Following our own dharma takes courage. On the one hand it is deeply fulfilling and meaningful, and on the other hand it challenges us to overcome our limiting beliefs. Self-awareness and growth, again and again, are an essential part of the path. Obstacles appear, and we must figure out new ways to overcome them. Yoga gives us tools to find our inner strength and gain self-trust as we walk life’s path. Through the eight limbs of yoga, including asana (postures), we can continue to cultivate hope, inner peace, and resilience. Here are three postures that help us reconnect to our everlasting reservoir of inner strength.
Our daily habits can largely influence how we feel and how we move through our lives. Our state of mind is a culmination of these daily choices, and we have the power to make small decisions every day to benefit our mental and emotional well-being.
When we’re trying to cultivate holistic well-being, we must consider what impact our work and workplaces are having on our lives. It’s no secret that a vast majority of our days are spent in work environments. Whether you work from home or commute to another location, you will likely see a pattern that shows space at the very beginning and very end of your day, reserved for life, and all the space between full of work duties. Looking at how much time you spend working over the course of your life, it may become clear that work plays a significant role in your overall health and well-being.
The evening is a time to prioritize grounding and inviting our focus and energy inward. It can feel hard to transition from a busy and stimulating day into the evening hours. This energy is often carried with us into the nighttime, affecting our sleep and ability to relax and restore. The yin energy of the evening invites us to spend time in quiet, connecting with ourselves and releasing and grounding the energy and mental noise we have accumulated throughout the day.
Shorter workouts have taken over the at-home exercise space with everything from online yoga to Pilates to cardio classes being pared down to shorter increments. For many, this switch-up has been welcomed with open arms, making it even easier to get a workout into a jam-packed day. But, time isn’t the only reason why this workout trend has grown in popularity — it’s the efficacy of a shorter workout that makes it even more appealing.
Quality sleep plays an important role in physical and mental health. Chronic sleep insufficiency increases risk factors for nearly every major disease. Yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control nearly one-third of Americans are habitually sleep-deprived. Prioritizing sufficient, quality rest may be the single biggest step that you can take to stave off disease and promote wellbeing.
Aquí hay un cuestionario con una sola pregunta: ¿Para tener un cuerpo sano, que es más deseable, estar en forma físicamente o estar libre de depresión? La respuesta correcta es estar libre de depresión. La depresión está relacionada con la falta de sueño, la fatiga, la disminución de la inmunidad, la susceptibilidad a las infecciones, los ataques cardíacos prematuros y más. Pero la mayoría de la gente tiene la costumbre de acercarse a sus cuerpos sólo físicamente.
They say laughter is the best medicine and while that is certainly true for our mental health — laughing releases endorphins, which can boost the mood! — it’s also wildly true for our physical health. Laughing requires more oxygen intake so, in a way, it’s like its own form of breathwork. It can also even help temporarily relieve pain. But, perhaps one of the most interesting things about laughter is how it can help the body detox.
For nearly three years we have endured levels of stress, uncertainty, and fear in unprecedented amounts. We quickly became familiar with mask mandates, sheltering in place, social distancing, and a new virtual life. As we’ve familiarized ourselves with these new terms that shape the way we live, we’ve settled into entirely new ways of being.
Your body is designed to be an energized, vibrant, self-healing vehicle well into your centenarian years. Yet, in our modern lifestyles, the repair mechanisms which promote longevity and health can easily become compromised. The following practices will reinvigorate your body and slow the aging process by increasing mitochondrial density, lengthening telomeres, and inducing cellular repair processes.
Have you ever noticed you’re more likely to catch a cold if you’ve recently been stressed, slept poorly, or been emotionally upset? That last one is particularly interesting evidence of the mind-body connection!
