Ayurveda Basics for Yogis

Ayurveda is an ancient health system that works hand in hand with Yoga to bring the body to good health.

Despite its depth and richness, Ayurveda provides you with simple ways to incorporate this system into your everyday life.

Ayurvedic Fundamentals

Ayurveda looks at balancing three different qualities, or Dosha, to bring health and well-being. These qualities are everywhere – in people, food, nature, and the time of the day!

The Dosha are: Vata – dry, airy, and light; Kapha – grounding, heavy, and cool; and Pitta – intense and heating.

Each person has his or her own individual proportion of Dosha. When the Dosha are in the individual’s proportions, it is balanced and feels good.

When one or more Dosha is out of balance, you may feel unwell physically, emotionally, or mentally. Many factors can affect this balance so awareness and self care are necessary to stay in the proper proportion.

The Ayurvedic Clock

In four-hour cycles each day, a different Dosha dominates, changing the mood and energy. Just as nighttime is naturally for sleeping, each Dosha cycle lends itself to certain activities. By aligning your activities to the Ayurvedic Clock, your body will more in tune with nature and find it easier to stay balanced.

Vata begins during the early morning (2 – 6 am) to rouse us from sleep, followed by heaviness of Kapha dominating from 6 to 10 am. Pitta manifests as digestive fire during 10 am – 2 pm.

The rest of the day cycles through the same stages of Vata, Kapha, Pitta – and so on.

The nature of these cycles recommend waking up before the heaviness of Kapha at 6 am; otherwise the snooze button becomes inevitable! Brahmamahurta, the ideal time for meditation (4 – 6 am), occurs just before the onset of Kapha.

Morning Kapha is the best time to do Yoga Asanas because it helps us ground ourselves to give stability to the day.

Our body naturally calms and relaxes to make way for sleep during the evening Kapha cycle. Once Pitta comes at 10 pm, you may get a second wind as the body is active to clean and repair itself.

Working with nature helps your body run more efficiently; it makes it easier for your body to restore and rebalance itself.

Yoga Asanas and Ayurveda

Yoga asanas are not simply stretches – so don’t only do the ones you like! They have direct effects on our wellbeing. A balanced asana practice keeps us healthy and in harmony. Otherwise, it will bring us out of balance!

A balanced yoga practice includes preparation (for example, an initial savasana), warm up (Sun Salutations is a good one), asanas, pranayama, followed by a final phase of relaxation / meditation.

Within the asana practice, include at least one asana from each of the following categories: inversion, forward bend, backward bend, lateral / side bend, spinal rotation, and balance posture.

With a balanced yoga practice, you can bring your body gently back into balance without having to understand all of the intricacies of Ayurveda or even knowing exactly what Dosha imbalance you may have!

A balanced asana practice is an easy way to work with the body and doesn’t take much time. Following nature’s timetable helps your mind become calm as it doesn’t need to fight against itself.

These two simple changes will help you feel good all the time. Work with nature using Yoga and basic Ayurveda principles to bring your being into harmony.

Secret Power of Mantras

To those unfamiliar with them, mantras can sound like mumbo jumbo. But mantras are definitely not meaningless sounds repeated over and over! Mantras can have a powerful effect when repeated with a focused intention and pure heart.

In yoga, mantras call on the energies of a higher power and help the practitioner to connect with the qualities of the Divine within.

What is a Mantra?

A mantra can be defined as mystical energy encapsulated in a sound structure. Broken into its roots, man comes from the first syllable of the word “to think”, and tra means “to protect or free.”

With deep sustained focus and repetition of a mantra, energy begins to concentrate and manifest. These energies are present all the time, but normally they are not concentrated sufficiently to have an effect.

Some mantras call upon specific deities. This can be misleading to the uninitiated, because all mantras call to the Divine, just different aspects/roles of this Greater Power as represented by each deity. This is similar to how you play different roles in your life (parent, child, sibling, friend, colleague, etc.) but remain the same person.

Mantra’s Powers

In his book Japa Yoga, Swami Sivananda states:

A mantra generates the creative forces and bestows eternal Bliss. A mantra when constantly repeated awakens the consciousness.

Mantras from the yogic tradition are in Sanskrit and contain powers because the sound combinations in the words are believed to come from the Divine and each is associated to a specific vibration to give certain results.

