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How To Get Up For A Morning Workout

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Looking to change your morning routine? Perhaps you want to start your day off by getting in a great workout. Now, the trick is getting up for it! Morning workouts can be beneficial to everyone. They are a wonderful way to start your day and set the tone for the rest of your day. 

There are many advantages to working out in the morning including having more energy throughout your day, putting yourself in a great mood first thing in the morning (endorphins, baby!), and not to mention, your focus will be improved for your next activity because you are more alert. With all of these advantages, what’s stopping you?

For many people, the actual getting up part is what is so difficult. How can you change your whole routine and wake up earlier for a workout? Well, it may not be easy, but it is definitely not impossible! So what’s the secret? In this article, we will give you 7 secrets to getting up for a morning workout! Let’s get started. 

7 Secrets To Waking Up Early For A Morning Workout

Each person is different, so you may need to try different things and see which ones work for you. These 7 tips are a great place to begin. Try one of them, or try them all, but you will need to experiment to see what wakes you up the best. Let’s take a look:

  1. Place your alarm clock across the room. Because hitting snooze on the alarm clock is so easy, it can be a big temptation to do rather than getting out of bed and getting ready for your day. That is why placing your alarm clock on the other side of the room can help you get up and get going. If you have to physically get out of bed to turn off your alarm, then your chances of actually getting up and getting ready for a workout are much higher than if your alarm is right beside you. You will be much less tempted to hit snooze and much more likely to get going.
  1. Layout your clothes and set your gym bag and sneakers by the door the night before. If you practice yoga don’t forget to roll your yoga mat ready too. Rather than waiting until the morning to prepare everything, do it the night before. That way, it is all set and ready to go and you can shave a few minutes off of your morning routine to take some “you” time. Mentally preparing for your day is a great way to start it out, so having those extra 5-10 minutes not having to decide what to wear and worrying about packing everything in your bag can be very beneficial. Set everything by the door so that you won’t forget anything on your way out.
  1. Stock up on easy breakfast options. Having an easy breakfast option that is quick and ready to go can really save you some time, and bonus points if it’s healthy! Oftentimes we feel rushed in the morning and this will either cause us to skip the gym, go eat some fast food that’s not good for our bodies, or skip breakfast altogether (which is not healthy). So if you have some healthy, ready-to-eat breakfast foods on hand, you can grab and go, making it to the gym on time and not feeling rushed!!
  1. Plan your workout the night before. If you have your workout already planned, then it will save you the excuse of “I don’t really feel like going to the gym and winging it”. You already know what you are going to do, so you can go and get it done. It’s as simple as that. Plus, if you plan a fun workout, you are much more likely to stay motivated and get up ready to go!
  1. Get your coffeemaker ready to go the night before. If you have an automatic coffeemaker, then set it to start brewing a few minutes before you wake up. The smell of coffee can actually begin to wake you up before you drink it, so your body will be waking up before you even are. If you don’t have an automatic coffeemaker, go ahead and get everything ready the night before so that all you have to do is push a button and your coffee is brewing! If you are more of a tea drinker, then go ahead and set everything out so that you can easily get it ready before you go. 
  1. Have a personal trainer. Working out with someone else makes things more interesting. You’re not as likely to get bored during your workout. Not only that, but it will hold you accountable. After all, it isn’t only you that will be let down if you don’t show up! It’s like having an accountability buddy. 
  1. Go to bed earlier. This simple, but effective tip can really make a huge difference. The earlier you go to bed, the more sure you will be that you are getting enough sleep. And when you get enough sleep, you will wake up more energized and ready to take on the day and your workout! So try going to bed just 30 minutes earlier. Even those 30 minutes can make a huge difference in how your workout goes (or if it even happens at all). 

Waking up for the gym can be difficult, but with consistency and a little discipline, as well as using one (or all) of these tips, you will be waking up early and getting in great workouts in no time! Consistency is key, so don’t give up! You will feel amazing once your workout is done. 

5 Ways to Energize Yourself Before a Workout

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Working out in the morning might be a monumental task if you aren’t an early riser. But a previous article on Namafit explains that morning workouts can put you in a good mood and improve your focus for the day. If you’re finding it hard to motivate and energize yourself for a workout, here are some tips to get you started — no matter what time it is.

Be sure to hydrate properly

You don’t have to wait until you feel thirsty before drinking water, as thirst is a sign that you’re already about 2% dehydrated. Before working out, you should already prepare your body by staying hydrated throughout the day. According to Self, not having enough fluids in your body means your heart needs to work much harder to pump blood — which means it will make your workouts feel more intense than they should. Plus, staying hydrated also reduces the possibility of guzzling too much water during the workout, which can upset your stomach.

