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How Yoga Can Help Creativity

How Yoga Can Help Creativity

The Link Between Yoga and Creativity

So you may be wondering what on earth yoga and creativity have to do with one another, and how yoga can help you become more creative.  Well you might be surprised how much yoga can help you tap into your intuition, overcome your fears, and step out of your comfort zone to open yourself to creativity and new possibilities.

 

Debunking the #1 Yoga Myth

Often the first thing I hear when I tell people I am a yoga teacher is, “I’m not flexible, so I am not very good at yoga.”  This statement makes me cringe every time I hear it.  Yoga is so much more than being flexible and getting into challenging poses.  It is so much more than the PHYSICAL practice, and really begins with the MENTAL practice.

 

Yes – I said mental – meaning MINDFULNESS. This term can mean many things to many people, but according to lexico.com, mindfulness is “the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.”  Yoga helps us activate mindfulness by drawing our awareness inwards and facing the inner shadows that hold us back in life.  

 

Yes, yoga includes physical postures and practice, but it also includes meditation and self-study. By combining all facets of yoga, you become more mindful, and tap into that creative part of yourself.  This is how yoga can help creativity.  The more you practice it, the more easily you can access it!  

How Yoga Taps into Creativity

As a creative being, how often are you afraid to tackle that new project, or take a chance on a new idea.  Are you afraid to move out of your comfort zone and take risks?  I live with this fear every day – and it can be crippling. It causes us to make choices that go against our own intuition to “play it safe.”  

 

Through yoga practice (mindfulness and physical practice) I find that I become less afraid to take that leap and follow my inner guide.  Simple acts of movement, meditation, and journaling are the most beneficial things I can do for myself each day. And I don’t need to spend hours of my time doing this either.  20 minutes a day in the morning can make a huge difference on my outlook for the day – feeling less stress, balanced, aware, and ready to take on the day.  

 

The feeling I receive from my yoga practice, whether I choose to do something creative that day or not, allows me to open up my mind to new possibilities.  There is scientific research on how meditation and breathing practices can improve your health – with the one undisputed outcome being that meditation increases focus. Just Google it and you can find multiple articles instantly on the many benefits of mindfulness and yoga (with science to back it up!).

Meditation

Ways to Start Your Day for Creative Inspiration

Here are some tips to get you started!

  • Start your day sitting in a quiet place.  Sit with a tall spine and close your eyes, or take a soft gaze onto the floor.  Now take a few long deep breaths and feel yourself become present in the moment.  If your mind starts to wander, draw your attention back to your breath.  

  • You can set an intention for your day, or use this time to draw inward.  If you have difficulty focusing, and you would like some specific guidance, feel free to use a meditation app or online video.  I absolutely love Calm and Headspace for their guided meditations.

  • Take 5 minutes to write down in a journal (or on a piece of paper) 3 things you are grateful for.  I do this every day and it helps lighten my spirit and feel good going into the day.  Set an intention or positive affirmation for yourself for the day – this may be something simple (like “I am at peace”), or a directive of how you would like to feel for the day (for example, “I release all fears and embrace my challenges with love”).  You can set a mantra for yourself as well, such as “I release self-doubt and trust in myself.”

  • Take 10 minutes to do some stretches to start your day.  Sign-up for our newsletter and receive a PDF for some stretches to creatively start your day!

Of course you can choose to take as much time as you like in any of these steps!  And if you don’t have time in the morning, try out your practice in the evening after work or before you sit down to do whatever creative activity you plan to work on for the day.

It’s also a great way to take a break from your work and de-stress and stretch out the body.

Painting

After Your Yoga Practice

If you have the time, I highly suggest getting started on any creative activity immediately after your morning practice. 

Set-up exactly what you want to work on creatively before you start your asana and yoga practice, so you can jump into your creative activity with enthusiasm and focus right after.  

Even if you only spend 10 minutes, having your supplies out and ready create an invitation for your creativity whenever you walk by.  It can be very restorative to sit for just a few minutes at a time and do some type of creative work – even just drawing lines or sketching ideas in your sketchbook to come back to later.

Every week I teach an online yoga class that will help you tap into your creativity called Vinyasa Flow for Creative Souls.  For more details go to my Schedule page. 

