Sukhasana for a day at home

 

Firstly I say stay at home and stay safe. A day like today when it is suggested to be at home and wait for the storm to pass, all of us aren’t having the usual day. If yoga class at your favourite studio was a part of your day, like other important things even this isn’t happening. But today is also the day when we are more connected with our surroundings than other days. All of us in Ireland have a major part of our minds focused on the storm outside. We are connected with nature on a conscious level and with this reality, we are all connected with each other. Of the 5 elements we are made of (earth, water, air, fire and space), we are consciously aware of earth, water and air today.
 
Practice Meditation
While you are at home, take some time to sit and practice introspection. Sit up with your legs crossed and spine upright. To keep the spine tall, if need be, you can sit against a wall for back support. This pose of sitting with legs crossed is called Sukhasana (comfortable or the easy pose). You can sit on a mat or a soft base, closer to the ground. Keep your eyes closed throughout the practice. Rest your palms on top of your knees.
 
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Benefit of sitting in Sukhasana
  1. Sitting this way brings your awareness towards you and connects you to the element earth.
  2. It calms your mind.
  3. It facilitates physical and mental balance.
 
Duration of Practice
You can practice this for 10-15 minutes or longer. Preferably sit in this position for as long as you can comforting sustain it.
 
I would suggest to sit with your eyes closed and listen to the sounds around you. You can concentrate on the sound of the air or drops of rain falling on your window pane. But if this feels difficult, the last choice will be to play soft music in the background and move from one thought to another.
 
Hope you have a calm and safe day.

5 Benefits of Early Morning Yoga

Showing up on the mat is the toughest part of yoga and it’s most excruciating in the early hours of morning! But if you did show up on your mat early morning, then you are rewarded more generously from your yoga practice. Let’s look at some of the benefits of early morning yoga:
  1. Most favourable time for yogic practice
    In the morning hours your mind is free of deep thoughts and the air is pure and fresh, hence practicing yoga will leave you in the best state of mind.

  2. Active body
    Through the movement of asanas as you relax your muscles from the morning stiffness, the outcomes are – supple body with opened up energy channels which will make you alert and active for the entire day.
  3. Steadier, all day long
    Practice with breath awareness results to a balanced body and peaceful mind. And with the morning practice you will have that calm and focused mind throughout the day.

  4. Sleep like a baby

    To wake up early you will make sure to sleep on time! Morning yoga helps to form a rhythmic sleep pattern. As the strengthening and centring asanas activate the body and mind, the cooling down asanas prepare you for bedtime.

  5. Easiest to keep stomach empty for yoga practice
    In an ideal situation yoga should be practiced on an empty stomach. You will have least food cravings early in the morning, so out of bed and on to the mat is the easiest choice.