Famous Yogic Mantras

OM

Om is the original sound and mantra. It is usually incorporated into other mantras because it is so powerful.

Om has many meanings as it represents everything, but one way to understand it is the sound of consciousness. It awakens physical and mental powers and can bring peace, protection, and wisdom.

Om has 3 sounds within one syllable, it sounds like “ahhh oohhh mmmm”, so it’s sometimes written as AUM — short, simple, yet powerful.

Om Namah Sivaya

This mantra calls upon the deity Siva, sometimes known as the Destroyer or Transformer. For something new to emerge, the old must first be destroyed, then it can be transformed into the new.

This transformative process applies to all situations, big and small; from birth to death, destroying old habits to create new ones, or breaking the bonds that hold us back.

Namah means to prostrate, bow down, or simply to give respect.

Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha

Ganapati is another name for Ganesha, one of the most recognizable deities. He has the body of a man and head of an elephant.

In rituals, his name is always the first to be revered as he helps to remove obstacles from our way and brings spiritual success. Ganesha represents strength and fortitude and protects all who call upon him.

Reciting mantras might seem a bit strange at first, but after a while, the repetition begins to have a soothing effect. Even those around you feel a sense of peace and enveloping calm. These powerful mantras send off vibrations like ripples in a pond, affecting everyone and everything.

You do not need to understand or fully comprehend what is possible with mantras; all you need to do is repeat it, feel it, and be open to what happens.

3 Ways Yoga Helps You Work Better

When you practice yoga, you feel pretty good during and even after class. Did you know that your yoga practice can help you do better at work?

Without trying, your work life benefits. Really! Here are a few ways yoga helps you at work.

Work More Efficiently

Practising yoga is not just about the physical movements. As you practise yoga, the mind becomes clear, present, and focused on the task at hand. Distractions are less distracting as your mind can concentrate faster and with more ease.

At work, your mind begins to operate this way because it is used to doing so. Do you notice that you become immersed in your tasks quickly and can focus for longer periods? When someone comes to speak to you, do you see how you’re able to switch quickly and get back to your original task?

That’s yoga at work.

Be Less Stressed

Breathe slowly. Breathe deeply. You probably heard your yoga instructor say this at least a few times during each class. It’s worth repeating over and over because of the benefits of breathing deeply and slowly.

Your breathing has most likely changed since you began practising yoga. It’s a subtle change so you might not notice that you now breathe deeper and slower even outside of yoga classes. The breathing helps keep the body more relaxed so the negative impacts of stress are reduced.

The simple act of breathing deeply and slowly is not always that easy. A person in a tense, anxious, or agitated state is not able to do this easily. Someone who is emotional cannot do it either.

The good news is that, with some effort, someone who is not calm but intentionally breathes deeply and slowly will within minutes become more at peace.

Work Better with Others

No man or woman is an island, yet at some point in time we have all wished that we didn’t have to deal with some people at work. Yoga can’t eliminate challenging situations, but it can help make it more bearable in different ways.

Let’s look at how yoga helps you face these challenges.

Think about the time when your yoga instructor told you to come into Sarvangasana (shoulder stand) or Halasana (plough). You probably broke a sweat just thinking about it the first time. In hopes of mastering it, you even looked forward to practising the asana!

When that angry customer, difficult co-worker, or not-so-nice boss approaches you next, shift your perspective to look forward to the opportunity to learn and master the situation – just like you did with asanas.

Remember that yoga is not just exercise. Incorporate the mindfulness you cultivate to be present.

Be mindful of your body and your breath; it’s a great measuring stick to know how you are. View challenges as just that, something for you to over come, not shy away from!

You’ll feel less stress at work and be able to handle whatever is thrown at you, if you incorporate yoga into your day.

Yoga Asanas for Walkers and Runners

We all do a little (or a lot!) of walking or running in our everyday lives to get from point A to point B. Sometimes that point B is somewhere we want to physically move our bodies. Other times, it’s a place we need to move our minds.

Yoga Asanas

Some yoga asanas may be helpful as a stretch to help loosen your body before and after running or walking. Hold stretches for a minimum of 30 seconds; one minute is even better to allow the muscles to relax and stretch. To put that in context, one minute is relatively short compared to your yoga practice, where holding for at least few minutes is best.

It may seem logical to focus on stretching the areas which were worked the most during exercise, but yoga is about balance. Here are a few yoga stretches that will feel great after running or walking.

