3 Yoga Practices to Strengthen Body & Mind. A quick ABC into Yoga
01
May
Health & Sports

3 Yoga Practices to Strengthen Body & Mind. A quick ABC into Yoga

 When you practice yoga, you reconnect with yourself differently.

You reconnect with your peers differently.

You strengthen your body & mind and bring them together.

To support your being. To enhance your performance. To recover from challenges.

To equip you with mental & physical “tools” to cope with challenging times such as the current lockdown.

Honouring Ivona’s invitation to write this article for you, Sport MedLab community, I extend it further to you, with 3 practical ways to incorporate asanas (yoga posture), pranayama (breathing techniques) and dhyan (meditation) into your daily life, to strengthen your body & mind cooperation.

Maybe you’ve never practiced yoga before. And that’s totally fine.

Maybe you think yoga is only for women | for the slim and flexible | for Asians | for those who don’t like “real”, cardio movement | for those wanting just some stretching early in the morning or after sports | etc. etc.

I’ve been there too. I was thinking of it as a gentle exercise, reserved for moments when you’d be fatigued, recovering from various conditions, or simply for those preferring it to other dynamic sports. Misconceptions nourished by a general taboo on the subject in Romania, even two decades post dictatorial regime. How did I “step into” yoga and discover its real life impact? … It all started with the employer I had at that time, over a decade ago, in Belgium, who was offering us, for a symbolic personal contribution, sport activities during lunch breaks, as part of the employee well-being policy. And they included yoga. So, I started practicing it. As I’ve discovered liking it, I also joined their studio – a bikram yoga type – where they provided the regular 90-minute class in +40°C degrees (104°F), which at work was not possible. I thus came to realise multiple benefits from yoga, much beyond the physical, body strengthening ones. I divided them by 2 categories:

        Physical body benefits (health & overall condition):

  • It helps loosen stiffness in joints, spine and muscles.
  • It helps with muscle toning and overall body strength.
  • It helps with body mass redefinition, including weight loss (when accompanied by a healthy, balanced diet).  
  • It develops both body flexibility and stability.
  • It helps reduce back pains (from lumbar to cervical spine, shoulders and shoulder blades), knee pains and other joint-related pains (with conscious practice and medical supervision, for severe conditions).
  • It helps blood and lymph circulation, which is in particular helpful for any type of static jobs (from sitting to standing jobs, office related, medical related etc.).
  • It helps with overall health improvement (by better blood irrigation and oxygen supply to organs, endocrine system, heart, lungs and brain).
  • It helps with better breathing and brain oxygenation (as asanas are always coordinated with the breath), and thus, with the alleviation of respiratory difficulties (in particular when accompanied by nasal cleansing/ jala neti), improvement of the overall health and intellectual faculties.

                Mind & general state benefits:

Breathing & Asanas ⇒ better oxygenated brain ⇒ optimised brain functions (the functions of the reptilian brain are balanced, the functions of the limbic and neocortex are optimised), including the functions of the pituitary gland, to coordinate the endocrine system and hormone production in the body.

All these benefits are enhanced when we include meditation in our daily practice. We’ll talk about meditation immediately below. Other mental benefits felt include:

  • Calming down the mind (the “monkey mind”, the one in the Beta brain waves, the one in a state of permanent alertness, anxiety, agitation).
  • Focus and Attention on one thing at a time (by practicing yoga – and focusing on one asana/ pranayama at a time – we develop this habit and take it beyond our practice into our job and day-to-day life).
  • Stress reduction, resilience and coping with life challenges with a balanced approach (vigilant yet relaxed → you’ll see why, below).
  • More harmony and balance into life: attitude towards yourself, attitude towards your peers, including Communication style. Your overall rapport to the others betters, as you better your rapport towards yourself (they are interconnected).

All these benefits were noticed step by step over time, through conscious asanas, pranayama and meditation practices, which I further developed and trained to be a certified teacher in 2013 in India (training as a hatha yoga teacher and yoga therapy and naturopathy adviser[1]).

