YOGA
There are countless approaches to yoga that can suit anyone. Even beginners can find benefits through breathing exercises, movement sequences, and postures designed to stretch and strengthen the body.
Yoga can help relieve pain from some chronic conditions including back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and headaches. It is also known to reduce blood pressure and insomnia. Many find that yoga can help relieve stress as well and improve mental clarity. Through focused breathing and concentration, body awareness improves helping many people become more aware of their physical and mental needs.
Yoga is often coupled with meditation because it helps relax the mind and encourages participants to redirect their thoughts. In recovery, especially early on, the experience of withdrawal and learning to come to terms with sobriety can leave many struggling with mental and emotional difficulty. By focusing inward, calming the mind, and become more aware of oneself, meditation can help improve mood and reduce stress levels.
Rooted in Indian philosophy, yoga is an ancient method of relaxation and regarded by many as a spiritual experience. However, in the last five years yoga has become ubiquitous, with independent studios sprouting everywhere and fitness centers incorporating yoga classes into their group instruction curriculum. Although some people still view yoga as a practice reserved for spiritual seekers looking for inner peace, yoga is rapidly being embraced by many Americans as an alternative or additional way to increase strength, endurance and body tone.
In fact, today many fitness experts recognize yoga as valuable part of functional training. Functional training (also called functional exercise) has become a buzz word in the fitness industry, used in programs for competitive athletes as well as recreational exercisers. Functional training focuses on endurance, strength and coordination to allow individuals to maximize performance of everyday tasks.
In a weight-training routine, incorporating deadlifts (a great exercise to strengthen the back and thigh muscles) can help to decrease the likelihood of injury and strain in a simple movement like bending over to tie your shoe. Similarly, yoga can functionally develop the body by improving the body’s ability to interpret and respond to nerve signals sent back and forth between the muscles and the brain. The increased connectedness of mind, nerves, and muscles results in more fluid body motions and quicker adjustments to unexpected situations like tripping over a curb. Yoga can be a great vehicle for positive physical and mental transformation. Ultimately, trial and error is the best way to determine which style of yoga is right for you. Trying different classes and different teachers can help you find one that meets your needs.
MEDITATION
By alleviating stress, meditation can improve your physical health. One of the physical benefits includes reducing the risk of stress-related illnesses.
Medical researchers and doctors have reported the effects that stress has on the body. A number of illnesses are the result of stress. For this reason, medical practitioners recommend meditation to their patients to reduce stress levels. This includes meditating to decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. They recommend meditation to enhance the body’s immune response. Hospitals and medical clinics even offer classes in meditation to patients.
Studies have shown the positive effects meditation has on the brain and on improving memory. It also enhances concentration, attention, and focus. Meditation can improve concentration, whether one needs to concentrate for sports, education, work, or hobbies. When focused, we can increase our effectiveness and productivity. Sports figures and champion athletes have reported that meditation helps them to improve their focus to prepare for competing in their sport at the highest level.
When you meditate, you tap in to a place of happiness and peace. This increases a sense of positivity. You realize that, beyond your daily problems that cause emotional pain, there is a pool of joy within that you can access and feel more joyous. Meditation helps you to recharge, refresh,and rejuvenate.
When you feel happier, you are calmer and more balanced. This creates a ripple effect that will radiate to others. Meditation can improve your relationships with family members, friends, partners, co-workers, and even your neighbors and community.
Night Owl Walker 