The weather is starting to turn dark & sometimes a little gloomy. That’s the nature of life in the Northern hemisphere. But, don’t let the weather get you down. NOW, is the perfect time to commit to a way of being that will help you overcome the “dark ages” of winter.
Hot yoga offers many health benefits all-year-round. If you want to change the way you look, you have to change the way you think & feel; especially during the winter months as we start to layer-up. Here are three ways practicing hot yoga with SOL can help you thrive:
1. Reinforce your mental toughness.
First & foremost, in order to be positive and productive, we need to be mindful of the way we think. If you look outside & everything looks dead & gray, it’s easy to start feeling that way inside. That’s the perfect time to grab your yoga mat & drop in for a class with SOL.
When you notice the darker thoughts start to creep in, that’s the perfect time to turn to a healthy habit. In effect, you’re training your brain to cope with negative thoughts. First, recognize the thought, or thought-trigger. Then, react to that thought with a positive & healthy activity. Ultimately, yoga helps us observe the negative thoughts, without letting them ruin our lives.
Pretty soon, when you see the clouds & winter weather rolling in, you’ll feel exhilarated because you know it’s time to grab your mat & head to SOL!
"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."
Epictetus
2. Spark up your energy levels.
Let’s face it! Many of us love Vinyasa, because we feel our heartbeat & we’re constantly in motion. The new & challenging postures in Sky’s Vinyasa classes are a sure-fire way to spark up your energy.
For those of us who love the Hatha practice & can’t wait for Savasana, this one might seem a little counter-intuitive. However, the aim of the Hatha practice is to mindfully bring your body into alignment, both inside & out. We might not realize it at first, because the mirrors give us feedback on the external alignment. We don’t always see the benefits that the sequence has on the internal parts of our body.
The aim of our Hatha sequence (and, ultimately, any Hatha practice) is to align the body’s energy. If you’d like to learn a little more about how this works with your anatomy & physiology, sign up for our Foundation Workshop. If you’re really interested in how yoga works, consider joining our 2020 cohort of teacher training!
“You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.”
Pema Chodron
3. Enhanced performance.
A few weeks ago, we shared some insights on NFL players (including Jacoby Brissett) who are becoming more mindful in order to increase their athletic performance. (Click here if you missed it.)
Courageous optimism is the key to performing at your peak. Whether you're a student, an athlete, a working professional, or an entrepreneur, having the courage to be optimistic will help you reach your greatest potential.
During a yoga practice with SOL, you learn to manage your thoughts, regulate your emotions, and behave productively. You begin to realize that each posture, like each breath, is a new opportunity. If you didn’t do it perfectly, it’s ok. As long as you keep trying, there’s another opportunity with each new breath, each new posture, and each new day.
“The best thing you could do is master the chaos in you. You are not thrown into the fire, YOU ARE THE FIRE.”
Mama Indigo
Your commitment to your yoga practice, helps build confidence in the decisions you make, both on & off your mat. When you step onto your yoga mat regularly, you'll begin to realize the subtleties involved in each posture. This mindfulness helps you when you step off your mat, as you realize how your diet & what you drink impact your performance. These little steps of mindful awareness add up to huge gains in performance.
You can't control a lot of things in life. But, you can control how you respond to the changing seasons. Your energy flows where your intention goes. When you practice yoga with SOL, you practice rising to challenges every day & multiple times during each class. When you overcome those challenges, you gain confidence & look forward to each yoga class as an opportunity to work toward self-improvement. Finding benefits amidst adversity is the key to the courageous optimism.
Practicing yoga with SOL isn’t just another workout, it’s a work-in. You’ll start to notice that you’re mentally tougher, you have more energy, and you can perform at a higher level. Try completing a 21-day challenge (21 classes within 1 month), and then just ask your friends, family, & co-workers (and health care provider) if they notice the differences. The answers are invariably, YES! Because, you are changing the way you think, feel & behave. This takes regular practice!