We’re all multitaskers: whether it’s working while traveling, co-ordinating a million things at a time, or thinking about the tasks that are pending on our to-do lists. Our minds work at the speed of light, and whether we like it or not, we find ourselves accounting for every moment of our day and planning every small detail to the ‘T’.
While it may seem like a valuable skill, what multitasking actually does is divide our attention among multiple things at once. This reduces our efficiency and the quality of our work. It doesn’t just result in poor clarity of thought; it also creates a chaotic environment.
We’ve all been in stressful situations where we were burdened with more things than we could handle, and where we felt like we were right in the middle of the mess.
This stress and anxiety not only affects our mental peace, but also makes us vulnerable to many physical ailments.
The question, therefore, is: how do we stop ourselves from being overwhelmed by the circumstances we face daily? It’s true that with time and experience, we develop skills that help us deal with problems. But often, the techniques we choose to deal with stress do us more harm than good. The common “stress busters” that people opt for are consumption of alcohol or smoking. While these intoxications may offer a sense of immediate stress relief, it is a fact that they aggravate the emotions of anxiety and tension in a person.
In our priority list, we probably have a million work/life-related tasks that need to be done ASAP. However, our health somehow fails to make this list.
As unimportant as it may seem, the only time to work on our mental and physical wellness is NOW! And yoga is the only tool that “multi-tasks” in a way that harmonises your mind, body, and soul into one combined lifestyle.
Let’s look at how yoga works on your mind, body, and soul.
Stress is born in “fight or flight” situations, where our mind is incapable of deciphering a situation to come up with a rational solution. What we lack is the clarity of mind and mindfulness to look at a situation objectively.
Yoga, through yoga asanas and meditation, helps you overcome the clutter in your mind. This clutter obstructs you from having a clear view and making efficient decisions. Through the regular practice of yoga and meditation, our minds get accustomed to not offering a panicked reaction to stressful situations. Instead, it assesses, analyses and responds to the situation efficiently. Yoga also works on your body through physical movements that help stimulate the working of the organs individually. It helps tone and build body strength.
Here are some yoga asanas to harmonise your mind, body, and soul.
1. Seated Forward Bend – Paschimottanasana
This seated asana stretches your spine and lower back, massages the internal organs and helps improve the functioning of the digestive system. It also helps with getting rid of insomnia and headaches. Along with these physical benefits, paschimottanasana also promotes mental and spiritual wellness. It soothes the nervous system thereby relieving stress. It cools the body down and calms the mind, relieving feelings of anxiety and irritability.
As you bend forward, the pose helps you take a journey inward, which makes you aware of every breath, aiding you to be more mindful and self-aware. The daily practice of this asana keeps the mind rejuvenated and surrounded by positive energy!
2. The Warrior Pose – Virabhadrasana
As the name suggests, the warrior pose is a powerful yoga asana that invokes the feeling of confidence in you. With the stability of the pose, you feel immense strength and fire within you.
It works on various parts of your body, it tones, strengthens and stretches the abdomen, ankles, thighs, and calves. It helps you become focused and improves your concentration. The pose is a great enhancer of peace and courage. As you hold the posture, you relax and calm your mind. This pose is one of the best asanas that can be practiced to combat ailments caused by a sedentary lifestyle.
Apart from these two asanas, you can also practice the Headstand, the Fish Pose, and the Plough Pose for a wholesome mind, body, and soul workout!
Yoga is a traditional lifestyle that easily fits into a sedentary lifestyle. Proactive effort and disciplined practice of yoga enable you to reap the most benefits of this lifestyle.