How to Use Yoga as a Self-Care Tool

16th Aug 2022 | Author - Antaranga Ray

The fast pace of our lives today has everyone running at breakneck speed to fulfil mostly their material needs. Whether it be a new house, a fancy car, that long awaited promotion and so on. However, in this process of “achieving”, the first thing that we lose is ourselves. Because when you are hustling, who has time for self-care, right?  

Therefore, sometimes we need to be reminded of the importance of self-care and how to prioritise it. If we focused on self-care, all other tasks would be much simpler - we would feel refreshed, tended to, fulfilled, and ready for anything that lies ahead of us.

What Does Self-Care Mean?

Self-care techniques are just little mindful activities that you perform every day that help you feel relaxed and find balance in all of your emotional, physical, mental and spiritual experiences. It is the aggregate of your intentional acts of taking care of your needs in order to fulfil your aspirations to the best of your ability.

Yoga as a Self-Care Tool:

Yoga is an excellent method of self-care and is the quintessential manifestation of self-care. Yoga practice is all about self-healing via self-discovery and self-acceptance. It is a transformative activity that enhances the inner life force. It teaches us how to overcome internal and external barriers that we face in our daily lives.

It allows you to take a moment to check in with yourself while also moving in a way that will benefit you off the mat as well. So, here are some effective ways you can indulge in self-care through Yoga;

1. Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Too much strain is an indication that something is amiss in your life. If you're feeling stressed or anxious, there are various yoga practices that might help you find inner peace and tranquillity. The most effective strategy to feel calm and happy is to use these Yoga techniques on a daily basis.

• Incorporate Pranayama
• Mindful Meditation
• Restorative Yoga
• Practice Gratitude

2. Enhance Health and Well Being

Daily asana and pranayama exercise strengthens your muscles and boosts your immune system. Practising Yoga on a regular basis increases cardiovascular function, muscular strength, agility, flexibility, concentration, posture, and stamina. A yogic lifestyle also encourages a balanced diet, which allows your body to function at its optimum.

3. Achieve Inner Peace and Emotional Equilibrium

Practicing yoga and meditation teach us how to be mindful and conscious in challenging times. Instead of succumbing to our emotions and feelings, we become aware of them and learn to analyse them. We may decide which emotions to act on and which to let go of by being aware of them. We acquire inner peace by practising yoga because we learn to focus entirely on the present moment.

4. Discover Spirituality

Through mindfulness, practise yoga asana and pranayama to connect with yourself spiritually. Meditation is one way to find your path to have an in-depth spiritual experience. By focusing on yourself you can get inspired and achieve the balance between the physical and spiritual world.

5. Practice Self-Compassion

As you become acquainted with your body, mind, and passing emotions, you are capable to more easily settle with yourself-self, and being in the present moment becomes more attainable. An authentic-self is genuinely felt since it is not motivated by a desire to be greater or perfect. Because it embraces you exactly and precisely where you are, just as you are.