However, benefits are felt as of the first class in our general body & mind state.

Let’s dive in directly to the 3 practices to strengthen our Body & Mind. 

For a clear, easy to understand and revert to summary, here is a quick ABC into yoga:

Yoga practice   (3 types[2] of practices, below)BenefitsExamples
Asanas/ yoga posture   Asana = stable and comfortable posture which helps to attain physical and mental equilibrium (body & mind).   Yoga does not encourage peer/ class competition. The practice encourages only self-evaluation and improvement, as compared to previous self-practice and always based on the moment physical condition.   Beginners’ asanas are held for a short period of time, while the intermediate and advanced students can hold asanas much longer (according to personal physical condition).   For challenging physical conditions (injuries, illnesses, pregnancy etc.) it is highly recommended to firstly seek for specialised medical advice, and adapt your practice to it.   Always remember to: coordinate asanas with the breath (see the 3rd column →) and to be mindful of your body – muscles, bones and joints – to strengthen them, while being in a stable and comfortable pose and movement.   Further practice/ Life aim (my personal mantra): “make every movement a sequence of asanas” = be so much aware of your movements (steps, sitting, standing, doing sports, including talking/ singing, hence vocal cords using) etc.), that they are steady & comfortable and coordinated with your breath, so that your body stays healthy & strong, and you avoid unwanted injuries.  Being stable and comfortable postures, asanas activate the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for the relaxed, yet vigilant state, in which one operates at his/her highest potential (very mindful state).   All the benefits stated above and divided, as per a 2012 USA study published by Huffington Post (link here), by:   After Class (only 20 minutes of hatha yoga): Improved Brain Function.Lower Stress Levels.Alter Gene Expression.Increased Flexibility.   After A Few Months: Lower Blood Pressure.Improved Lung Capacity.Reduced Chronic Neck Pain.Anxiety Relief.Relief from Chronic Back Pain.Steady Blood Sugar Levels in People with Diabetes.Improved Sense of Balance.   After Years: Stronger Bones.Healthy Weight.Lower Risk of Heart Disease.        Surya Namaskar/ Sun Salutations: Sequence of 10 postures/ steps which warm up and invigorate the body, while building  Body strength and flexibility (bones, joints and muscles), and activating the endocrine system, thus harmonising hormonal release.   Mostly standing postures (with sitting variations for those persons needing to sit down on a chair), recommended as a first daily practice (at sunrise), on an empty stomach;   Can be practiced at either a slow pace, with adapted postures for all physical conditions – ideally as a 3, 6 or 12 series. And also at a fast pace, always remembering to be mindful on each step/ posture and coordinate it with the breath.   Breath & asana coordination:Breath-in: lifting the body/ arms from the ground.Breath-out: coming towards the ground (or as an inverted pose).Pause/ hold the breath on the step 4 – plank pose.   Example: find the full sequence  with pictures & explanations on Yoga Point directory (link here).  
Pranayama/ breathing techniques   Prana = ‘vital energy’ or ‘life force’, which exists in all things, whether animate or inanimate.   Ayama = ‘extension’ or ‘expansion’.   Pranayama = extension or expansion of the dimension of prana/ life force.   Pranayama techniques involve breathing exercises to extend the flow of prana in the nadis or energy channels.   Pranayama techniques can be both body warming up techniques and cooling techniques, and are recommended based on personal physical conditions, purpose of the practice and moments of the day.    They also help detoxify the body, detoxify the brain and achieve clarity, focus and overall higher mental and body functioning.   Further practice/ Life aim (my personal mantra): – always “check in” your breath and notice whether it is abdominal, thoracic or clavicular (→ see column 3 for details), and aim to have an abdominal breath. This will enhance your brain oxygenation and efficient functioning.    Activates prana in the body/ life force/ vital energy   Expands and utilises lungs capacity to their optimal functioning   Oxygenates the whole body and the brain, which triggers body & mind benefits:   natural mental and physical detoxification processes, internal organs efficiency (heart, lungs, stomach, liver, intestines),  mind clarity and concentration,intellectual faculties improvement (reasoning, memory, imagination, creativity, perception, intuition, will) which lead to goal achievements be they personal or professional goals. Stress and anxiety reliefCalm and balanced mind Self-confidence boost when practiced daily.   Balances body temperature by practicing the heating/ cooling breathing technique.   Reduces insomnia and improves sleep quality.   Helps waking up invigorated both physically and mentally.  Deep, abdominal breathing:  It is well known that a child’s inner breathing state is the abdominal one – the most efficient and closest to the healthy one. As we grow, we tend to breath mainly at thoracic or mostly clavicular levels – which will not give space to the diaphragm to expand and utilise the full lungs’ capacity to inhale the needed amount of oxygen. Hence the feelings of breath shortage, improper brain oxygenation and all the plethora of unwanted moods (fatigue, lack of concentration, lack of clarity, mood swings etc. etc.).   