Yoga for a Quiet Mind

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calming yoga, Matthew Nisbet, meditation, mental health, pranayama, quiet mind, The Science of Yoga, William Broad, yoga benefits, yoga breathing, Yoga With Paul

Though often we focus on the physical aspect of yoga is as much a mental practice. Regular sessions, whether at home or in the studio, can help us achieve a quiet mind.

What does that mean? It means a mind that is at peace, accepting, aware of the moment without judgement. It means a mind that is able to acknowledge pain, confusion or difficulty without getting swept into those emotions. Yoga gives us this capacity by teaching us to breath — thereby calming our nervous system.

University professor Matthew C Nisbet wrote a great article on the science of yoga and how it quiets our mind. Breathing is key:

Compared to running, lifting weights, or other forms of exercise, it is yoga’s focus on controlled breathing that makes the practice unique, writes New York Times science journalist William Broad (2012) in The Science of Yoga. The focus on the breath is one reason studies consistently indicate that yoga in comparison to conventional exercise is more effective at managing feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety. Almost all forms of yoga emphasize Ujjayi pranayama, a style of slow breathing. When we breathe quickly, which often occurs when we experience stress or anxiety, carbon dioxide levels in our blood-stream decrease while oxygen levels stay the same. The imbalance produced by faster than normal breathing boosts the excitability of our nerves and muscles, producing muscle spasms and tingling in our extremities, which can trigger greater feelings of anxiety.

In contrast, the slow breathing emphasized in yoga practice increases carbon dioxide levels. In response, blood vessels in the brain dilate, sending more oxygen to the brain. By enabling our brains to absorb more oxygen, the slow breathing of yoga increases calmness and alertness, writes Broad.

Regular practice — especially daily pranayama — is a simple, holistic way to find peace in every day life.

 

How to Be Fearless

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anxiety, calming yoga, detachment, meditation, mindfulness, non-attachement, philosophy of yoga, Sri Dharma Mittra, stress, Yoga With Paul

“What are your fears? Your fears are all a result of your attachments”
~Sri Dharma Mittra

It is easy to worry, to be anxious and afraid. How do we resist and stay brave?

The quote from Sri Dharma Mittra above is not an answer, but it is a light that illuminate one potential path.

What does it mean that our fears are the results of our attachments?

If we’re attached to financial status, we fear losing our jobs. If we are attached to relationships, we fear losing loved ones. If we are attached to health, we fear sickness.

Everything we cling to can cause fear, because we know we cannot hold onto it. Ultimately, life happens. Sometimes that means losing a loved one, a job, or one’s health.

Fearing these situations does not prevent them, but it does mean that we often spend a lot of time worrying about things that may never come to pass.

Non-attachment doesn’t mean not caring, but it means taking a different attitude towards the things we love and value. It means cultivating our awareness that fear and worry do not actually make life better for anyone.

Loving without attachment 

When we acknowledge that our attachment is non-constructive, we free up our energy to do something other than worry. If work is important, we can dedicate positive effort to doing it well and joyfully. Instead of infecting our relationships with anxiety, we can focus on being present, loving and compassionate during the precious time we have. If health is our preoccupation, we can invest time in yoga, eating well, and other things that actually make us healthier.

We can love better, and live better, when we stop clinging to the things we love and embrace the beauty of enjoying them in the present moment.

5 Anti-Allergy Yoga Poses

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calming yoga, yoga allergies, yoga allergy relief, yoga benefits, yoga breathing, yoga healing, yoga immune system, yoga seasonal allergies, Yoga With Paul

Breathing easy in a big city is a challenge at the best of times. Allergy season can aggravate our bodies, turning the joys of spring into miserable marathon of itchy eyes, aching heads and painful sinuses.

Yoga is a great tool for calming inflammation, including allergies, and keeping our bodies and immune responses functioning properly.

Here are five anti-allergy yoga poses to help you survive spring.

Pranayama (Deep breathing)

Breath-work has many benefits for allergy sufferers. First, regular pranayama practice increases your lung capacity and flexibility. This helps if you get short of breath or suffer asthma related to allergies. Second, it eliminates stale air and toxins to cleanse and rejuvenate the body. Third, yogic breathing calms the body and mind, reducing stress and inflammation due to allergies.

Hitting the beach-also a good way to fight allergies!

