Written by: Whitney Zora Stetler, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As yoga becomes a mainstream practice in Western culture, men and women alike are jumping in the boat. What are we seeking? Better stamina? Increased flexibility? Greater strength? Each of these is certainly a proven benefit of a consistent yoga practice. Less commonly known effects are the anti-aging, endorphin increasing, and heart-healing benefits acquired from a consistent practice of yoga.
We are about to offer up eight secrets to unlock this hidden potential in your yoga practice. Whether newly minted or a seasoned veteran, these are sure to catapult your experience. Strap in, gear up, and open your mind to understand the full potential of your human experience.
Leave things that harm you aside.
Simple right? Not always. A bodybuilder may have the self-discipline to leave the chocolate chip cookies on the plate, but can they curb the negative self-talk? Things that harm you may not always be physical. Take a moment to look in the mirror and figure out the thing which you knowingly inflict upon yourself; food, a word, thought, or even deed, and give it all the heave-ho! A clear conscience will leave much more room for growth!
Watch yourself with an eye of interest.
You just did the hard work of digging deep and finding out what habits are harming you. Now it is time to watch each of your movements closely. Perhaps you take your yoga practice in front of a mirror or even record your practice and watch it afterward to look for alignment. Totally new to alignment? No problem, watch your practice and try to recall moments where you felt confused. You may just notice the hesitation also in your body. Ask your teacher for special tips and ques to help you understand some of the more difficult poses. When we take the time to watch for our weaknesses, we have the opportunity to resolve them and perhaps even make them a strength.
Choose 5 postures to work on 5 times per week.
There are literally thousands of yoga postures, but even sages of old had students start with a small handful and stay there until they were mastered. You know the saying; one can be a jack of all trades or an ace of one. The same applies here. By taking on tons of new postures without taking the time to learn them properly and become strong in them, you will be a jack. To build strength to master all the difficult and showy poses, start simple and learn the basics with a consistent effort. In no time, you will be holding Bakasana and Sirsasana!
Breathe, baby, breathe!
Yoga without breath is just fancy callanetics. Have you ever taken a class and wondered why the instructor had to keep telling you to breathe, and you were suddenly gasping for breath? Yeah, we’ve wondered, too. Our mind has a very fantastic way of obsessing on holding poses that we forget the very basic life function of breathing. Start small, think, “in and out, in and out” until you are ready and comfortable enough with the poses to focus your breath even deeper. Try to make your inhale equal to the amount of time you exhale. Maybe you make your exhale twice as long as your inhale. Notice the quality of your breath; is it shallow? Staccato? Your breath can tell you so much about your health, so take a moment first to do so and second to watch your breath with that keen eye of interest you’ve been working so hard on.
Look inward and let go.
Okay, so you’ve mastered your triangle and maybe even flown your bird of paradise? What is waiting on the platter of presents for you now? The opportunity to unlock the doors of mental and spiritual benefits of yoga! As you are more comfortable with the movements of your body and the steadiness of your breath, you might notice that you no longer feel the need to stare around the class considering all the adorable outfits. You no longer fidget in the mirror when holding an eagle for a long time. As you begin to let go of your outer senses, you have the opportunity to look inward. You may notice that your Drishti, or gaze, becomes focused on one knot on the bamboo floor or that spot on the mirror that needs cleaning. In any case, you have a one-pointedness in your focus. Noises in the classroom fade, a little itch on your cheek will not deter you. You are in the zone. Your body moves, and you feel your breath balance your movement. You, my darling, are in the zone.
Concentrate.
If you’ve been a student, you might think that this means to think really hard about something until your eyes pop out of your head! Lucky for you, this is not the case with yoga. To concentrate here means to think less!! Haha!! The joke is on us. Have you ever tried to concentrate on one thing? The chances are that in less than a second, you considered what you would have for dinner or that perhaps your little toes needed a new coat of polish. However, you have made it this far, and you can keep going. Each time you come to your mat, choose an intention or a thought to focus on. Perhaps you light a candle and gaze upon the candle, picturing your divine light within. One day pick a fresh flower for a small vase in front of your mat. The flower, the one flower, is all that matters to your mind during your practice. These are baby steps to teaching the mind the beauty and art of meditation.
Meditate.
Remember that pose at the end of class, Savasana, where you either melted into the floor or waited for the silly teacher to release you so you could run off to your hectic life? We’ve all been there, but how many times have you tried to actually meditate there? To meditate means to clear the mind, almost like looking through a crystal. Picture your mind as a clear crystal. As you try to understand your mind, you gaze into the crystal. Yet, here come all of these assaulting thoughts, “is class over yet?” “can I get up” “did people notice me fall out of my tree pose.” Or perhaps your thoughts are completely off the mat and yoga altogether. In any case, imagine each of your thoughts is a color. As these colored thoughts rush through your mind, the clarity of the crystal takes on the color of each thought. Try as you may find peace and clarity in these moments, but until you can quiet the mind, there will always be remnants of a busy and frantic mind cluttering up your vision.
Absorption.
If you are meditating and the whole world can fall away, you feel light and at peace. You are absorbed in a peaceful serenity with no thought. It is at this moment that you are most blissfully nestled in Samadhi. Namaste.
Seem like a lot? It is! The Eight Limbs of Yoga are no joke, and it can take a lifetime to master them. Therein lies the beauty. Life is a process of constant growth and improvement. So, whether you’re 80 or 18, consider this a wheel you travel again and again.
Looking for some more ways to challenge yourself and tighten up? Register at cocoayogacafe.com for an unlimited subscription to classes where you will also receive a discount on apparel, regular tips on specific poses, and practices to keep your body lean, mind sharp, and heart soft.
With Love and Joy,
Whitney Zora Stetler
Founder of Cocoa Yoga Cafe
Whitney Zora Stetler, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Whitney Zora Stetler grew up in the mountains of Silver City, New Mexico, where she pursued music. She started a punk rock band in high school alongside her childhood best friend, Serena. She co-opened her first business, a coffee shop, at the age of 19. Whitney later received culinary arts degrees from The French Culinary Institute in New York City and Alma La Scuola Internazionale di Cucina Italiana in Parma, Italy. Whitney sharpened her love of business as the accountant for Platinum Aviation in Fort Lauderdale. She later tackled sales and marketing in the medical field in Houston and Miami. Finally, Whitney was compelled by love to share the peace and wellness that her personal practice of yoga had long afforded her by earning her RYT-500. Voila! A trifecta of her favorite things: a classy cafe, yoga studio, and music venue culminated in forming Cocoa Yoga Cafe. Whitney is happily married to a handsome pilot, has two precious children, an adorable dachshund, and very lofty dreams.