Deep breathing includes all three levels of breathing: abdominal thoracic and clavicular, in order to utilise lungs capacity at their maximum and invigorate the body & mind.   How to do it? For the best results, lie down on a flat surface (bed/ yoga mat), so your body is straight and relaxed.   Slightly similarly to deep breathing, inhale through nostrils while expanding your abdomen. When it reaches its maximum, inhale once more and expand the ribs until your collar bones lift slightly (so you become aware of your thoracic and clavicular breath too).   Then slowly exhale (either through your nostrils or through your mouth, as it feels better and closer to your body needs) first feeling the exhalation at the collar bones’ level (they move downward), then the chest, and finally the abdomen.   Continue the practice several times, until you feel a full oxygenation, tension relief and overall well-being.   The breath should feel natural, and, after a while, it would be felt in particular at abdominal and thoracic level.   Deep, abdominal breathing should become our natural, intuitive breath throughout the whole day, as it brings tremendous body & mind benefits.   For more types of pranayama techniques, do visit Yoga Point directory (link here).  
Meditation / dhyan (the 7th limb of ashtanga yoga)   Dhyan = mind’s focus on one point and meditation on it.
Dhyan = the study of deep concentration, calmness and tranquillity of the mind. It’s the study of attaining complete control over one’s mind.   “Meditation takes the consciousness beyond conscious, sub-conscious & unconscious states to super-consciousness.”  (Yoga Point)   How to meditate when you’ve never done it? N.B.: the practices presented below are drawn from varied cultures; practice those which resonate with you the most.    The simplest way to start practicing meditation is by focusing your attention to:  a visual target (sunset light, a candle light), an aliment taste, prayer, gratitude expression/ writing,  journaling, mantra reciting or listening to, a guided/ non-guided meditation,visualisation with background relaxing/ classical music,  (in the same line) a mindful silent walk and nature observation is also meditation; cooking can also be meditation; running can also be meditation; biodanza/ eurythmy etc. (any activity which is performed mindfully and silently).  Always remember to: Focus with a minimum of your senses so you can benefit of the practice at maximum (e.g. your sight for the sunset light; taste for an aliment; listening for a mantra/ meditation music, body movement etc.)  Should other thoughts come to your mind, observe and let them go away; bring back your attention to the “target”.Silently express gratitude for what you live/ experience in that moment.  Further practice/ Life aim (my personal mantra): Make any moment of your day a moment of conscious “meditation”. Become aware of your walk/ talk/ eating/ action/ environment when you are alone, as well as when you are accompanied.[CB1]    This practice will, in turn, enhance your cerebral functions and body operation in a relaxed, yet fully present and operational state.		  Mental strength to achieve our personal & professional goals: deep concentration, focuscalmness and tranquillity of the mindclarity of thoughts, organisation and prioritisation capacity. stability and focus on one thought (“object”)/ activity at a time and mental strength to finish it before “jumping” to the next thought/ activity; creative flows, once thoughts stability and organisation are achievedReduces insomnia and improves sleep qualityHelps waking up invigorated both physically and mentally.Tratak/ light observation Observation of a candle light/ sunset light (attention goes to the light/ colour of the sunset, and not to its descending) It is also used as a sight and mind detox or rejuvenation/ reinvigoration.  (e.g. tratak is an ideal practice after a long day of computer work/ reading/ any activity involving eyes’ concentration on a specific target)   How to do Tratak? Find a quiet place with no interruption and minimal to no noise. Focus your sight fully on the target.Maintain the sight for around 10-15 minutes, in a relaxed manner (with no tension/ strains felt)Try to stay still and relaxed, while paying your full attention to the light observation and effect it has on your mental state.   Ajapa japa/ breath observation It can easily be employed when practicing deep, abdominal breathing (see above), Focus your attention fully to the inhalation and exhalation together with your physical sensations while breathing (diaphragm expansion, abdomen/ thoracic/ clavicular gradual expansion and decrease), also notice if there is any noise coming out of your nostrils/ mouth while inhaling/ exhaling.   By focusing your attention on your breath, you’re surely be able to be fully present there and just observe.   Consider yourself as an observer of that target (sunset light, candle light, breath) and be there with no judgement, with open mind/ curiosity to see what you’ll experience. For your mind and for your body. For your general well-being.