Eat healthy carbs

Carbohydrates are an essential energy source, acting as the body’s main fuel during exercise. However, Healthline shows that not all carbohydrates are ideal pre-workout food. Simple carbohydrates, such as white bread and sweets, are only short-term sources of energy. Consuming these will make you feel tired even before your workout is over. Opt for complex carbohydrates instead, since the body digests it more slowly than simple carbs — giving you a more consistent source of energy for a longer period of time. Examples of these are whole grains, corn, rice, fruits, and vegetables.

Practice breathing exercises

Don’t immediately jump into your workout routine. Take time to do deep breathing before you start exercising, since it increases the oxygen in your blood, which also helps prepare your body for all the movement. Moreover, it releases tension and endorphins, which are natural painkillers. Consider adding deep breathing to your warm-up and reap its positive benefits to your immune system, mental health, and more.

Have some caffeine

Caffeine is perhaps one of the most popular pre-workout drinks. After all, it helps improve circulation, decrease muscle pain, and improve workout recovery. But there are many ways to drink caffeine aside from coffee. As explained on Pretty Me’s feature on Lean n Green coffee, many beverages make use of green coffee beans. These not only give you the energizing benefits of caffeine, but it comes with the added bonus of converting more fat and glucose to energy. Some are even combined with more powerful ingredients like L-carnitine, which helps further enhance energy production. If you’re not much of a coffee drinker, BBC Good Food’s article on tea explains that black tea and green tea have the highest caffeine content for your pre-workout buzz.

Ensure you’ve had enough sleep

The more rested you are, the better your mind and body will function. Sleep improves your concentration, mood, and focus, which makes you more efficient and prepared for your exercise. Having enough sleep also motivates you to stick to your plan to exercise. Exercising while you lack sleep, on the other hand, will make you feel fatigued faster — making it harder for you to complete your workout.

A good workout isn’t simply a matter of finishing your routine. A good workout is also determined by what you do to prepare for it.

    The Art of Yoga Nidra – Its Practice & Benefits

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    In today’s competitive world, the constant workload and hunger to succeed has induced the feelings of stress, tiredness, and anxiety within our mind. 

    In between our hectic and stressful professional and personal lives, we all crave a few minutes of silence, peace, and relaxation. 

    Meet Yoga Nidra – an ancient yogic practice to find your mind in a more peaceful, collected state. A 45-minute session will provide various powerful benefits for your body, brain, and mind. And there are several Yoga Nidra courses online to help you master this ancient art of deep relaxation. 

    Chakra Meditation

    What is the Modern Practice of Yoga Nidra? 

    Yoga Nidra, widely known as “yogic sleep” or “effortless relaxation,” is the conscious state between wakefulness and sleep, allowing a sense of well-being and deep relaxation throughout your body. 

    Yoga Nidra originated from a tantric concept called Nyasa. The term “Yoga Nidra” was unknown in public till Swami Satyananda Saraswati introduced it in 1964. Effectively, Swami Satyananda modernized the practice of Yoga Nidra. 

    How Does Yoga Nidra Work? 

    As mentioned above, Yoga Nidra is a form of deep relaxation. A typical session lasts 30 to 45 minutes. The practitioner’s body rests comfortably relaxed in a savasana, i.e., corpse position, and the guru/teacher guides them through several stages with verbal instructions. 

    It begins with gradually developing concentration, asking ourselves what we want from life, and setting intentions to achieve those goals. 

    The teacher guides the student to concentrate their awareness on body sensations, breath, thoughts, and emotions, which develops “witness consciousness” – the understanding that we are more than our thoughts and recognizing ourselves as the one who is aware, i.e., the witness. 

    A forty-five-minute session of Yoga Nidra is equivalent to a 3-hour sleep. 

    Benefits of Yoga Nidra 

    Yoga Nidra has proven to rejuvenate your body by eliminating stress, sores, aches, and tiredness. Let’s dive into the 5 primary benefits of practicing Yoga Nidra: 

    1. Anyone Can Perform Yoga Nidra 

    The most significant advantage of Yoga Nidra is that it is one of the simplest and easiest yoga Asanas to perform. It doesn’t require any special efforts or endurance. There is no requirement to balance your body on one finger or place your foot behind your head. On the contrary, you have to let all that go during a session of Yoga Nidra. 

    All you need to do is to lie down in a corpse-like position, and your instructor does the rest. Therefore, this practice can get performed by anyone – from young children to aging individuals, beginners to advanced practitioners, and everyone in between. 

    2. There Is No Way to Perform It Incorrectly 

    Unlike traditional meditation practices that can be task-oriented or extremely specific, practicing Yoga Nidra can never go wrong. 