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward facing dog)

This is a partial inversion that helps balance the body, stretch the spine, and open up the back, creating more space through the chest and lungs. It also builds strength and stamina, helping you achieve a greater overall sense of well-being.

Dandayamana-Bibhaktapata-Janushirasana (Standing separate leg head to knee pose)

This posture compresses and massages your thyroid, which is a tremendous benefit to your immune system. Touch your forehead to your knee, not your nose or chin. Tuck in your chin as you move toward the knee, and keep your eyes on your stomach. Your throat will feel choked but keep breathing calmly in and out through your nose.

Right way round, upside down

Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand)

Inversions offer a range of benefits to your  body and your mind. Shoulderstand is a good tool to help decompress and drain the sinuses, and it improves blood flow into your lungs, helping fight inflammation.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge pose)

This asana activates expands your chest and lungs to increase your lung capacity and your ease breathing. To begin, lie on your back and draw your knees up with your feet flat on the floor, about hip width apart. Press up from the four corners of your feet, engaging the legs and buttocks to lift the hips higher. Press your arms and shoulders into the mat to lift the chest up and toward the chin.

Questions or tips for surviving seasonal allergies? Share in the comments!

3 Ways to be Patient

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calming yoga, changing habits, mindfulness, patience, philosophy of yoga, yoga patience, Yoga With Paul

We all need to be patient, sometimes. But modern live seems to demand constant action and movement. We are bombarded with advice on how to be switched on, go for the goal and give 110%. There is so much to do, it is easy to forget the importance of patience.

Learning to be patient is part of the path to developing perspective, calm, and acceptance. It probably doesn’t come naturally though. Patience, like anything else worth doing, requires practice. Here are three ways to cultivate patience in your life.

Breathe

When we get stressed or impatient the first thing that happens is our cardiovascular system revs up. Our heart pumps, our breath comes faster. If we want to stop reacting with irritation, the first thing to do is calm the physical response by controlling the breath. Use your knowledge from yoga and consciously focus on breathing in and out at an equal tempo. You can count to four on the in-breath and four on the out-breath, or choose some other cadence. Breathe calmly and evenly to tell your body there is no cause for alarm.

Imagine

It is human impulse to find targets for our impatience. Sometimes it is something inanimate, like a ticket machine, other times we take our frustration out on the people around us. This not only fuels our bad feeling, it creates a cycle of negativity. To break it, imagine what lies behind the situation. Maybe the person who cut the queue is a parent with a sick child, struggling to get through the day. Maybe the person who squeezes into the Underground and steps on your toes is a future friend (or lover). Sure, it’s a long shot, but we all imagine how things could be. Why not imagine something positive?

Appreciate 

When life seems to conspire against you, take a minute to think of all the way life conspires for you. We are surrounded by so many blessings: materially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Yet somehow, it is easier to focus on what we don’t have. That is part of consumer culture, of the culture of “aspiration”. If that works for you, good. If it doesn’t (and I suspect, for many of us, it doesn’t) let it go. Let go of what doesn’t serve you. Instead, genuinely and sincerely embrace and appreciate the gifts in your life.

What is your best tip for being patient? Share in the comments!

 

 

 

Yoga for Lawyers (and Everyone)

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Bikram yoga, calming yoga, City Solicitor, clean eating, hot yoga, London yoga studios, London yoga teacher, vinyasa yoga, wellness, Yoga Holiday With Paul, yoga lawyers, yoga professionals, yoga stress, Yoga With Paul

Journalist and yoga regular Maroulla Paul wrote a piece about YogaWithPaul for City Solicitor — a magazine for lawyers.

In it, I talked about how yoga teaches us to focus and helps clear our mind.

I see daily the positive impact yoga has on those who practise it. It seems really beneficial for lawyers. It gives them greater clarity, a quality that is essential in their work. In the time they are in a class they have to focus on listening to me, and doing their practice. They can’t think about anything else other than being in the room on the mat. And that means cutting off from their cases and all the decisions they have to make. But they come out strong, refreshed, and more capable of clear thinking.

This is true no matter what you do. Whether arguing legal cases or chasing kids around the house, we all have stress and strain in our lives. Yoga is a healing, energising tool that helps put things in perspective and keep us in balance.

You can read the whole article online at City Solicitor.

How does yoga help you cope with work? Share your thoughts in the comments!

