The Art Of Self-Care: Prioritizing Wellness In A Chaotic World
Yoga may be used to effectively combat stress. Your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing will be taken care of when you regularly practise yogic practises like asanas, pranayama, and meditation.
Wake up Early
Begin each day with a few rounds of Surya Namaskar, often known as the Sun Salutation, as well as breathing and meditation exercises. You will feel less anxious and more at peace if you can spend even 15-20 minutes a day on your yoga mat.
Practice Asanas - Start with Sukshma Vyayam or subtle exercises. This ensures that you are thoroughly warmed up before you start your practise of yoga asanas. To gradually warm up the joints, you can rotate your neck, arms, wrists, hips, and ankles. Walk around as you continue stretching and mobilizing your muscles. This will keep you safe from practice-related injuries and get your body ready for a practise.
Here are a few simple asanas that you can hold for upto a minute each.
· Hastha Uthanasana
· Dhanurasana – Bow Pose
· Urdvamukha Svanasana – Upward Dog Pose
· Veera Bhadrasana – Warrior Pose
· Sarvangasana – Shoulder stand
Follow this with a breathing technique for another 3 minutes, meditation for 2-3 minutes too, and you can end the session by chanting a few mantras.
Meditation for Inner Calmness
Swaas Dhyan
Formation
· Sit in a comfortable posture
· Place your palms on your knees facing up (Prapthi Mudra)
· Straighten your back and close your eyes
· Inhale and exhale in a ratio of 6:6, i.e., if you inhale in six counts, you need to exhale in six counts
· Focus on your breath entering and then leaving your nostrils as you inhale and exhale.
Disha/direction: Face towards East
Benefits
· Brings your mind to the present and makes you more aware
· Reduces stress
· You will experience calmness
· Clears your mind of unwanted thoughts
Pranayama techniques
Khand Pranayama
Method:
· Sit in any comfortable position - Sukhasana, Ardha Padmasana, Vajrasana or Poorna Padmasana.
· Keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed and close your eyes to focus on your breath.
· Place your palms on your knees facing upward (in Prapthi Mudra)
· Break your inhalation into 2 instalments and exhalation in 2
Duration - You may begin by practicing this breathing technique for 1-2 minutes a day and gradually increase the frequency and duration with practise.
Kapal Bhati Pranayama
Method
· Sit in any comfortable pose (such as Sukhasan, Ardhapadmasan or Padmasana)
· Straighten your back and close your eyes
· Place your palms on your knees facing up (in Prapthi Mudra)
· Inhale normally and focus on exhaling with a short, rhythmic and forceful breath
· Inhalation should happen automatically between exhales
Yoga improves mental clarity, allowing you to declutter your mind and establish closer ties with yourself. Yoga cultivates mindfulness, which aids you in overcoming challenging circumstances that life presents to you. You may reduce stress in your life and direct your efforts towards personal improvement by doing yoga.
