Yoga and the Holidays...Healthy Tips

OM. The Holiday Season is Quickly Approaching... 

Thanksgiving is merely two weeks away! Holidays are times when we get together with family and friends and give thanks.  The holidays can also be very stressful. Luckily, there many Yoga tools and techniques that we can use to help us reduce stress, making the holidays a happy, memorable and loving season.This is the most important time to live our Yoga on and off of the mat.

Yoga means Union. Yoga is an ancient Sanskrit word meaning union. The union of our body, mind and spirit. Feeling and applying this "union" while with family and friends helps reduce stress and to make healthy choices to nurture us.

Food. With so many enjoyable and tempting seasonal foods abound, many of them are loaded with sugar and fat. So, plan ahead, choose wisely, breathe deeply and think about the most nourishing choices that will nurture your body and soul.

Breathing, Meditation and Yoga Help You Relax. Using the relaxation techniques of deep breathing, mediation and yoga exercises can help keep you stay calm. They initiate your relaxation mode, lower your heart rate, blood pressure, and decrease the adrenal hormones that tend to increase under stress. 

Laughter. Another proven way to reduce stress is laughter. Laughing holds a certain power and the ability to make us smile ear to ear with happiness. It is one of the best antidotes for stress and bonds us with others. Laughter can also diminish pain, boost energy levels, and increase our immune systems. LOL on Thanksgiving!

Tips and Techniques using Breath and Meditation.

Ujjayi Breath: The “sounding breath” or “ocean breath”

1. Sitting with your spine straight, or lying down on your back (knees bent or straight), take a few deep breaths. Relax. 

2. With a slow and steady breath through the nostrils, gently contract the back of your throat (the glottis), creating a soft and audible hissing sound. The sound is like a gentle “snore” in a deep, relaxed sleep. (To learn how to create this sound, practice whispering “ahhhhh” with your mouth open on both the exhalation and the inhalation. Or, open your mouth on the exhale and gently “ahhhh” as though you were blowing fog on a mirror--that’s the “rushing,” wave-like sound you are seeking to create with a closed mouth.)

3. Lengthen the breath as much as possible and focus on the sound. Repeat for five to 10 minutes. As you advance in your practice, repeat ujjayi breathing for longer periods of time.

So Hum Meditation:

1. Sit comfortably where you will not be disturbed, and softly close your eyes.

2. For a few minutes, simply observe the inflow and outflow of your breath.

3. Now, take a slow deep breath through the nose while thinking the word So.

4. Exhale slowly through the nose while thinking the word HUM.

5. Allow your breathing to flow easily, silently repeating, So… Hum… with each inflow and outflow of breath.

6. Whenever your attention drifts to thoughts in your mind, sounds in your environment, or sensations in your body, gently return to your breath, silently repeating, So… Hum.

7. Continue this process for 15 or 30 minutes, with an attitude of effortlessness and simplicity.

8. When the time is up, sit with your eyes closed for a couple of minutes before resuming your daily activity.8

Experiences during meditation will fall into four categories: (1) Repeating the mantra, (2) having thoughts, (3) falling asleep, or (4) experiencing pure awareness. Keep these guidelines in mind.

A. Repeat the mantra easily and effortlessly. It may change, become vague, or follow a certain rhythm. Just let it go and experience any changes innocently.

B. If you notice that your attention has drifted away from the mantra to thoughts, sensations in the body, or noise in the environment, gently bring your awareness back to the mantra.

C. If you fall asleep, it is OK. The body will naturally take the rest it needs. When you notice that you have been asleep, just return to the mantra. If your meditation time is up, spend a few minutes repeating the mantra before stopping and coming out of meditation.

D. If you notice that there has been some time without thoughts or the mantra, yet you were aware, that is called “slipping into the gap,” or pure awareness. The experience of the mind settling down to a state of no activity yet has awareness is a transcendent experience of the peace within. As the experience grows, you will notice that this quiet witness begins to become part of your everyday awareness.

About the American Yoga Academy.

The American Yoga Academy educates people on living Yoga in a Modern Way by infusing ancient Yogic techniques and wisdom into daily life! Yoga Teacher Trainings (200/500 Hours) at MONDO in Summit and AYA Studios located inside the Wilshire Hotel in West Orange. AYA also offers private lessons, wellness workshops and retreats for individuals, groups and corporations.

For upcoming schedule of Teacher Training, workshops and events, visit www.americanyogaacademy.com