“Yoga is an everyday part of life,” said PM Modi, adding, “Yoga is not just for contorting your body into shapes. If that were true, people working in the circus would be called yogis.”
I have to say, I totally agree with the statement. But then it’s also about perspective. For some Yoga is a workout routine, for others it is a way of life. If you notice, we are always in some Yoga Asana, it’s just that while practicing you realise what that asana is called. You become mindful of your body, the things you eat or the thoughts you process.
Twitter is buzzing with #InternationalYogaDay and #YogaDay. It’s so wonderful to see the pictures of PM and 35000 odd participants.
I too did a quick Vinyasa Flow and somehow managed to get my husband on the mat too. Well, frankly he prefers to hit the gym and play with the machines than be in meditative state.
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| Our upside world is darn interesting 😛 Featuring Biker aka the husband. |
So how did Yoga impacted me?
First things first, my friends often ask me if Yoga is really effective in reducing belly fat. Yes, it definitely tones the abdomen and makes the core strong, but slowly. It took me five months to reduce my muffin top, but I wasn’t in a hurry. My ultimate goal was to incorporate Yoga into my lifestyle, and not as a one of thing. I have learnt that there is no shortcut to good health.
I did a lot of Asanas that activated my core which included Planks (Side plank, low plank, dolphin plank, forward plank). Some of these are integral part of Surya Namaskar. Virbhadrasana III (Wariior III) and Navasana (boat pose) are equally effective in working out the core. I would add them in my Vinyasa flow rather than do it as a standalone asana. It feels like a beautiful yoga dance – the slow movement of your limbs, in rhythm with your breath.
I did a lot of Asanas that activated my core which included Planks (Side plank, low plank, dolphin plank, forward plank). Some of these are integral part of Surya Namaskar. Virbhadrasana III (Wariior III) and Navasana (boat pose) are equally effective in working out the core. I would add them in my Vinyasa flow rather than do it as a standalone asana. It feels like a beautiful yoga dance – the slow movement of your limbs, in rhythm with your breath.
Thanks to Garima, I did a guest post on her blog about different asana to strengthen the core.
I prefer doing Sirsasana and Sirsasana B towards the end as by that time my body is properly warmed up. These asanas never fail to send a spurt of energy through my body and get my heart pumping
What else, you ask?
After working 8 hours a day, I practice yoga in the evening – 60 to 90 minutes on weekdays. I have stopped feeling tired and lethargic long ago. Yoga taught me to go with the flow, made me realise that it’s ok if certain things are beyond our reach. We can try our best and not let the moral down. I have always tried to be positive, with meditation and practice, I know I can be that person.
We all need to understand ourselves first, connect with what we really want, else the pressure of the worldly problems can become a little too overwhelming.
Learn to cool down.
Life never promised to be easy. It loves throwing curved balls. All we can do is learn to remain calm. I could feel all the stress and tension of the day seep away as I finish the practice with spinal twists and meditation. The stillness is quite powering.
Sharing with you the cooling Yoga routine I follow after the practice:
Check out her Channel for more –
I hope you enjoyed reading the post.
The light within me honors the light within you.
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All pictures are mine – clicked on timer.
that's awesome 😀 Would love to hear about your experience 😀
This is awesome, I too have been pushing myself to get back to yoga. Hope to start and get my health back.
Keep motivating me. Will upset you when I get to be regular.
You are awesome. 60-90 mins every weekday is wonderful. I agree with you – even I do not practice Yoga to lose weight or something. though mine is 120 – 180 mins a week, I enjoy the way Yoga trains the body. You learn to use the right body parts and it sure calms me down. enjoyed your post. Btw – VT too is a gym guy! 😀
exactly, love the feel of each movement 🙂 Thanks for writing in.
I am a gym person too, but i keep promising myself to go the yoga way…hopefully that happens soon.
hehehe for some gym works fine. As long as health is taken care of , yoga or any other form of exercise, is cool 🙂
Oh you are too good at it! I'm horrible with no sense of direction..but yesterday was a little better than the week before..So keeping my fingers crossed 🙂
hehehe I am sure you will start loving it soon 😀 good luck 😀
*Awestruck by the flexibility displayed in various poses*
hehehe thank you so much Sid 😀
Thank you for sharing this, Raji. I couldn't watch the video today as my net is too slow, but I'm bookmarking this post.
thank you so much Chicky. Hope you will like it 🙂
5 months to get rid of a muffin top is good. I can't seem to get rid of mine from the last couple of years. Sigh. 🙁
the planks helped a lot in tanning the abs area. I am still working on it 🙂
I took a beginner yoga class many years ago, and loved it… and have wanted to do more ever since, but for whatever reason I haven't. You are inspiring me to do so, though!
I am sure if you start it again you would love it 😀
You? Muffin top? What nonsense!
hahahaha 😀 thank you 😀
I wish I had discovered yoga years and years ago. I was 64 years old before I took my first class. Now, I feel better than I ever did when I was much younger. Go yoga!
so glad to hear about your experience 😀 thank you for writing in 🙂
Hey Rajlakshmi, yoga is so fulfilling. I haven't been practising for a year or so, now reason to go back to it. Happy Int'l Yoga Day.
all the reason to back 🙂 thanks for writing in 🙂