Mmmmm for your Lower Body

Padahastasana (Forward Bend) and Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) are great for releasing tension in the backs of the legs and will feel great. These two asanas deeply target the hamstrings where much of the power for running and walking are generated.

To deepen the stretch, flex the feet, if you’re in Padahastasana, or bring your body weight on to your toes, if you’re in Uttanasana, to stretch the calves and Achilles tendon.

Kapotasana (Pigeon) is another a great stretch for the hips and buttocks and can provide relief and feel amazing.

Release Your Back

Running can put a lot of pressure on your joints, including your spine. Slow gentle walking, on the other hand, can help to release tension in the back muscles. Both activities keep the back relatively straight, but your spine needs movement to stay flexible and strong!

Trikonasana (Triangle) can help ease the sides of the body, which can get a bit tense with the swinging action of the arms and hips. If you have tightness in the outside of your legs, you may feel this being stretched as well.

Ardha Matsendrasena (Half Spinal Twist) is a great way to get some rotation in the back. Be extra careful to be gentle as your back may not be ready for a sudden, deep twist.

Loosen the Whole Body

For a whole body release, nothing beats Savasana (Corpse). It’s a passive release that’s a wonderful opposition to the rush of blood and energy from exercise.

Resist the temptation to drop into Savasana right after vigorous exercise. Allow your body to return to a nearly normal state before resting in Savasana to actively release all of your muscles. Don’t forget to let your mind rest and relax as well!

With any exercise, it’s best to take time between any vigorous activity before or after yoga practice so that you can get the most out of each activity. Even if you just do a few yoga asanas to stretch out the body, choose a range of stretches or asanas to keep the body in balance.

Running and walking are a great complement to your yoga practice both mentally and physically, so keep it up yogi!

Expand Your Yoga Practice with Pranayama

If you couldn’t breathe for even a few moments, you’d probably feel anxiety and panic rushing in.

Breathing is an automatic and innate process, but it’s not just an uncontrollable bodily function. With Pranayama, you can unleash the hidden powers within your breath.

Where’s your Prana?

Remember when you were young and imagined that you were a superhero? Where did your super power go? It’s still there, just hidden away. It’s your Prana.

Your energy has many different names. In yogic terms, it’s called Prana. The Chinese call it Qi; in Japan, it’s Ki or Youki; the New Age movement calls it Cosmic Energy.

Use your Prana Wisely

You can use Yogic principles and practices to conserve your energy when it’s not required and to increase your energy.

Do you have unconscious habits like clenching your jaw, holding your abdomen muscles, or tensing your shoulders? Do you get upset at small things or hold a grudge toward someone?

These habits are like holding an unnecessary heavy brick for the entire day. Conserve your energy for when you need it by relaxing the physical body and mind whenever possible.

Maximize your Asana Practice

Get more out of your asana practice by incorporating your breath. Slow full breaths will help to clear your mind and connect with yourself on a deeper level. You can breathe during asana practice and throughout your day to bring increased mental alertness.

Dirga Swasam Pranayama – full yogic breath, or three-part breathing – is relatively easy. Relax your body, take a slow, deep breath by inflating the bottoms of the lungs by the belly, the middle, then the tops of the lungs near the shoulders. Then exhale slowly by deflating the same way: bottoms of the lungs first, then the middle, then the top.

Increase your Energy with Pranayama

Pranayama breathing exercises can help to increase your energy. Anuloma Viloma (alternate nostril breathing) produces results within minutes to balance the whole of your being.

In the first level, sit comfortably with the back straight. Your left hand is in Chin Mudra with the palm upward, thumb and index finger lightly touching, and your other fingers are straight. Use your right thumb to gently close the right nostril to take a slow breath in and out of the left nostril. Then block the left nostril with the ring finger and repeat on the right. The breath is elongated to inhale for 4 counts, exhaling for 8.

This practice can be advanced several times. In the second level, stick to the same count, but inhale through the left and exhale through the right, then inhale through the right and exhale through the left.

In the third level, a retention is added so the count becomes inhale for 4, retain for 16, exhale for 8. When introducing the retention, begin with a shorter retention for 8. Then when the body and mind can stay calm, extend the retention for the full length.

Use your inner energy wisely and make the most out of it. Pranayama builds the energy that you already have inside of you. Practicing pranayama before or after asanas will strengthen the benefits of both the pranayama and asana practice and will give you energy to help you fulfill your potential!

