Yoga for Happiness!

 

With the modern fast-pace working life, many would practice yoga or go for a run because they feel good after. Physical activity releases endorphins into your body, which make you feel more relax. We will then influence the people around us by being better and happy too.

 

Therefore, happiness is simply positive energy that is contagious.

 

According to the Harvard’s longest studies (since 1938) on Happiness has found out that we experience happiness through social connections. Therefore, the people around you strongly influence how you feel which also means the more positive vibes that are in your cluster, the more likely you will feel positive too.

You may check out the research on happiness at: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/04/over-nearly-80-years-harvard-study-has-been-showing-how-to-live-a-healthy-and-happy-life/

 

Feeling good after a run is really awesome but the routine can be pretty mundane at times. Unlike yoga, a 5000 year-old integrated system of yogic science involving the physical, mental and spiritual practice. Yoga is seemingly yet another physical activity with just the practice of Asanas but the complete system also includes meditation, pranayama, mudra, bandha and kriya. These practices lead us to be more grounded and present which are the basic of strong foundation to overcome obstacles in life as well as to be less dependent or influence by outer circumstances.

 

When we feel healthier and full of energy we would naturally be feeling the sense of joy too!

 

Sharing some poses for Happiness:

 

  • The Warrior poses such as Warrior II, where this pose reminds you that you can stand strong and are invincible. So, we can use this pose to release stress and tension.

 

  • Heart-opening poses/backbends. The easy heart-openers such as Cobra Pose or Bow Pose, can simply help to release the built-up tension in muscles and joints by opening up the frontal portion of the body. Consequently, you are less irritable and sleep better at night.

 

  • Poses that require concentration can calm your mind and one good example will be Crow Pose. Crow pose fosters inner focus and concentration in the present. It is also the perfect balance of holding on and letting go. Crow Pose invites you to accept your fears and embrace the courage to fly. Inversion such as Headstand where blood flow throughout the entire body and literally looking at life from a fresh perspective (being upside-down!) filling your day with positive energy.

 

  • Hip-opening poses. Yogic tradition holds the hips as a storage ground for negative feelings and pent-up emotions, especially ones related to control in our lives. Hip-opening can also create space for the birth of new ideas and new pathways. Opening the hips gives us access to freedom in the body and in our own unique expression — creatively, physically, sexually, and spiritually.

 

Keep practicing and enjoy the benefits in place for us!

 

Loves,

Priscilla Wang – YTT Sep’17