Wrapping up and Action Plan:

  • Asanas (stable and comfortable postures) → do 3 series of Surya Namaskar (on an empty stomach, if possible, today).

Suggestions for an easy practice:

  • Print on an A3 format paper/ poster the sequence of asanas in Surya Namaskar and have it in front of you (on the wall/ floor).  
    • Find a YouTube video with Surya Namaskar/ Sun Salutation and practice simultaneously with the trainer.
  • Pranayama (breathing to enhance life force & vitality into your body) → do 5 series of Deep Abdominal breathing this evening (on a flat surface).
  • Dhyan (meditation, focus one sense to one target) → Tratak for 10 minutes (focus your eyes on the sunset light this evening); Ajapa Japa while doing the deep, abdominal breath before going to sleep.  

Let’s close the loop (of the 3 practices highlighted above) with a quote:

“Yogah Chitta Vritti Nirodhah” – Patanjali. “Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind”, so it serves our daily plans and objectives (personal & professional performance).

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If you’ve read thill here, sincere Thank you and congrats! Should these resonate with you, I warmly encourage you to start with your first practice today (or all three!).

Stay mindful, proactive and safe,

Cristina

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For any questions or interest in further exploration on the subject, do contact me on:

LinkedIn: Cristina Nicoleta Burcă
Facebook: Cristina Burca
Instagram: CristinaB.09

Cristina’s website is coming soon and there’ll be able to read more about yoga practices.

Inspiration resources:

  • My personal practice of yoga since 2009; further study, training & certifications (Hatha yoga trainer 200h+ and Yoga therapy and naturopathy adviser 200h+) at Yoga Vidya Gurukul (09-11/ 2013);  yoga philosophy and practice e-directory: www.yogapoint.com.
  • Huffington Post article (2012 USA study on yoga):   https://bit.ly/3cu05pg
  • Book “Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha”, by Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1969, reprinted 2002).

[1] With Yoga Vidya Gurukul Institute, www.yogapoint.com (hence my further references to their directory).

[2] These 3 types of yoga practices are parts of the 8 limbs/ components of Ashtanga yoga, as defined by Patanjali, Indian sage, author of Yoga Sutras, collection of 196 Sanskrit sutras (aphorisms), compiled prior to 400 CE, on the theory and practice of yoga (for the full 8 limbs, go to Yoga Point directory, here: link). The original terms are in Sanskrit (asana, pranayama, dhyan etc.)