Easing Stiff Bodies into Yoga

Does your body sometimes feel like it belongs to someone else? Unfamiliar, uncomfortable, stiff? No, there’s no app for that, but there is yoga!

Yoga isn’t only for flexible people, coordinated people, fully mobile people, or younger people. There is no one way that yoga is practiced; it is always adapted for the individual, even for the most flexible bodies. Stiffness is a perfect reason to begin a yoga practice.

All physical yoga practices are based on Hatha Yoga asanas (postures) despite the many different styles that you may have heard of. These “types” of yoga were named by yoga studios in Western countries to distinguish variations of practices based on speed, asana sequences, level of activity, and founder.

Gentle, Supportive Practice

For a gentle introduction, Restorative Yoga is a great first step. It’s also a balancing practice for yogis who have a very fast or active yoga practice. It’s a slower, gentler practice which uses yoga props to help ease into the asanas.

Restorative classes are less intimidating than more vigorous forms. Postures don’t require high degrees of balance, strength, or flexibility. It seems more realistic and achievable for those who are less flexible or have constraints on movement.

The body is supported, sometimes completely resting on yoga blocks or a soft yoga bolster. When touching your toes or other parts is not possible, straps help you bridge the gap and extend the reach of your arms.

In a restorative practice, you hold each posture for a longer period of time, which provides you with an opportunity to tune into your physical state. Staying in a posture increases your awareness of the amount of muscle tension in your body.

Holding postures at a comfortable level of stretch allows you to actively release the tension in your muscles. Even if that release is just for a split second before the tension returns, that’s still progress. Each stretch becomes an opportunity for you to feel a sense of achievement.

Relaxing the Mind

People are constantly stimulated by the external world: there are work emails, social media posts, demands from family, and appointments with friends. We’re used to being pulled in different directions, both mentally and physical.

Restorative yoga brings the exact opposite of this. There are no distractions to pull your attention away from what you’re doing. Your body is still and calm in each posture, and the room is completely silent. You are alone. Or so it seems.

In this moment, your mind can become a distraction in and of itself. It starts to wander away, further and further as each thought moves seamlessly into another. Then, the teacher reminds you to allow your mind to slow down, to keep your mind on the sensations in the body or on the breath.

It’s easy to be aware of how active your mind truly is during a Restorative class. If you’re able to give your mind a moment or two of rest, you’ll find some mental calm.

Physical tension occurs as a result of mental or emotional tension, or from the body being in protection mode. Having released your mental tension, your body can begin to release physical tension and stiffness.

If you’ve been thinking about trying yoga to increase flexibility, or if you’re looking for a respite from the hectic pace of everyday life, give Restorative Yoga a try. It’s not as easy as it looks, but it feels great!

Twist and Untwist the Yogic Way

There are many expressions with the word twist that mean that something is difficult or wrong. Twisting is not usually comfortable – twisting the body, twisting the mind.

Twisting anything will increase tension just like twisting strands of a rope together. But with yoga asanas, twisting can feel good and is good for you!

Twisting has many different benefits for the physical body, so we’ll stick to a few major ones here. Regardless of your age or ability, there’s a twist for every body.

Increasing Spinal Health

A healthy spine is one that is gently curved in the right places with cushioning between each vertebra. It’s flexible and signals flow smoothly along its length.

Regular gentle twisting of the spine improves flexibility of the spine and keeps muscle stiffness at bay. Excessive curvatures of the spine are reduced and, where curves are lacking, twisting helps increase these curves.

Detoxification of internal organs

Think of a wet washcloth being wrung out, then put into a bucket of water. The cloth loosens and expands with the new water. This is what gently happens to your internal organs when you twist.

Twisting helps the body cleanse itself more quickly as blood is gently pushed out of the organs, taking with it de-oxygenated blood and waste products. This blood is cleansed and re-oxygenated before circulating back into the body.

To detox using asanas, hold the poses for a few minutes on each side and repeat 2-3 times.

Improved digestion

The adult digestive system is 30 feet long and twisted up into a space of one foot for an entire lifespan all while having food continually pushed through it.

With gentle and repeated twisting, food and gas is helped along through the digestive tract. Areas where food slows down or gets trapped are opened up and it can continue in its journey through the digestive system.

Twist a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

There are many different twists. Choose the intensity of the twist based on your ability and comfort.