    As you lie down in Savasana, all you have to do is follow the instructor’s voice and maintain some subtle awareness of your body and breath. 

    The fascinating aspect of Yoga Nidra is that even if you fall asleep, you will still be doing it right, as your subconscious can still benefit from the practice even when the conscious mind checks out. 

    3. Reduces Stress and Anxiety 

    Amidst various ailments, stress and anxiety reside in some minds permanently. Yoga Nidra helps tackle and overcome these issues. 

    Yoga Nidra involves systematic muscle relaxation, and deep breathing helps calm your parasympathetic nervous system. Therefore, promoting rejuvenation and stress relief. A state of deep relaxation gets induced that can’t get achieved through an average meditation practice. The stages of breath awareness and body scan alone help calm the nervous system, leading to better health. 

    A Yoga Nidra session fills your mind with fresh, positive thoughts, detaching the past or the future tensions, leading to a stress-free life. 

    4. Improves Sleep, Reduces Insomnia 

    If you are rolling on the bed for 1 to 5 hours before finding any sleep, then Yoga Nidra is the solution for you. 

    Sleep deprivation and insomnia lead to mental stress, disorders, and immune suppression. 

    Incorporating Yoga Nidra improves your sleeping pattern significantly. 

    How? Yoga Nidra is responsible for slowing down the wavelengths traveling in your mind once you enter a sleep-like state, i.e., yogic sleep. Sensing the body and mindful breathing triggers a relaxation response throughout the body, which balances the right and left part of your brain and controls sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems to prepare your body for the yogic sleep. 

    There is a process that gets followed before shutting down your body and brain. Yoga Nidra trains your body and mind for this relaxation process for you to achieve a deeper state of sleep. 

    5. Changes Your Outlook Towards Life 

    Regularly practicing Yoga Nidra has all the potential to help you change, develop, or alter your lifestyle and routine for the better. 

    Over time, you’ll begin seeing the world with a different pair of eyes as you draw joy and strength from the present and your surroundings. Even in the darkest times, you will find it easier to discover a moment of happiness, joy, or appreciation. 

    By enhancing your ability as you move forward in life, Yoga Nidra enables you to enjoy every moment and cherish every opportunity presented in front of you. 

    A session with your inner self will allow you to develop a positive and fresh outlook on your life. During Yoga Nidra, the relaxation experienced would enable you to look at your personal and professional problems differently and tackle them with enthusiasm and promptness rather than getting defeated from the start. 

    If you wish to reconnect with yourself daily, bring more peace of mind into your routine, and achieve an ideal work/life balance, Yoga Nidra helps you significantly. 

    In Conclusion, No matter how much we try to avoid and deny stress, anxiety, and tiredness, these feelings are embedded in our habits and mindset. Therefore, they are not going to perish in one day. 

    When practiced with care, patience, and sincerity, Yoga Nidra holds power to drastically alter your feelings, mood, sensations, and more. It can make you feel relaxed and rested, energized, and soothed. 

    With so much to gain with minimal effort, a Yoga Nidra course online is worth exploring. For more information, visit mindeasy.com

    Your Yoga, Your Way, Your Budget

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    If you’re like most of us, keeping up with your exercise routine is difficult with the pandemic altering our lifestyles. But exercise, along with diet and focusing on mental health, is one of the greatest ways to optimize your life. And fortunately, when your preferred exercise is yoga, there are plenty of ways to practice at home without overstretching what might be an already tight budget. Here’s how: 

    Exchange services. 

    One of the quickest and cheapest ways to enjoy yoga is to volunteer as a karmi, or someone in a work-exchange. Many yoga studios actively recruit karmis. This is a great way to build some credits with your training center of choice, even if they aren’t back in the full swing of things. 

    Some studios are still shut down, some are offering virtual sessions, and some are offering sessions by appointment only, and so forth. In this type of situation you might, for example, come in and clean the studio while they await reopening or, in the interim, act as an outreach coordinator reminding the community that classes will soon be available. 

    Use technology to your advantage. 

    If your phone, computer, or tablet is more than a few years old, now might be a great time to invest in a new device, such as an iPad, so that you can enjoy yoga classes online, meditation apps, and instructional videos. This often comes at a premium, so make sure that you take advantage of any Apple promo codes and cashback offers you find online. That way, this device won’t cause as much damage to your household budget. 

    woman meditating seated

    Bust out your old DVD player. 

    If high-speed internet is a luxury you can’t quite afford at the moment, consider using lower-grade technology to enjoy a workout. There are plenty of yoga DVDs out there, and there is a good chance that you can find one online for very little out-of-pocket. 