7 Steps to Better Sleep

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better sleep, calming yoga, mindfulness, relaxation, savasana, wellness, yoga, yoga nidra, Yoga With Paul

Last week I blogged about signs it’s time to slow down. If you’re like me, though, it’s hard to slow down when you need to the most. The buzz of being busy can be addictive!

So, for those of us who struggle to slow down… here is some expert advice on seven steps to better sleep…

1. Stick to a sleep schedule of the same bedtime and wake up time, even on the weekends. This helps to regulate your body’s clock and could help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.
2. Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual. A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep.
3. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid naps, especially in the afternoon. Power napping may help you get through the day, but if you find that you can’t fall asleep at bedtime, eliminating even short catnaps may help.
4. Exercise daily. Vigorous exercise is best, but even light exercise is better than no activity. Exercise at any time of day, but not at the expense of your sleep.
5. Evaluate your room. Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep. Your bedroom should be cool – around 15-18C. Your bedroom should also be free from any noise that can disturb your sleep. Finally, your bedroom should be free from any light. Check your room for noises or other distractions. This includes a bed partner’s sleep disruptions such as snoring. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, “white noise” machines, humidifiers, fans and other devices.
6. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows. Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supportive. The one you have been using for years may have exceeded its life expectancy – about 9 or 10 years for most good quality mattresses. Have comfortable pillows and make the room attractive and inviting for sleep but also free of allergens that might affect you and objects that might cause you to slip or fall if you have to get up
7. Practice yoga nidra. This type of guided meditation that takes you into deep into the mind. You do the practice in savasana, so it is a great way to transition from quiet meditation to deep, restful sleep.

What’s your best tip for getting a good night’s sleep? Share in the comments!

How To Find Holiday Calm

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calming yoga, holiday relax, holiday stress, keep calm, mindfulness, movement, outdoors, yoga, yoga benefits, yoga daily, Yoga With Paul

There must be hundreds of variations on the “Keep Calm…” slogan but how do you keep calm in the first place?

The holiday period is always hectic. Regardless of faith or persuasion, the insistent commercial pressure, increased social obligations and backdrop of damp, cold December makes this a stressful month. These three tips via MindBodyGreen will help you achieve holiday calm will help you get through the season with a smile.

Move more

If you want to stay centered, this is not the time to skip out on your yoga class or regular workout in favor of holiday shopping or party prep. Regular exercise is a powerful factor in building resilience: Studies have found that it improves self-esteem, counteracts social withdrawal, and reduces anxiety and depression—all factors that contribute to resilience. Yoga in particular strengthens vagal tone because it creates feelings of connection with oneself and with others.

Go outside

Even in cold weather, being outdoors can boost mood and self-esteem and increase creativity and focus, Wilson says. Time in nature, especially when it’s spent in the woods, exposes us to naturally occurring, highly beneficial chemicals called phytoncides, which have been shown to reduce blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol. There’s also a mindfulness component to outdoor activity when you take time to engage the senses and appreciate the feel of the sun on your face.

Be mindful

Incorporate a daily meditation into your routine; if you don’t have time to sit, then practice mindfulness wherever you are—whether you’re in line at the mall or on the road to yet another holiday gathering. Pause, breathe, notice what’s around you, and tune into the sensations in your body. Just a few moments of mindfulness can foster better self-regulation and more positive emotional states.

Share your top tips for holiday calm in the comments!

Benefits of Breathing

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benefits of breathing, calming yoga, pranayama, yoga asthma, yoga breath, yoga breathing, Yoga With Paul

You can literally get through anything in your life as long as you keep breathing. There are numerous benefits beyond basic survival though, which we can access through yoga.

Breathing practice in yoga is called Pranayama. There are various types of yoga breathing designed to calm, cleanse, energise and more. You can do Pranayama breathing anywhere so it is a great way to maintain your practice if you don’t have the time or space to do asanas (postures). Here are seven reasons to do Pranayama every day.

 

Increased lung capacity

Regular Pranayama practice increases your lung capacity by making your lungs more flexible and elastic. This can especially help respiratory problems like asthma.

Improved immunity

Stress and toxins attack our immune system, and breathing is a tool to fight them both. When we practice Pranayama we expel stale air and toxins and make way for fresh, oxygenated air. Rhythmic breathing also reduces the effect of stress.

More energy

Pranayama invigorates the body by flushing out carbon dioxide and infusing the bloodstream with fresh oxygen. It is a fast pick-me-up no matter where you are.

