Yoga Tips
A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE:
Besides the basic equipment and clothing which makes yoga practice easier and more comfortable, it is so important to bring a positive mindset to the training. Sometimes this is not always the case and it may be that you want to practice yoga because you are stressed or feeling low. In this case it is even more important to begin with breathing techniques, designed to slow the breath and give you focus. During this time you must look inwards at what is is you are doing yoga for and praise yourself for giving your mind and body a chance to open and relax. Only then can you begin a true yoga practice. Practicing yoga with your baby is an incredible experience yet these principles should still be followed whenever possible. Take time with your baby to relax and get into the right state of mind, this might mean singing a song together, lying on a blanket by your yoga mat, taking a bath or just lying quietly, letting your baby get accustomed to your silence and stillness. You must experiment with what works for you to bring you to a positive place!
Often new (and older!) mothers are disillusioned with their shape and feel they will never get back to where they want to be and this reflects in how you approach your yoga practice. It does not help to wear baggy clothing that drown you and hide any feminine shape, for example. Choose clothing that makes you feel good about yourself but also shows your figure so you can see what your body is doing and how it is changing over time is the best advice. One of yoga’s main ideas is that you are at one with yourself, in harmony with who you are, so you need to learn acceptance. You are already on the road to becoming who you want to be if you are not there already and once you have started down that road you only get closer to your goal so if you need to, remind yourself of that and stop giving yourself a hard time!
IMPORTANCE OF STOPPING:
We all lead busy lives and do not often take time out to do nothing. When we want to relax we usually turn on the tv, pick up a book, or browse the internet, for example. Yet it is vital to our health and our state of mind to stop and focus just on ‘me’, if only for a few minutes. Yoga practice allows time for self reflection but only if you allow yourself the time to be still. Yoga is not just about getting into wonderful positions, although that itself is a great feeling, it is about letting your mind connect with your body. Now I am not a spiritual enthusiast but I do believe that when you let your mind focus on your body and your breathing you will start to detect if anything is amiss. Not just physically (sure if you are in a sitting forward bend for example, you will feel if you have stiffness in the back or if one side of the body is unresponsive) but also in that still moment you will clear your mind and if you find this difficult or one repetitive thought keeps popping back you will know that you are a little stressed, for example. I would advise those new to yoga to work on allowing the body to be still. One great way of doing this is through quiet sitting. In cross legged, half or full lotus (see pic for full lotus but please work upto this slowly), place the hands on the knees and focus on finding your comfort level (where you can sit without moving). Stay here for at leat 5 minutes to begin with and build to 10 minutes. Try and empty your mind of the everyday thoughts and listen to your breath, try and slow it down. You can even begin to practice yogic breathing, breathing through the nose but placing the breath at the back of the throat (more on that in a later post). If you find the mind wandering, come back to the breathing. If it is really tricky, try counting the breaths to break your thought patterns.
Give stillness a try. You are not losing time. You are gaining focus.
BREATHING
Often people are unsure when and how they should breathe during yoga practice. My tip for beginners is to keep things simple and follow these basic rules:
1. Try and stay in control of your breath at all times. This means always being aware of your breathing, this way you will pick up any bad habits like holding the breath without realizing it or speeding up.
2. Follow a basic principle of inhaling when lifting the arms, the head or the torso and exhaling when bending forwards or lowering the arms or head.
3. Try and breathe more slowly. You can practice this at any time, not just during yoga. Most people breathe very shallowly and don’t use their full lung capacity, leaving a stale patch or air at the bottom of the lungs. Improved breathing will send more oxygen round the cells and male you feel more alert.
4. Always start and finish your yoga session with a breathing exercise. This helps prepare the body for yoga and gives you more focus. if you enjoy meditation/visualisation, use the breathing time at the end (extend it as long as you like) to take yourself where you want to go!
5. Your baby will pick up on your breathing rhythms and will feel more relaxed with you. Even outside of yoga, if you or your baby are stressed, take a few minutes to breathe deeply and hold your baby close. This should calm one or both of you down. At the end of practice, try lying your baby on your chest, or roll sideways and let your baby lie close to you. Experiment and find what works for the both of you.