    Skip the trends. 

    Sure, the internet is full of images of twentysomethings in brightly colored yoga clothing. And if the marketers behind the photos have anything to say about it, you’ll blindly believe that you have to spend $100 on a pair of capris just to join a class. The truth is you don’t. Marina Mukandala of Mind Body Flow Yoga asserts that yoga is a come as you are sort of activity and that tank tops, gym shorts, and even your ratty old favorite T-shirt is perfectly acceptable attire. And if you’re doing yoga at home, clothing may even be optional. 

    Set an intention. 

    Sometimes, the best thing you can do to elevate your yoga practice whether you are at home or in the studio is to simply set an intention. An intention, unlike a goal to be completed, is an action to strive for. When you tell yourself that your intention is to practice once each day, you can be mindful of your time. This can allow you to give yourself permission to take that time for yourself to intentionally do something just for you. 

    Be selective when choosing equipment. 

    When it comes to doing yoga, you do have to have a few pieces of equipment. A good mat and yoga bag are considered essential, and you can pick these up at places like Walmart or Target. A towel, yoga strap, and a water flask to stay hydrated also come in handy. Things you do not need to practice at home are yoga blocks or a blanket. And since you can practice barefoot, sneakers are optional. 

    Not being able to attend class can be disheartening. But it does not have to put your yoga days to an end, or even bring them to a screeching halt. You don’t have to pay to stick with your passion, and it is perfectly possible to maintain a routine at home until you can get back to an up close and personal practice.

    The Intimidation of Yoga

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    It’s hard getting into any new hobby. Often you don’t know where to start or you don’t know what to wear the first time (shoes might be no but socks? do you bring socks? do I need to bring water or will I look stupid if I do?). When you do summon the courage to go, the first time is always rough. Keeping up with the speed while trying to understand what you are supposed to do, it’s really hard. Especially if you are upside down. And especially when doing something as foreign as yoga.

    Let’s be honest, the poses do not come  naturally. No one just casually finds themselves in a yoga pose prior to doing yoga. It’s not like you wake up one day and find yourself in a warrior pose. Which adds to the discomfort. Does it hurt because I am doing it right – or does it hurt because I am doing it wrong? All these thoughts do not encourage the zen feeling yoga has claimed to invoke. You look to others to see if they are doing the same thing and feel like it looks so much better when they do it compared to your awkward stance.

    Negative thoughts like that are not encouraging. They have caused a lot of people to give up on yoga. As a teacher I often hear “Yoga is too hard for me” or “I just don’t have the body to do Yoga”. It breaks my heart because the essence of yoga is that it is all inclusive and for everyone. It is very simple and easy and hence why it helps you feel connected and zen. The issue is that many teachers or practicing Yogis take it to the next level. I’ve been teaching for over three years, I walk into classes feeling intimidated! If I walk in and people are already in head stand I wonder if I am in the wrong place – an intense course in reverse blood flow or the morning stretch class I signed up for before going to brunch. I check instagram and so many teachers are inventing poses, doing handstands on one hand I wonder if I chose the wrong profession as I doubt I will ever be as good as them.

    girl doing yoga

    In true human nature we compare ourselves with one another and compete, instead of adhering to the essence of yoga – namely inner peace. Just because other people are not adhering to the core of yoga, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t. If you aim to do yoga because it helps bring balance into your day and makes you feel better, then you are doing it right. Don’t do it wrong and compete with others. Try to do the poses so they feel like tension in your body is being released. You will feel the difference from that to pain. Focus on doing it right by leaving the class feeling better about yourself, not worse. Yoga is simple, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

    Check out my page if you have any questions lifecoachnika.com

    Whistle Where You Work

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    The definition of going ‘to the office’ in 2020 has many designations. Today, remote occupations seem to be more desirable for the millennial jobseeker than cubicle life. You’ve seen the ads. And I’m sure you’ve made a meditation out of picturing yourself without the constraints of rent, family or fear of flying. I say this from experience, for I, too, swoon when I see a job posting with a very comfortable person on top of a mountain with a laptop, getting paid it seems, to live their dream. The dream is never as strong as it is when I am stuck in traffic on my way to the studio on a Monday morning, screaming the Gayatri Mantra in an attempt to practice conjuring patience. The driver’s seat becomes my desk, the picture out the window ever morphing at varying speeds. We are all at the mercy of the world around us, its congestion and race against time. We ask “why” and trudge along, attempting to be mindful in the process. This begs the question: how can our practice, as teachers and students, evolve in the new decade when we are bombarded with every-day challenges and the competition of our app-heavy world? 

