9 signs you need to do yoga TODAY! Are you trying to find an excuse not to practice yoga? Or never done yoga before and wondering if it’s for you? Check with yourself if you are showing any of these symptoms…
Related: How to really practice yoga
your breath is shallow
Is your breathing irregular? Are you often breathing through your mouth? Is your breathing superficial (only breathing into the upper part of your lungs)? These breathing patterns are a sign of stress. Release some of that stress and let your nervous system relax by doing some yoga asanas. And yoga helps with congestion too!
you have bad posture
How are you sitting right now? Reading this on your mobile, head and neck hunched forward? Or slouched in the sofa? Pay attention to your posture to avoid back and neck problems. In a yoga class you will learn about correct posture and alignment. Over time you might even gain a couple of centimeters in length!
you’re feeling restless
You are busy all day taking care of your work, house, relationships, life. And when you are finally sitting down, after one minute you jump up to start the next thing you absolutely have to do. No, my friend.
In one week time, will you remember what you did? Will it have any lasting impact? Then do yoga today! Even 10 minutes of yoga will make you more relaxed and bring clarity to your mind. And even better: more relaxation is better sleep too.
you’re easily distracted
Are you easily distracted? Can’t focus on one thing? – Hey, I saw you there just checking FB/whatsapp/instagram!! ;-) Trying to multitask reduces our productivity and creates chaos in our minds. Try to do a balancing pose while you think of your next dinner. Yep, you will fall out of it. Yoga helps with focus and concentration. During yoga, there is nothing else to think about than your practice.
muscle weakness
If you are not really the gym type but want to gain strength, yoga is for you, my friend. You work with your body weight, pushing up, balancing. Try a few sun salutations and tell me you don’t feel your arms + legs tomorrow. (and if you aren’t, you might not be doing it right). You might even lose a few kgs if you keep practicing yoga regularly!
your body feels stiff
As a teacher, I hear it often: “I’m not very good at yoga”, or: “I’m not very flexible, so I can’t do yoga”. It makes me a little sad. We don’t have to be perfect. Did you learn how to talk in just one day? We learn by doing, repeating, practicing. So whenever you do yoga, you will gain flexibility. Every day a little bit more. Maybe you can’t touch your toes now, but in 6 months you might. Your joints will benefit from the movement too, and you will increase your range of motion in your hips, neck, shoulders,…
body awareness
How does your body feel today? Is that better or worse than yesterday? What’s bothering you? Yoga teaches you to become aware of your body. To learn your limits, to practice safely. And to become more accepting of your body, too. No one is perfect. Some people can do the splits naturally, without even warming up (you know who you are), others have great balance or strength. That’s why comparing yourself with others is useless. There is no competition in yoga. It’s about you, your inner work, your practice, your energy.
you don’t feel like practicing yoga today
If you don’t feel like it, because you’re tired, sore, angry, emotional or any other reason you might come up with… you need to practice yoga today. You will feel so much better afterwards, both on physical and mental level. Yoga can be cathartic, releasing emotions that we’ve held hidden deep inside. So practice, and allow, even – especially – when you don’t feel like it today.
you need to meditate… but you can’t (yet).
Yoga teaches your body to meditate. The strength and flexibility you gain will help you stay in your meditation posture without too much discomfort. You can apply the concentration and focus you learn while holding a posture during your meditation practice, and in your daily life. Yoga is a meditation through movement, uniting the breath and the posture, until you reach a state of flow, of just being…
