But, in 2022, I plan to offer your monthly blog posts to inspire and enhance your yoga practice.
Hopefully, you have continued your yoga practice at home in 2021. To enhance your home practice, please enjoy the guest post submitted this month by writer Katherine Hanlon.
She works with a group that is immersed in the world of mindfulness, self-care, and spirituality. Check out their website: https://mindfulsouls.com.
5 Mindful Rituals to Enhance Yoga at Home
You probably know that yoga is a super beneficial physical practice for the body, mind, and soul.
But as relaxing and restorative as yoga may be, it is not easy. Therefore sometimes, we need extra motivation to go back to the mat. What if you could complement your yoga practice in different ways to help you enjoy the exercise more? Maybe even explore more of your spiritual side at the same time? Let's take a look at five mindful rituals that can surely enhance your yoga practice at home!
Meditation
Meditation and yoga go hand in hand. Meditation is often a big part of yoga classes. It can be a great starting point for your yoga session as it will set a foundation for a focused and quiet mind.
Meditation also helps keep the mind sharp and clear, perfect for enhancing your yoga progress and helping you do yoga postures correctly.
You can also end your yoga session with a meditation to reflect on what you've learned, how you've progressed, and to express gratitude for being alive.
Aromatherapy
What can be more wonderful than moving and flowing together with beautiful scents from nature?
Aromatherapy offers a diverse set of applications. You can choose from creating a ritual with essential oils or engaging in smudging, topical skin applications, bath bombs, and beyond.
To best enhance your yoga practice, diffuse essential oils evenly to cloak the space around you. Aromatherapy is used principally for stress relief and relaxation, which relates to yoga perfectly!
Here are some of the best scents for your home yoga:
Lavender is excellent for relaxation and has calming properties.
Peppermint can improve concentration.
Sandalwood's scent heightens mental clarity.
Mantra Repetition
The word "Mantra" comes from Sanskrit, meaning "to release the mind." And there's even a separate meditation method known as "Mantra meditation." Saying and repeating a particular mantra may help you concentrate and eliminate an unwanted stream of random thoughts.
However, a mantra will only be effective if you truly believe the idea behind it or if it has personal meaning for you. Therefore, make sure to create a mantra that is unique, impactful, and important to you. You can also use ancient and powerful chants such as OM that are time-tested and will act as a powerful meditation tool.
You can use a mantra during your pre-yoga meditation or while doing yoga.
Use Natural Crystals & Their Energy
I know what you might be thinking – and that's alright! Even if you are highly skeptical of crystals' metaphysical properties, having a crystal nearby or in your hands can help you relax more and be more present at the moment. Natural crystals are best paired with meditation, or they can serve as a lovely decoration. And it is all about feeling the comfort of the natural mineral or making the yoga space feel more cozy and welcoming. Crystals have the power to inspire and change how we approach spirituality and its practices.
Here are the best crystals for mediation or yoga:
Rose Quartz and its soft pink colors can give a sense of self-love and bliss during yoga practice.
Labradorite properties and rainbow colors are excellent if you enjoy a bit of mystical ambiance in your space.
Selenite crystal and its blank white surface can blend in perfectly if you love having a minimalistic design around you.
Journaling
You are probably confused and wondering how journaling is even related to yoga? Keeping a diary can benefit people of all ages and help you with your yoga practice!
Journaling has the unique power to free your mind of any feelings, thoughts, and experiences that might distract you during yoga practice. You can also log your progress and goals as well as identify challenges you observe during your yoga practice.
The clarity you gain from journaling will allow you to focus better on your performance, improve your flow, and move more swiftly between asanas.
Conclusion
And there you go! Don't hesitate to try these mindful rituals and see if they positively impact your overall well-being and yoga practice. And who knows, you just might be pleasantly surprised!
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Thank you again, Katherine Hanlon, for your guest post!
To my blog readers - yes, do yoga at home mindfully!
Laura Venecia Rodriguez