For a relaxing passive twist, lie on your back with arms out to the side. Bend the knees and bring them to the left while keeping the shoulders on the floor. Repeat on the other side.

For a moderate twist, try Parivrtta Trikonasana (revolved triangle), Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (revolved side angle pose), and Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (revolved head to knee pose).

For a deep active twist, practice Ardha Matsyendrasana (half spinal twist / half Lord of the fish), Marichyasana, or if you’re very flexible, Purna Matsyendrasana (full spinal twist/ Lord of the fish). In these poses, the foot or thigh presses against the belly to increase pressure on internal organs.

Twists are invaluable for maintaining spinal flexibility and the body in good condition. As with all asanas, it is good to hold for longer periods of time where possible. Some are gentler than others, but what’s important is you are doing some kind of twist each day to support the good health of your body.

Yoga Ethics for Everyday Living

The beautiful thing about ethics in yogic philosophy is that they’re tools to give you contentment in life. They’re not additional obstacles we put in our own way; rather, they empower us to tune in to our true selves.

Yogic ethics are simple and easy to understand. Despite their ancient origins, they’re still very applicable to today’s world.

Non-Violence

Obviously, we must not be violent to others, but to what extent? Non-violence is not only physical but also emotional and mental. It’s about what we do, say, and think.

When we think “bad” thoughts about someone, we cause ourselves mental distress. When we do or say mean things, we hurt others and also cause ourselves mental anguish. It’s a no-win situation.

Begin with curbing your behaviours, then your written words and speech. Once you’ve mastered that, work on your thoughts.

At the core, being non-violent protects others, and it protects us from ourselves. This principle applies to people, animals and mother nature. By practising non-violence, we become good to ourselves.

Truthfulness

Big lies, little lies, white lies – there’s so many different kinds of lies. Be true to others and yourself.

There can be a bit of an art to being truthful, because non-violence must also be heeded. Be good in our intentions, sensitive with our words, and careful with our tone so that we can be honest and loving with others.

Being honest with ourselves is the most difficult truth. Ultimately, being honest with ourselves will allow us to connect deeper with our true self.

Not stealing

Didn’t steal anything lately? Check. Didn’t take advantage of anyone? Check. Got rid of my greediness? Not completely.

The principle of not stealing relates to greed. When we overcome greed, we become generous in nature. We become happy to give to others because we receive more than what we gave.

Greed can manifest in an unlimited number of ways. It includes big things like stealing and extends even to smaller things like continually asking favours from someone who you know has trouble saying no.

How can we reduce our greediness? Don’t compare what you may give away against what we think we may get back. See people as more than what we can get from them.

Remember the last time you gave a present, you felt joy. Your happiness is immeasurable and worth more than any mere object. The universe is capable of giving to us in more ways than we can imagine.

Self Restraint

Our bodies are a big driver in the things we do everyday, from eating, sleeping, and satisfying sexual urges. When emotions are not controlled, such as when we’re angry or depressed, we do things we would not normally do. You’ll have more control over other parts of your life if you first master your senses.

Non-coveting

The last ethical principle is to not covet, which really means to strive to be content with what we have. This doesn’t mean that we don’t try to improve and change our situations. It means appreciating all the goodness in our lives.

It will help us get out of the mental rat race, the keeping up with the Joneses, the unending search for happiness. By being content with what we have, we find mental peace and the ability to enjoy the moment we’re in.

Do not look at the ethics as a set of rules that box you in and prevent you from doing what you want to do. View it as a set of tools to help you be content and peaceful in your life. The ethics don’t tie you up, they set you free. These are the Yamas.

Dive Deeper with Meditation Techniques

Meditation sometimes has a bad rap and people feel it’s not for them or it’s too difficult. But meditation is like sleep – it comes easier for some and it’s what your mind and body naturally need, no matter how much you deny it.

Like a power nap, you’ll feel better even after just a few minutes of meditation so give it another try!

Monkey Minds

Before diving into meditation techniques, remember that one key job of the mind is to think. It thinks of an incredible number of things yet is very easily distracted, jumping from one thing to another; hence, a traditional metaphor among yogis is to describe this state as “monkey mind”.

With some training, the monkey mind can slow down and focus on one thought for a longer period of time. This is meditation – concentration of the mind.