Happy creating!

How to Start Your Meditation Practice

How to Start Your Meditation Practice

How to Start Your Meditation Practice

Tips and tricks to building a consistent meditation practice for beginning yogis and non-yogis.

 

Do you ever think to yourself in a yoga class during Savasana – why won’t my mind be still?  How long do I have to lay here? Can I get up and leave yet?  You are not alone!  When we start a yoga practice, we often don’t understand or connect to the purpose of savasana (corpse pose).  We think it’s just rest for the body, but in actuality it is the time during our practice where we can let ourselves abandon our thoughts, and calm our senses.  This all-important practice at the end of yoga class can be transmitted to our daily lives through meditation.

 

Why Should I Meditate?

One of the best things we can do for ourselves is to explore ways in which to let the mind rest.  We are constantly busy and our minds are thinking non-stop (“monkey mind”).  Spending just a few minutes everyday to allow the mind to relax and focus on the present is incredibly beneficial for our brains.  In fact, meditation is shown to increase GABA and serotonin levels in the brain (the brain’s main neurotransmitters), increase DHEA, and reduce cortisol levels.  Not just that, but meditation physically CHANGES the brain! There are countless articles out there about the benefits of meditation – here is just one of many if you want to read a little more on the subject.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mindful-musings/201605/3-research-based-reasons-start-meditating

Ask a regular meditator if he needs the science to back-up these theories about how meditation can help calm the brain and reduce anxiety, and he will likely tell you “no.”  People that meditate regularly do so for a reason – it is a lot like working out or doing a regular yoga (asana) practice – once you know how good you can feel from it, you want to keep doing it again and again.  The problem for many people is that they think they can’t sit still, and there is just no way to calm the mind (believe me I know – I live with one!).  So what is a person to do?

 Meditation focus 

Start Small and Build a Habit

Start small and commit to trying meditation out for an extended number of days.  It takes a range of time to form a habit, but research shows that after about 2 months (66 days on average) we are able to form habits. This may seem like a daunting task and a long time (were you hoping for the quick-fix?), but instead of feeling overwhelmed, commit to the task in a very small way.  Try and work towards the 2 months of doing daily meditation, but don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day here and there.

Culturally we tend to have this “all or nothing” mentality, which research tells us doesn’t work. It’s like dieting – we think if we commit we can lose weight – it’s all about will-power and strength, right?  No, it’s not.  In reality, if we mess up we tend to beat ourselves up, becoming self-critical with negative thoughts.  This often leads to overeating because we feel defeated, less-than, or without worth.  The same can happen in our meditation practice if we approach it with this “all or nothing” approach.

 

Start with 3-5 minutes of meditation in the morning (or whatever time of day you can commit to), and mentally commit to that as your first week of meditation practice.  Then recommit the next week – maybe it’s 5-10 minutes a day.  Start building this practice in small steps.  As you start building this pattern, you can increase the length of time you spend in meditation, and may find that you actually WANT to do more!  If you can increase this to 20-30 minutes at a time, that’s wonderful.  If not, that’s OK too!  This is a journey and a personal experience, and there is no rule around how long you have to meditate.  Some days might be 5 minutes, and other days you may meditate for an hour.  It’s YOUR practice and you will find what works for you.

 

Get Comfy!

Find a spot where you can be comfortable – put a cushion, a blanket, or comfortable chair in your meditation space that you can use daily.  Place a candle, a journal, mala beads, or whatever it is that will make your space more inviting.  Make sure you can be comfortable and sit with a tall spine for your practice.  Some beautiful and comfortable meditation cushions are for sale on the web, so look around and find something that will inspire you (no paid plug here, but I LOVE my Halfmoon meditation cushions).  Investing in a comfortable meditation cushion set or chair can help inspire your practice (not to mention make it WAY more comfortable and enticing to sit for longer periods of time).  Or if you sew, maybe even create your own as a fun, creative project to jumpstart your practice.

 

Create a Daily Ritual – Same Time, Same Place

Try and carve out a time that you can meditate daily – maybe it’s right after you get up, just after your yoga practice, or right after dinner.  Just ensure you choose a time and place where you won’t be distracted (I know it’s a challenge!).  Try and use the same space daily – you can even add some decorations to make your space more alluring. Candles, stones, journals, books, and art are inspiring additions to any meditation space!

