part One: Inhale through the nose, allowing your belly to expand softly as the breath moves into your lungs. Then exhale through your nose, tightening your abdominal muscles and drawing your belly button to the spine, allowing as much air as possible to escape from your lungs.
Part Two: Much the same, with an added step. Inhale through the nose, allowing your belly to expand, and then allow the breath to expand your rib cage as well. When you exhale through the nose, squeeze the air out of your rib cage and belly until they’re empty.
Part Three: Take it a step further. Inhale through the nose, allowing your belly to expand as the breath moves into your lungs and rib cage, and then invite the breath into your upper chest, to your pectoral muscles and clavicle. Then exhale fully.
2) Feel:
Step away from the hustle and bustle of your day, lie down, and do a body scan. Start with your toes and work all the way up to the crown of your head. Check in with how you are feeling in your body, in the present moment. Try not to judge, criticize, or analyze anything that comes up. If there are negative words or emotions, breath into them, rather than running away or shutting down.
3) Give:
One of the most important aspects of the yoga practice is service or “seva”. Sit for a few moments and consider causes that ignite a light inside of you; people, places and beings in need that you feel passionately about. Commit your time, energy and talents to helping, and offer up whatever you can give without expectation of anything in return.
If you love these options and want more, seek out a local studio.
There are loads of them offering classes online, with a hybrid of in-studio and virtual coming in the very near future. If you are ready to start a physical practice, I recommend looking for a beginner series, which will give you time to really find YOUR flow without feeling like a deer in headlights! If you want to try a class with me, I teach at Evenflow Yoga in Red Bank, Synergy in Fair Haven, and POE in Fair Haven, as well as privately for local students. I’d be happy to connect and help you find what’s right for you!