    • book tree fairy
    • yoga teacher in tree by pool
    • the words living flowers in script writing

    At the tail-end of my generation (80’s babies are still millennials right?), I have seen computers evolve and shrink, cell phones replace pens, one thousand books become accessible on a single device, organic food shipped in dry ice, and virtual relationships take precedent over real ones. I, myself, lead a virtual life. My hours are erratic. I write and research from anywhere USA. I mostly exercise at home through a variety of phone apps and YouTube, replacing the VHS’s from when I was a kid. I’ve always been this way, preferring solitary self-betterment instead of leaving my comfort to sweat with others in a warehouse across town. Like most people, my schedule is something that changes daily. Yet, despite it all, I have chosen to spend a huge chuck of my time in the world physically in front of people, driving to gyms and theatres teaching people how to breathe, stretch, and Om. And though I love it, I wonder how much longer I can do it. 

    It is exhausting, time consuming, and isn’t very environmentally effective being a yoga teacher today, most of the time, especially considering how much gas is burned between jobs. Usually, we teach at more than one location either by hustling or simply being invited by the people you inevitably meet. The commute is real, and it can be exhausting and challenging to manage our time effectively to lead spacious, unhurried 

    lives. Not to mention the time it takes away from our family and home life. The time it takes to walk, bike or train it to the next teaching engagement can be your daily adventure or horror, revive or drain us. Is it worth it? How do you cope with it? As long as there is a screen and an internet connection, the commute does not have to eat away the productivity of the day. Unless you’re the one behind the wheel. Eyes on the road ahead, literally and figuratively. We have to reevaluate how we value our time. 

    Like live theatre, live yoga can be taught in a found-space like a park, empty warehouse or apartment. Such is also the case for that vague parameter of what constitutes a yoga classroom, or what it means to hold space for your students, even if that physical space is far away. Beyond the gym or studio, your office is wherever your students are. Instead of desks. There are mats. Instead of modern corporate art, there are vinyl sticky oms and lotus flowers adorning a doorway. Or, simply, and often times the most peaceful, there is the beauty of nature all around. The glamor of the job lies in the fact that many of us vociferously long for a life away from a desk, unconfined, and free. 

    Our American world values convenience over connection, and it has affected how we operate in the world, and towards each other. We are more isolated than ever, and at the same time bombarded with community that fits in the palm of our hand. So many teachers I have come in contact with have relayed to me that the former model for teaching yoga in studios or schools or gyms is a way of the past. People like to burn less gas, stay home, and have the practice come to them instead of the other way around. But what about us, your guides? As a mere human instructor, it is easy to become discouraged by the business of yoga and lose sight of why we teach in the first place. I’m guessing to be a personal trainer was not your reason for joining a teacher training. Or maybe it was. Either way, definitely ask yourself why is it you wanted to teach. 

    When I teach yoga, it is always in person, at a gym/studio or in my home, and I do rather like it that way. I teach because it has always brought me joy, and I intend to follow that feeling no matter what I do. Given my rather introverted personal practice, I know, however, that it is not the only way to teach, spending more time getting to and from class than the class itself. I have been teaching yoga for ten years, all over the place. I also have a nine-to-five where I sit at a desk and manage schedules and appointments for others. My finances still depend on my desk job, and I’m one of the lucky ones, from my perspective. I live in a home where the cost of living is slim to none. I even get free lunch. And I am slowly learning the age old art of saying “no,” and “yes” where appropriate, instead of from an insatiable need or fear of missing out. But that is not the majority of cases, I have found, jetting around the island I call home spreading what I’ve learned about hatha yoga, and saving some pennies as I do so. And in 2020 it is my goal to carve out more time that is of value to me. So now I’m looking to see how my devices can serve me, instead of the other way around. How can my introversion benefit me and my business of being a yoga teacher? 

    Research the online platforms available to you. Curiosity and drive work well together. How do you fit into the budding mold? Teachers and students alike have been able to share their practice online, with live classes streaming all over the world, not just pre-recorded like the days of yore. You are connected by an original, live sequence, to an indiscernible amount of people, breathing in sync with you. There is variety, a new class every day, and a new teacher too. A waterfall backdrop is no longer something you have to travel to experience but can be projected onto our very walls. Sure, we have to stretch our imagination a bit, but it is part of the fun, the endless play of yoga to find new ways of practicing. And teaching. 

    So how do we evolve with the times? What does the future of your yoga journey look like for you? As Oprah said just the other day during her 2020 Vision tour at Barclay’s in Brooklyn: “You’re late. Stop complaining that you’re late, you’re late.” I’m paraphrasing here but what she said stayed with me. It made me question my mindfulness and my choices in pursuit of something I am wishing for more than doing. And accepting that I am the master of my fate, my office hours, and my style. My wish for all of you this year is just that: accept where you are and whistle wherever it is you work. Until you can find a better way that’s worth while.

    the words living flowers in script writing

    4 Signs of Distraction During Meditation

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    It can be difficult to stay focused during meditation. Sometimes your mind wanders through overthinking, and your concentration can be disturbed. 

