Change is inevitable and some change is more challenging than others. Having a baby, relocation, mourning the loss of a loved one… all life events that can be incredibly stressful. Other life transitions can hit hard, and unexpectedly, like managing work and home obligations through a pandemic. Not to mention, the opposite stresses experienced when returning to “regular life” activities from the quarantined environment of a pandemic. While some of these situations reveal amazing new opportunity, they also come with changes to routine and sometimes additional responsibility.
Two of the five pillars of Baptiste Power Yoga can be directly applied to everyday life, and effectively minimize the stressors that often accompany change:
- Breath—Ujjayi is the primary yoga breathing technique utilized during Baptiste Power Yoga. Ujjayi breathing slows down the breath to keep it deep and powerful during challenging postures. When breath becomes short and shallow, it can trigger fight-or-flight reflexes in the body. Keeping the breath long and deep naturally delivers a calm. Practicing mindfulness and thoughtfulness in everyday situations through the focus on your breath, allows you to navigate with less stress.
- Gaze—Drishti is a point of focus where you rest your gaze during yoga poses and your meditation practice. Effectively practicing gaze during a yoga class helps you truly concentrate. Eliminating the distractions in the room around you brings your focus inward, just as it can when faced with distractions in life.
Consider your approach to life changes just as you consider your approach to the transitions between each yoga pose. As you mature in your yoga practice, you learn to listen to your body, and your breath, leading to smart decisions about your transitions. Moving slowly through transitions help you feel rooted physically. Staying connected to your breath helps you calm yourself mentally. The combination helps you build strength. However, when mentally distracted or physically tired, you may not move with as much thoughtfulness. Not focusing on these movements can create missed opportunities to practice yoga safely and build strength. All the same can be said for focusing your breath, measuring your movements, and fine tuning your focus for the events of everyday life. Allowing yourself to get distracted in life can lead to missed opportunities.
An active and engaged yogi knows that change is inevitable, however it can be approached it in a way that makes it easier on your mind and body. As the area’s only Baptiste affiliate studio, Yoga Body Shop, is proud to introduce to our community to the practices taught through Baptiste Power Yoga. At Yoga Body Shop, we know that by being present and connecting our community, we are helping the community successfully handle the stress of everyday life, as well as the added stresses associated with “pandemic” life. Active Yogi or novice yogi, we have a class for you. Baptiste Yoga can be adapted to any physical ability. Stop facing the changes life throws at you alone, join the community today. Classes are now being held in-studio and on-line.