It’s time to stop searching for anti-aging pills and time to move into downward facing dog!
This is not to say you will completely stop aging, it’s the natural process of life for your body to have changes as growth takes place. Most people are looking for ways to stop aging and to look rejuvenated; either by pills, creams or massages. While this may have a short-term effect on your goals, there is a way to have youth restored again, but this time it can be forever, and that’s with… Yoga.
Yoga is known to be originated from the East and it has been spreading rapidly throughout the West. The knowledge and practice of yoga keeps expanding day by day, more students are becoming yoga instructors, practitioners seeking qualified teachers, the wisdom of books, and cravings to simply know the history of yoga.
“But how can this keep me young forever?” you might be wondering, and the only way this will happen is knowing that yoga isn’t something you can take internally, or felt only on the skin .. it’s a lifestyle, a way of life that will only bring you the connection and union to your true self, and that is ageless and limitless.
If you can breath, you can do yoga.
It’s never too late to get back on your mat, or if it’s your first time, to buy a mat!
There’s a common misconception that yoga is only for people who are flexible or those who only eat plants and live in full peace, that may not always be the case. Yoga accepts you just as you are, you come with what you have and from there, you can move into asanas (yoga poses) that will help you from the inside-out.
Just with asanas, you can improve your body with healthier joints, muscle strength, bone health, posture, good blood flow and much, much more.
With meditation, you can improve metabolism, mental sharpness, better brain function, and learn to appreciate the present moment creating less anxiety. more gratitude and ultimately a happier life.
While these are both physical and mental benefits, the magic of yoga is that it works with both inner and outer beauty. Your choice of having a continuous practice creates an overall glow that radiates out of you, giving you that youthful long-term effect.
10 Ways To Stay Young With Yoga
1. Concentration
The practice of yoga, is the practice of the present moment. By being aware of what’s going on in this moment and not being distracted by your thoughts, yoga can help you with making more clear decisions, not forgetting what you did two days ago, or what food you just ate because of how present you were when those activities took place. There’s a better chance to recall information and also improves problem-solving.
2. Feeling at ease.
Yoga has the ability to help you reduce stress, anxiety, anger and move you into a more peaceful state of mind. By practicing meditation, asanas, and learning over-time to control your thoughts, you can have an effect of a healthier mentality. Resulting in you to feeling more at ease instead of stressed.
3. Being content with yourself
Feeling physically stronger is just one of the benefits of a yoga practice, as it tones your muscles and it also gives them oxygen. If you’re struggling with physical appearance, having a continuous yoga practice will help your body become more toned, since you’re moving and working all of your body through asanas. A great posture can also grow from your practice, helping your body be more aligned and a great way for you to feel confident, where your self-esteem can grow.
4. Inner beauty
The yogic philosophy says to not harm others, to be truthful, practice non-stealing, to have self-restraint and non-attachment. By learning and practicing these, yoga can guide you into having healthier relationships and a more compassionate heart for the world. There’s nothing richer than a pure beauty coming from within, that will only radiate and glow out of you.
5. Feeling young at heart
With the practice of certain asanas, yoga can help you improve blood circulation throughout your body, and also bringing fresh oxygen to your cells. There are some inversions, like headstand and shoulder stand that will bring healthy oxygenated blood back to your heart by being upside down. You reduce your risk of heart-attacks or other heart problems by practicing yoga, all leading to a happy and healthy heart. A healthy blood circulation also helps with cell growth and healthy skin, looking and feeling younger within each practice.
6. Strength
Your muscles will be challenged as you move in ways you probably have never moved before, or when you hold a posture long after your mind has told you to give up. Throughout your practice, your muscles will get stronger as you use them and you’re also using your own weight to move through asanas. This can be a challenge at first but throughout time can result with more strength and ease.
7. Flexibility
It is no secret that yoga can guide you to more flexibility, but there are also many benefits of flexibility, including better posture and a happy spine, decrease of joint pain, less chances of future injuries, and overall moving with more ease. This can all help you feel young and healthy.
8. Inhale, exhale and repeat
When was the last time you focused and observed your own breath? Yoga allows you to properly know how to breath, with certain breathing practices, for example ‘nadi shodhana’, where you block your right nostril with your thumb, inhale through your left nostril and block that nostril with your pinky and ring finger while unblocking the right nostril exhaling it out and over again. This practice allows you to see if you have any nostrils blocked and starts to give you awareness of where your body is in that moment. You learn to properly breathe again. Another example is by doing certain asanas that open your heart and chest. This allows you to have fuller breaths, filling your diaphragm with pure, fresh air. You can benefit from internal cleanings using these practices.
9. Better sleep
After coming back home from the daily commitments you have, the mind says “I’m done” but the body says “I’m ready”, and it’s ready for a nice yoga practice. Gentle asanas before bed can help the body release any tension or stress it held throughout the day. This can affect your nervous system, allowing your body to relax before going to sleep, which will give you a good beauty sleep.
10. Gratitude
By experimenting with your body and seeing where it can take you through asanas, you can begin to see that your body is much stronger than you thought it would be. A sense of gratitude can come from this. Gratitude for your breathing, practice, the food you eat, and maybe even to those around you.
These are all ways yoga can help you stay youthful, with physical, mental and spiritual youth, but remember that yoga is a life practice and that it is also for everyone.
“Yoga is the perfect opportunity to be curious about who you are.” – Jason Crandell
About The Author
Inka means literally “The Child of Sun”. This radiant world traveler from Finland is in her thirties has explored in 55 countries and lived in USA, Latvia, and China. For the past decade, Inka has been working in the Global Mining Industry as Marketing Manager, promoting a sustainable technology solution for the world’s metal producers and process industries. While working in China, she truly discovered Yoga and completed her Yoga Teachers Training. Inka is on her amazing adventure through Americas for 3 months which of one-month volunteering in Blue Osa. Her Mantra is: “The Universe is my Home – my yoga mat my temple. We have one life – so live it well. Choose to be happy”. Follow her adventures and take a peak into her photographic memory in Instagram ituononen, #VirtaavaValonVoima.
