Embody the Principles of Yoga into your Everyday Life

Yoga is so much more than practicing asanas on our mat. Of course, the benefits of yoga practice are tremendous to our well-being, and it gives the body the mobility and flexibility it needs to stay healthy and young. However, yoga, which means union in Sanskrit, is a method of unifying mind, body, and soul. But how can we embody the principles and the spirit of yoga into our existence?

Here are some of our favourite ways of keeping a yogic mindset into our daily routine.

Connect with your BREATH

Breath is a vital life force and one of the most important principles of yoga practice. It has the power to relax our body, calm our mind, improve our mood, and boost our energy. Cultivating conscious breathing patterns is something we can do anytime, anywhere. By simply bringing awareness to it, we can connect with our breath at any moment.

Editor’s Tip: Open up your heart and thoracic space by using a Yoga Block to ease and deepen your breath.

Start by noticing your breath, its quality, its temperature, and the sensation of it entering and leaving the body as you inhale and exhale. Throughout the day, prioritize deep breathing from your belly, and try to implement the soothing effects of deep diaphragmatic breaths into your yoga practice. When you feel worried or too stressed, begin to intentionally slow down your breath by inhaling into the lower abdomen and exhaling slowly. This will help you calm down the mind so you can be present in your body.

Practice MINDFULNESS through meditation and daily rituals

Mindfulness allows us to become aware of our thoughts and physical presence. Most times, our busy daily routine has us operating on auto-pilot, without paying attention to what is present, thus missing out on important and precious moments of our life. Yoga invites us to explore the present moment, and eventually practice awareness, and be intentionally present. Embodying this yoga principle into our everyday life can profoundly alter the way we experience our entire existence.

You can practice mindfulness through meditation, but also via everyday rituals such as eating, showering, walking… Tune into sounds, smells, texture, flavours, and feel your surroundings. Moreover, try to meditate for about 15-minutes before or after your yoga practice. This will help you invite moments of mindfulness into your day easier.

Let the world around you come alive, and savour every moment, good or bad.

Choose a healthy diet to NOURISH your body, mind, and soul

Feeding our body is essential as it affects not only our physical health, but our mind and psyche as well. Choosing a healthy diet is of utmost importance for optimal body efficiency, and spiritual awareness. It makes us fell much more serene in the mind and have greater clarity, thus operating more efficiently in everyday tasks.

A balanced diet that includes protein, carbs, minerals, fats, and vitamins, theoretically covers the nutritional requirements. According to the yogic lifestyle, food should be pure, simple, and natural. Organic and seasonal foods are preferable. Avoid saturated fats, foods that stimulate you, or cause you indigestion. Keep in mind that food supplies our life force, we eat to live, not live to eat.

To help you keep your diet into daily consideration and embody this yoga principle, you could plan your meal ahead by keeping a journal or calendar. Meal preparation is also an effective way to stay loyal to your diet, and it can help reduce the stress that comes with trying to eat healthier.

Embody the value of LOVING-KINDNESS

Everyday life involves challenges, conflicts, and frustration, especially involving other people, such as colleagues, family, friends. Yoga encourages us to adopt a positive attitude towards others. An attitude of love, forgiveness, and tenderness. Allow your actions to come from a place of love and compassion.

Embody the yoga principle of loving-kindness in your daily life by shifting your approach in difficult situations. Approaching with more love, patience, and appreciation, treating others with kindness, and forgiving with grace and understanding. It is important to remember self-love and acceptance. When we lead our lives with love, for others and ourselves, we move through the world in accordance with the yoga philosophy.

On those bad days, during times that it may feel difficult, come back to your center by breathing deeply into your heart. Integrating this value into your life will enhance your intuition, keep you away from unnecessary fears, and lead you to make the best decision in every situation.