 

Pair your Meditation with a Fun Activity

Make meditation time a time just for you!  It is much easier to develop a habit when you can look forward to “me time” – it won’t be a chore if it’s enjoyable.

I like to do my meditation practice early in the morning, first thing right after I feed the dogs.  I sit for a few minutes enjoying my morning coffee, and then begin my meditation practice.  I journal immediately afterwards to process my thoughts and jot down my daily gratitude.  This ritual I created is now my favorite time of day.  Especially just after journaling, I like to sit and enjoy the morning view out my window, in quiet contemplation.  I experience the most amazing feeling of calm and presence.

If you aren’t an early bird, think about other ways that you can find some quiet time regularly.  Be creative!  Maybe it’s just after the kids go to bed and you can enjoy an evening cup of tea and meditate.  Find what works for you.

 

Start Meditating with an Accountability Buddy

Find a friend and start your daily practice together.  Having a friend to lean-on and help hold you accountable is always a benefit – for ANY part of your life. It works great for your yoga practice too!

Holding each other accountable also means holding space for your friend.  Be kind to yourself and your friend if you slip-up and miss a day.  It’s not a big deal – just a little hiccup.  Some days are just insane and life gets in the way.  IT’S OKAY!!  Offering words of encouragement and kindness to each other is always more beneficial than the alternative.  Encourage your buddy to come back to the practice if she stops, and talk to her about her experiences and your own.  Make a pact to be kind and listen to one another, creating a safe space to talk and share.

Check out this article on holding space from the Chopra Center:

https://chopra.com/articles/holding-space-the-art-of-being-present-with-others

 

Practice!

Starting a meditation practice is just that – a practice!  Much like yoga or any activity, the more we do it, the more we are comfortable with it, and the better we get at it. Meditation is like becoming an athlete – you need to flex the meditation muscle in order to become stronger and more skilled.  We are all at different points in our practice, but the benefits exist no matter where you are starting from.  Practicing is the best way to build your skills.

 

Just Breathe!

Many forms of meditation exist, but the most accessible beginning to a meditation practice for most people is focusing on the breath.  The breath helps bring us back to the present moment and give the mind a focus (in yoga, the purpose of meditation is one-pointed focus, or Dharana).  Allowing the mind to just focus on the breath helps bring it to a place of stillness.

If focusing on the breath feels like it’s not enough to settle the mind, try a chanting meditation (mantra), a walking meditation, or a visualization meditation.

 

Get Some Guidance

Starting a practice is best when you have someone to teach and guide you.  Many great apps exist like Calm and Headspace, as well as countless videos.  You might already have a yoga app you are using that also has guided meditations (Gaia and Glo both have some wonderful guided meditations and teachers).  There is no rule that you need to do this on your own.  Eventually you may progress to this stage of not needing guidance, but having a teacher is invaluable in any new endeavor.

I personally follow certain teachers and use apps regularly.  They have helped me progress in my meditation practice, and opened me up to new ideas and types of meditation.  Sometimes I use the apps just for the nature sounds and music (Calm is my favorite for this).

Start a Journal

Having a notebook nearby to jot down thoughts just after your meditation is so beneficial.  Writing things down can help you process feelings, ideas, or simply develop an attitude of gratitude.  The 2 things I make sure I write down everyday is three things I am grateful for, and one positive self-affirmation.  It only takes a couple of minutes, and helps put me in the right mindset for the day.

I also like to write my feelings down whether they are positive or negative. It helps “get things out of my head” and process my feelings – it’s a great companion to my meditation practice, and has become a part of my daily ritual.

 

Make it YOUR Journey

The MOST important part of starting a meditation practice is making it YOUR experience.  This is your personal journey, and you need to find what works for you.  Once you start experiencing the benefits of meditation, you may find that it changes your life in the most positive ways.  Reducing stress, anxiety, and creating a sense of calm are just the tip of the iceberg.  I encourage you to start on this journey and make it your personal experience.  Don’t worry about what you are “supposed” to do.  Ultimately it is up to you to find what works for you.

 

Happy meditating!  Namaste.

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