Greater mind-body connection

Mindful deep breathing brings us into alignment with our bodies. We become more aware of the function of our lungs, heart, veins and muscles, and how everything works together.

Fewer repetitive thoughts

We can get caught up in mental feedback loops, brains chattering about things we want to do, or wish we hadn’t done. Pranayama grounds us and quiets repetitive thoughts.

Better digestion

Breathing is essential to good digestive function. It provides the oxygen needed to fuel cellular processes and creates a relaxed environment to ease digestion.

Balanced emotions

Pranayama breathing is a great way to keep or restore perspective and balance. When you are overwhelmed deep, regular breathing calms your nervous system and helps you maintain a level emotional state.

Questions or comments? Please share in the comment section

 

 

3 Tips to Make Stress Work For You

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calming yoga, habit change, healing yoga, mindfulness, reframing, relaxation, stress, stress relief, wisdom, yoga, Yoga With Paul

Stress-reduction is one of the many great benefits of yoga. But we can’t avoid all stress, all the time. Sometimes, life is tough. We face big challenges and difficult decisions.

Since it’s inevitable, what if there is a way to makes stress work for you? I read a great article that suggests there is! I highly recommend reading the whole article but here are three helpful tips you can put into action right away.

Don’t Panic, Reframe

Many of the symptoms of anxiety and stress — dry mouth, racing heart — are the same as excitement. And studies have found that when people are put in stressful situations such as public speaking or singing karaoke, telling yourself to calm down can actually backfire.

Instead, those who reframe the situation as exciting and ride the wave of stress are better equipped to handle it.

Treat it as a Learning Experience

With a fixed mindset, you believe that the things happening to you or the way you feel can’t be changed. This fatalistic approach holds you back from being able to change the way you see a situation.

On the other hand, people with a growth mindset see potential failure as a chance to learn. They’re the ones who can turn stress into excitement and find that sweet spot where stress actually enhances performance.

Focus on Your Strengths

So, rather than letting your negative self-doubt run wild, you need to recognize when you’re going down this negative path and stop yourself.

Write down all of the things that counter your self-doubt. Writing strengthens memory, and the more you commit to reframing doubt as confidence, the more you’re able to veer off that ski course you’ve been on.

What is your best tip for using stress to your advantage? Share in the comments!

View at Medium.com

Cooling Yoga for Hot Days

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calming yoga, cooling yoga, hot yoga tips, relaxation, relaxing yoga, summer yoga, yoga, yoga advice, yoga poses, yoga postures, yoga tips, Yoga With Paul

There a time and place for cooling yoga, even if you love hot yoga!

If you are feeling the heat, in or out of the studio, try some of the poses recommended in the following excerpt from Everyday Ayurveda. One of the key elements of Ayurvedic medicine is balancing hot and cold in the body. Whether or not you subscribe to the  philosophy, doing these poses will definitely relax and calm you, bringing tranquility to your mind and body even in the heat of summer.

 

Yoga Poses that Release Heat

Spinal twists: Twisting poses help cool the blood and release excess Pitta from mid-abdomen, including the small intestine and liver. Twists performed seated or lying down are especially cooling. Try Ardha Matsyendrasana (Seated Spinal Twist) and Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Spinal Twist).

Gentle back bends: While some backbends can be heating, gentle backbends apply beneficial pressure to release tension and dissipate excess heat from the mid-abdomen. Bujangasana (Baby Cobra), Matsyasana (Fish) and Bandhasana (Bridge) are helpful to integrate into a Pitta-pacifying practice. Chakravakasana (Cat-Cow) is an ideal pairing of opposites: a gentle backbend and cooling forward bend.

Forward bends: Forward bends physically cool the body and calm the mind, and are essential to counteract the heating qualities of more intense back bends. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) and Padottanasana (Standing Open Leg Forward Bend) work well during the more active part of an asana practice, while Paschimottasana (Seated Forward Bend) and Balasana (Child’s Pose) are perfect ways to relax and cool the body toward the end of a practice.

Focus on the flow of your breath rather than intensity of your poses. Aim for a long, complete exhalation, which will help cool your body.

Consider your timing. Try to practice in the morning when the weather and your body are naturally cooler, and avoid practicing in direct sunlight.

End on a slow note. Even if the first part of your practice is more active, it is most important to end your with a period of slower, cooling poses—like the ones listed above—prior to Savasana.

Read the full article at Everyday Ayurveda