There are many different meditation techniques, so here are just a few basic traditional yogic techniques to train your mind and dive deeper with meditation.

Basic Meditation

Take a comfortable seat in a quiet room and close your eyes. Relax all parts of your body and sit perfectly still. Resist the temptation to scratch or move. Take notice of your breathing. Simply observe the experience of breathing for 5 minutes. When your mind wanders (it will!), gently bring the mind back to your breath.

Do this every day for a week, then increase to 10 minutes, 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes or even an hour. You’ll feel an amazing calm and contentment afterward. You might even want to do it twice a day to keep this feeling!

This technique is sufficient for a lifetime but, if you need more to keep your mind focused, read on.

Meditating with Movements

Now that you’re in basic meditation each day, try adding an active meditation. It’s as simple as walking. Inhale with every 3-5 steps, and exhale over the next same number of steps. As in the basic meditation technique, you should observe your breathing. This can be done with any repetitious movement such as running, biking, or swimming.

Meditation with Mental Repetition

“Japa” meditation is meditating while repeating a set of words. Saying the thoughts mentally is actually more powerful than saying them aloud.

Say a mantra or short sentence out loud over and over again. Reduce the volume gradually until it’s a barely perceptible whisper, then continue mentally.

Some use a mala with their mantra repetition to help quiet the mind and body. “Count” a bead for each repetition using your thumb until you reach the guru bead, then turn the mala around.

Practice Concentration

Support your meditation practice by training your concentration with everyday tasks. Start with one task – no multi-tasking! Choose a chore like dishwashing, work tasks like updating a website, or enjoyable things like chatting with a friend or eating dinner.

Like meditating, when your mind wanders away, gently bring the mind back. If you were doing something enjoyable, immersing yourself fully makes it more pleasurable. Work is finished quickly, quality of work higher, and the whole experience is less fatiguing mentally. It’s a winning result!

Meditation is like sleep; everyone’s experience is similar yet completely different. You can test out different techniques while remembering that basic ones are sometimes the most effective.

Meditation gets easier with practice. Everyone sleeps each night despite the occasional insomnia, so practice meditation with the same perseverance!

Work Yoga into Your Daily Life

In an ideal day, you wake before sunrise for a blissful meditation, followed by yoga to stretch and strengthen the body. An easily digestible breakfast awakens the digestive system.

Your workday is productive and positive with a balanced mental state and stress level. In the evening, meditation closes off the busy day. With yogic practices at the core of your everyday life, this life is possible!

Begin with a Peaceful Morning

Highly successful people begin each day with a sense of calm. To ensure that this happens, get up earlier, even if just by a few minutes before the daily chaos sets in.

Take this time not to check your phone or your email, but savour the moment for yourself. Do what feels good for you – a few minutes of meditation, a few rounds of sun salutations, maybe some asanas.

Start small to develop a habit you can nurture for life. Building positive associations with getting up early creates an internal desire to continue the habit. It’s important to do a little each day, even when you don’t feel like it. You’ll gain a sense of accomplishment and feel better after you finish your practice.

Check in During the Day

The workday can be full of planning and post-analysis, drawing us out of the present. Remember that keeping the past in the past and the future in the future will help you be your best now.

Check in with yourself throughout the day. Choose an activity you do throughout the day – look at the clock, get a coffee, or grab a nibble to eat. Each time you start and finish the activity, stop and take 5 deep slow breaths, then do a quick assessment of your physical and mental state.

Now ask yourself: Do I need to mentally let go of something? Do I need 5 more breaths to let go physically? If you’re not feeling calm already, do 2 minutes of meditation. The busier your day is, the more critical it is to check in with yourself.

Recharge in the Evening

After a busy workday, recharge your energy so you can maximize your precious time with friends, family, or yourself! A recharging activity done in the early evening is a good way to transition from work to personal time.

Practice asanas again to invigorate the body, or dive deep with a 30-minute meditation to give your mind a well-deserved rest. If time is tight, a few minutes in savasana lying down or in a chair can’t be beat! Set a timer for 5-10 minutes so that you can completely relax and not worry about going over time. You’ll feel better afterward, guaranteed!

Imagine how great you would feel every day if you were able to keep up this routine. By adapting yoga to fit in your life, you can make it happen. It’s possible if you start with small, realistic steps. Each day is a new day, so don’t be discouraged when you miss a few steps, that will happen. But the more you do it, the better you’ll feel.