    It is important to know when you are becoming distracted; that way you can bring your focus back to the meditation and acknowledge the distraction. Knowing what distracts you helps you get to know yourself. Everything has a cause and effect, as the sixth hermetic principle states. This means that each cause has an effect and each effect has a cause; a law of the universe. 

    Every cause produces an effect.

    A mental disturbance in meditation is not exempt from this law. A mere distraction in the mind can have multiple causes, and cause various effects. We live in this infinite change of cause and effect; all events which take place are held together by the thread of this law. We must observe the effects of something to lead us back to its cause. If we see that our friend is crying, we know that they are experiencing it because of pain. The crying is an effect which leads us closer to the cause. 

    Similarly, when we observe the effects of our distraction during meditation, we are able to acknowledge the cause. The Buddha’s first noble truth to alleviating suffering is to acknowledge suffering. Before we can take any steps to heal, we must first acknowledge the problem. 

    Meditation gives us the open space to do just that, through observation. 

    In The Yoga Sutras, Patanjali shared four accompaniments to the mental distractions we experience during meditation to help us be more aware of when it happens. These accompaniments to distraction are: 

    1. Distress
    2. Despair
    3. Trembling of the Body
    4. Disturbed Breathing

    Each one of these effects has its cause. Distress can be caused by a lack of sleep, overthinking, excessive worrying, poor diet, or fear of the future. Despair can be caused by dwelling in sorrow, ungratefulness, poor relationships, regret, fear, or self-doubt. Trembling of the body can be caused by anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, or fear. Disturbed breathing can be caused by shallow breathing, anxiety, lack of focus, anger, sadness, or discomfort. (Of course these are only some causes.)

    Meditation is about becoming aware of yourself; so when you notice one of these four symptoms during your meditation, don’t react. Simply respond by noting that you are experiencing one of these symptoms, with gentle awareness. Because you sat in mindful awareness of yourself, you were able to experience one of these symptoms. It is through taking the time out to be with yourself that you get to know yourself. Notice when you feel one of the four accompaniments to mental disturbance, and use them as tools to get deeper to the source of your problems. 

    Why am I distressed during meditation? Maybe your answer is a little like this: â€œTraumatic thoughts from my past surface when I sit quietly with myself.”Wonderful, now you are closer to the cause. Here and now, you can take the steps to resolve your past trauma. You can decide to journal, talk to a trusted friend, and release the burdens of the past which still haunt you. 

    Until you sit in meditation and acknowledge how distressed you truly are, you may not ever take the time to heal. When this mental disturbance haunts you while you sit still, it is an important reminder that there are issues to be resolved.  Always be aware of the four mental disturbances during your meditation so that you may get closer to the root causes of your issues, resolve them, and enjoy a meditation free from those burdens as you continue to heal with your awareness!

    Distress, despair, a trembling body, and disturbed breathing work as symbols to represent a deeper issue. It is through awareness and acknowledgment that we may take the steps to heal, and make the necessary changes to liberate ourselves from the suffering that lingers deep within. Be aware, notice the four accompaniments to mental distraction, and use them as tools to help you know yourself. The path of yoga is that of self-discovery; and we can only know ourselves through observation.

    As Patanjali states in The Yoga Sutras, “the restraint of the mind is yoga. Then the seer (observer) abides in its own nature.” Be open to observe your experience. and get to know yourself from that still place of being. The four accompaniments to distraction merely work as tools, a manifested effect to get you closer to the cause of your suffering.

    Rubaab’s articles can be found at https://beingtobecome.com

    meditating head merged with clouds ins sunset

    4 Misconceptions About Meditation

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    The other day I was asked to teach a 30min mindfulness session to a corporate company that promotes wellness. As usual in my session, I start with an introduction about what the session will be about, how long it will be and what I expect of people.

    It strikes me every time how people react with surprise when I tell them how the session will take place. It seems that people have expectations of what meditation should be, and how it is actually practiced. The following four misconceptions are the ones generally met with surprise:

    1) You cannot move during mediation.
    Yes you can, if you feel discomfort or tension, please do move! Meditation is not here to punish you. You are a living, breathing human being. Your heart beats, your blood pumps, you are not stone. You can move.

