Remember these 3 things to improve your practice

Yoga is an ancient technique developed in India that can help create a mind-body connection. The benefits of yoga for various aspects of life and diseases continue to amaze medical practitioners and athletes. So, it is no surprise that thousands of folks are rushing to yoga studios to get their daily source of yoga. At a glance, yoga postures might look like a circus or flexible bodies showing off their skills. But in reality, yoga, when done correctly, requires immense focus and concentration both physically and mentally.

Let’s look at some physical and mental challenges faced by practitioners:

1.     Ego

This can be a huge hindrance to really understanding the intention of yoga. If you come from a competitive sports background, it may be in your nature to be competitive. While this competitive nature can be of great help in other areas in life, it definitely has no place on your yoga mat.

Part of your yoga practice is about accepting your present abilities and being content with it. Yoga is not about stretching your limits all in one day. Yes, you need to step out of your comfort zone in order to learn new asanas and improve your strength. But it shouldn’t be done to impress someone or feel superior.

Often times when someone starts doing yoga for the first time, they tend to compare themselves to others. This is very problematic. We are all different and we all have varying strengths and weaknesses. So, it’s important to recognize your limitations and not look at them as something that’s making you inferior. Rather, they are just indications of where you need to focus more.

2.     Patience

Yoga requires patience. Especially when practicing restorative yoga poses, one needs to learn to be patient with the body. Sometimes our bodies are not ready to go where our minds want us to go. This is when many injuries happen. Furthermore, in order to harness the mental benefits, one must be able to be patient and really give the body the time it needs.

Yoga is about improving your strength over time. It is not like the get ripped now type workouts that you see in advertisements. Yoga’s focus is to bring your mind and body to a harmonious place through consistent practice and gentle, time tested poses.

3.     Consistency

If you are really looking to see lasting change in your body and mind, you need to be consistent with your practice. As we mentioned earlier, the aim of yoga is to improve your life one step at a time. You need to learn how to walk first before you run. More importantly, you need to learn how to walk well, before you learn how to run well. It takes consistency for you to realize your hidden potential on the mat. You may be surprised what consistency can do to your body. Muscles that once seemed stiff and immovable might move with ease, as you become a regular practitioner.

So, next time you make your way to your yoga mat, remember these three points. Being aware of challenges will give you an added ounce of acceptance of the present. Understanding your body dynamics is important to improve your bodily functions.