As mind-body practices, yoga and meditation present many advantages. Nevertheless, when you observe one with out the opposite, you won’t be getting essentially the most out of both behavior. You’ll be able to truly improve your expertise each on the mat and in your pillow by combining the 2.
Right here’s how meditation can deepen your connection to your yoga observe and vice versa.
Why Ought to You Observe Yoga and Meditation Collectively?
Meditation and yoga work collectively synergistically to learn one another. Some forms of yoga, together with kundalini yoga and sure types of hatha yoga, already embrace meditation within the observe.
“In yoga, meditation is the whole lot,” says Sam Rudra Swartz, an authorized meditation instructor and hatha yoga teacher. “The poses put together the physique, the respiratory practices assist put together the thoughts, and you then spend this time alone together with your [thoughts] the place you set effort towards concentrating on precisely one factor,” whether or not it’s your breath, a mantra, or sensations in your physique.
Plus, the bodily observe of yoga may help you to be extra conscious in your meditations. “A constant hatha yoga observe is essential so as to have the ability to sit nonetheless in a tall, upright, alert pose that may facilitate this focus for meditation,” says Swartz.
Yoga additionally focuses on the breath by pranayama, that are respiratory strategies that preserve you calm and centered. With a constant meditation observe, you’re getting ready your physique and thoughts for this breath work throughout yoga poses and constructing focus and focus by every stream.
Observe these workout routines sufficient and also you would possibly begin to discover their results in your on a regular basis life as effectively.
“We’re taught that yoga is all a couple of calm and centered thoughts, in order that the whole lot you do all through your day is a meditation,” Swartz says. “Your entire day will be a part of your observe.”
Do You Meditate Earlier than or After Yoga?
“There isn’t any steadfast rule as as to if or not you observe one or the opposite first,” Swartz says. Nevertheless, historically, a yoga observe helps a meditation observe. Within the authoritative textual content, The Yoga Sutras, bodily observe (asana) is meant to be regular and comfy, to organize for longer, sitting meditations.
Nonetheless, Swartz says it’s OK to be versatile about which one you do first. Some meditations work finest very first thing within the morning when life is quiet and the solar is rising. “For those who’re an early riser and wish to align with the deeper traditions of the non secular observe, meditate as early as attainable,” he says, then do a mild observe.
Later within the day, you would possibly wish to stream earlier than you sit. “In case your observe is sort of rigorous, you’d wish to finish your bodily observe with at the least a couple of minutes of deep rest and meditation,” he says.
What Are the Advantages of Yoga and Meditation?
Yoga and meditation have quite a few documented and researched advantages, lots of which overlap. Whether or not you interact in a single or the opposite, your thoughts and physique will thanks for adopting these historical practices to your trendy life.
The advantages of yoga
The advantages of meditation
- Meditation can increase your well-being and supply further advantages to your thoughts, like serving to elevate temper and ease stress.
- Researchers now know meditation can change your mind construction and thus assist preserve it wholesome. Information from the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences means that meditation would possibly assist protect each grey and white matter within the mind, which may help gradual age-related decreases in each.
Prepared to realize all the advantages of meditation and yoga? Begin with Yoga52 or Beachbody Yoga Studio, which have courses and applications for all targets and ability ranges.
Mix one class every week with meditation. For those who’re new to the observe, BODi options guided meditation applications in Sound Meditation or Unstress that vary from 10 to 45 minutes in size.