    2) You have to sit – cross-legged and upright.
    No, not at all. People tend to react with great astonishment when I say that during mediation, you can even lie down. Just make sure your upper body is aligned as it helps with the breathing. An aligned body means an aligned breath. Other than that, be as comfortable as you like. Some people find cross-legged comfortable and others don’t. How can you focus on breathing if you are in pain? Sit however is comfortable for you. Heck, I sometimes even walk when meditating. You do you.

    3) You have to have your eyes closed.
    Sometimes I mediate with my eyes open. I like to just gaze down and focus on a point in front of me. At times I just don’t feel like it, and I don’t know why. Perhaps I am not in the right mindset or don’t feel comfortable enough in my surroundings. But the point is that you just don’t get distracted. You can gaze where you want as you want as long as you have a soft focus and don’t wonder around with your eyes to get distracted.

    4) You have to fully emerged in the meditation.
    People tend to look at me with utter surprise when I tell then they can drink during meditation. It’s best to have a cup of tea with you or a water. Sometimes we sit there and notice: Damn, I am perished or hungry. These are just your bodily needs and that is fine. You can drink anytime, you can pop out of the meditation and join back in – it should be to your comfort at your time and your pace.

    Mediation is your time for you. Do it so it feels like its benefiting you and do it with no judgement. Its about accepting whatever comes up in that moment and not about punishment or perfection.

    man and woman meditating on yoga mats in studio

    To learn more about my services or about general topics in life I stumble on – follow my blog on nikafiguringitout.wordpress.com

    Why Yin Yoga Works Well for Athletes

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    Are you looking to increase suppleness in the body, improve flexibility and a more focused mind?

    Athlete or not, Yin yoga is worth trying. For those of you who may not be familiar with Yin yoga, it is a slower-paced style where poses are held for longer periods of time, anywhere from 30 seconds up to 5 minutes. It is the opposite of a “Yang” style of yoga- the more common power vinyasa classes you often see at fitness studios and gyms. Yin elements involve darkness, cool, intuition, reflection, the moon. Yang elements are light, fiery, active, strength, the sun. Both are different, yet necessary for solid balance. Yin yoga is perfect for athletes since it provides just that. Athletes usually train hard and focus on agility, speed and strength. Yin yoga is a complementary opposite. It’s also ideal for elderly folk for flexibility or just about anybody who needs to slow down (and let’s be real, that includes all of us).

    When practicing Yin yoga, the focus lies more on the tendons, connective tissues and joints, areas closer to the bone, rather than the musculature system of the body. Most of the time, athletes are focused on muscle strength, but Yin style allows a deeper penetration of work towards neglected but important areas. Its benefits include increasing flexibility, loosening tight areas, and since it is a more meditative practice, helps with focus and relaxation. Along with massage and other techniques, it is an excellent method of recovery from strenuous workouts and assists with injury prevention. As much as you need to build strength, it is also necessary to release, let go and linger in a calm state which is difficult to do unless you practice it.

    yoga student in low lunge, lizard pose
    Utthan Pristhasana (Lizard Pose)

    What happens in Yin Yoga?

    A typical hour-long Yin yoga class may sometimes only have 10 to 20 poses. When you hold the body in these poses for a minute or well up to five, the body’s connective tissue and fasciae are targeted. It may sound simple but remaining still in an asana (pose) is just as challenging of a practice compared to a power yoga class which requires a lot of dynamic movement. Many times, it is your mind and your nervous system which will not allow you to hold a posture for a long period of time. With practice, and more practice, stillness will ensue. This gives the athlete a break from their normal routine of active physical training. The Yin practice is still very much active and intense but in a different sense.

    Yin Yoga is also sometimes compared to acupuncture without needles. When you hold the pose, usually focused on the low back, hips, and pelvis for a long stretch and then release, this action of compressing and releasing allows a widespread of changes within energy flow- similar to when an acupuncturist taps a needle into a specific point of the body and leaves it there for 30 minutes. Penetrating deeper in the body down to the tissues, tightness is released, meridians open and in turn organs can perform more efficiently.  More chi, prana, energy flow for an athlete means optimal performance levels.

    Principles of Yin Yoga

    Bernie Clark is a teacher of yoga specializing in Yin. According to Bernie, there are three principles of Yin yoga which follows:

    1. Play your edges. This means to go only as deeply as you feel in your body, not forcing or rushing into it. The first minute in a pose will feel different from the third or fifth minute in a pose. Allow yourself to settle into it and let the body release to a greater depth naturally.
    2. Find stillness. After finding your edge, try to remain still. This is of course unless you begin to feel pain, tingling, or are struggling to stay in the pose. Another exception is when the body invites you to go deeper, opening and allowing you to sink in. Otherwise, stillness is key.
    3. Hold for time. In order to stimulate the tissues in the way we desire, the length of time we hold the poses allows the changes in our body to occur. After you play with your edges and find stillness, the final thing to do is to remain in the pose and notice the breath and mind.

    Following these principles will allow for a substantial Yin practice. These principles also benefit an athlete because it takes a different type of endurance and focus to achieve the objective in a Yin class. This easily translates to better coordination, resilience and persistence in your everyday training and during competition.

    Find a Yin Yoga Class at a Studio Near You

    Most poses in this style of yoga involves being closer to the ground. Some common poses which you may experience in a class include Balasana (Child’s Pose), Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose), Salamba Bhujangasana (Sphinx Pose), Kapotasana (Pigeon Pose), Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Twist) and the list goes on. The room may be dim to encourage going within and not focusing on your neighbor or yourself in the mirror. Props such as blankets, bolsters and blocks may assist you getting into a pose in a way so that you are able to stay still in it for a few minutes. Yin yoga is not the same as Restorative yoga because the props used in Restorative yoga prop the body up completely. The two styles are similar but there are different focuses. Sometimes the two seem interchangeable, but this is not necessarily the case. Restorative uses many props and restores the body (hence the name) while being a deeply relaxing practice. Yin yoga is relaxing as well, but more intensity may arise while trying to stay in a pose for a long period of time.

    I have found at studios that the class name for Yin yoga varies and may be called such names as ‘Surrender’ or ‘Deep Healing’.  To find a Yin class near you, look at a studio website’s class descriptions or simply call and ask! Many studios include this offering in their schedule and Yin yoga is becoming more popular since the need to slow down is relevant for many people. No matter what drives you to your mat, it will surely benefit you. Furthermore, if you are an athlete wanting to improve your flexibility and maintain suppleness, look no further and give this practice a shot. Happy training!

    The Fall Equinox & Yoga

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    The Fall Equinox brings the transition from Summer to Fall. Transitions bring to mind the word change – this is a time for the closure of a cycle. During this transition, you can take the time to identify what you learned since the summer solstice and what are lessons you’d like to keep as you come into fall. An Equinox is when the daylight is the same as the darkness. Afterwards, we begin our descent into darkness. We use these seasons as an opportunity to turn inward and reflect on how we feel when the sun isn’t always shining.

    The first day of Fall also coincides with the beginning of Libra season – symbolized by the scales. How can you invite balance back into your body and mind? We all exist with the duality of the Universe: masculine and feminine energies, light and darkness, yin and yang, peace and chaos. Identify where you feel your life could use more balance and work on bringing this balance into your life with the support of the seasons and stars.

    How can we align ourselves with the Fall Equinox?

    Many of us are probably not looking forward to shorter, darker days and longer, colder nights. However, this is Nature’s invitation to slow down. Shorter days mean less time for doing everything and more time for being still; and in the darkness, you might find it easier to find your light within. The Autumnal Equinox is the perfect time to reflect on what hasn’t served us and to practice letting go. To set new intentions for the season ahead, and to spend some time grounding, connecting with nature, and finding balance. Reflect on the following questions:

    • What areas of your life need more balance? How can you cultivate this balance? What do you need to change about your current lifestyle?
    • What have you harvested this year? What are you grateful for? Who helped you achieve a bountiful harvest? How can you thank them?
    • What cycles are you ready to free yourself from? What can you do differently to create more joyful cycles?
    • What lessons have you learned this past year? How can these lessons further your journey in healing and in finding strength?

    Meditations, Intentions, and your Yoga Practice

    • Start a meditation practice if you don’t already have one. Start with 10 minutes every morning to just check in with yourself; your body, your breath, the fluctuations of your mind.
    • Take walks through nature by yourself or with a loved one. Reflect on how the changes outside affect your mood & body.
    • Cook yourself a meal. Be intentional with ingredients, with the way you prepare your food. Inviting love into your cooking will invite love into your body as you digest.
    • Really tune into your body as you practice. Start seated, feel your sit bones rooted down into the Earth. Take your practice a bit slower so that you can really give yourself time to feel how each subtle movement and muscle activation can change how your body feels. Try some balancing postures, notice how when you make subtle adjustments if that makes you fall or feel stronger – how can you apply this to your life? When you make subtle changes, you can cause yourself to fall or to feel stronger and more balanced. Take it inward. Do what feels best for your body and makes you feel strong. And remember when you fall, you can always get back up and try again.

    All the luck as we begin this journey as a collective! You got this, Yogis! I hope you find intentions that help you release, let go, and find a balanced sense of grounding during these months. Leave comments for rituals you’ve found help you prepare for these colder and darker months!

    Much love!

    Cayla