How Meditation Can Help You Through the Winter

In the cold, dark days of winter, many of us may wake up later, leave our houses less, and struggle to stay motivated. These months are likely to feel longer and more stressful than sunnier seasons, which is why prioritising mental health and turning to meditation for its mood-boosting benefits may help.

“Meditation provides an island of sanity in an otherwise chaotic and tumultuous reality,” says Tal Ben-Shahar, PhD, co-founder and chief learning officer of the Happiness Studies Academy.

Meditation has many known health benefits. Mental health and meditation experts share more about the best ways to use this tool to get through the difficult winter months.

Practice Mindfulness Meditation

While there are many techniques worth trying, mindfulness meditation is highly recommended for decreasing worried thoughts, improving mood, and stress management. Best of all, you can use this technique at any time throughout your day. 

Dr. Ben-Shahar explains the four leading guidelines of mindfulness meditation and how they can help you in your daily practice. 

• Allow the mind to rest on a single object. The object can be anything: a physical posture, a bodily sensation, a word, a visual cue, a sound, or even another person. When we rest our mind on an object without trying to change it, without criticising it—just observing it with friendly curiosity—we begin to see clearly.

• Return to focus. Mindfulness doesn’t require ongoing concentration. Our mind inevitably wanders and when we catch this happening, we should bring our focus back to whatever our object of meditation happens to be.

• Breathe slowly, gently, and deeply. While this applies to most meditation practices, though not all, breath is often the foundation of a practice. Deep, slow, and gentle breaths open us up to positive change.

• Practice non-judgement acceptance. The key when you meditate is to rid yourself of expectations. There are no expectations to be calm or joyful or focused. When meditating, give yourself permission to be human. By assuming the light and gentle quality of a calm breath, life can become easier.

“Whether you managed to focus for 20 minutes straight, or caught your mind wandering often and immediately, or were constantly distracted for 15 minutes—it doesn’t matter,” says Dr. Ben-Shahar. “There is no good or bad meditation, there is only meditation.”

Meditate Often for More Benefits

Like writing, running, or cooking, meditation is a skill that should be practiced. The more you practice, the more you improve. But be aware that over-practicing can lead to burnout. 

Meditation is meant to ground you where you are, bringing you back to the present and allowing you to recognise all of the senses that surround you. If you’re new to meditation, start slowly and know that short meditation sessions offer just as many benefits as long ones.

Chris Lemig, CHT, contributor to Choosing Therapy, recommends meditating in short, manageable sessions over a long period of time, starting with just five minutes every morning. Gradually, as it becomes a habit, you can add time and even increase the number of sessions you do each day.

“Ten minutes a day, or even three minutes once in a while, can go a long way in resetting our nervous system,” says Dr. Ben-Shahar. 

Build a Sustainable Practice

Meditation can be practiced anytime, anywhere, but everyone’s practice looks different. What works for someone else may not work for you, so if you’re new to meditation, listen to your body and be patient with yourself. 

If you’re starting a meditation practice or looking to improve your current practice, these suggestions may help.

• Listen deliberately. Meditation is present-moment awareness, so we can simply focus on the sounds around us. Rather than perceiving them as distractions, we can perceive them as the object of meditation itself, says Dr. Ben-Shahar.

• Sit in silence. Paul Greene, PhD, director of the Manhattan Center for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, recommends meditating at a time when you won't be disturbed. It's understandable to want some stress relief when things are chaotic at home, but he believes that's not the right time to meditate. Wait until things are quiet and you know you'll be left alone for a while.

• Focus on your breath. The key to meditation, and lowering stress levels, is the breath. Dr. Ben-Shahar recommends taking slow, gentle, and quiet inhalations and exhalations, ideally through the nose and all the way down to the belly.

• Avoid over-meditating. Meditation is beneficial, but doing too much of anything can be problematic. By meditating for just 10 minutes per day, Dr. Ben-Shahar says you can change the structure of your brain, ultimately supporting your overall well-being.

• Try guided meditation. There are dozens of free meditation videos or recordings online. You can also download an app such as Headspace, Calm, or Sattva. These can be helpful when starting out, says Dr. Greene, but you’ll benefit more from meditating alone.

While meditation can help lower stress levels, Dr. Ben-Shahar says it’s important to realise that stress, in and of itself, is not a problem. Stress can actually help us become stronger, more resilient, and healthier. We just need to incorporate recovery time.

“Think about stressing our muscles in the gym,” Dr. Ben-Shahar says. Doing so makes them stronger. But when there is no recovery, we get injured. Recovery is necessary for gaining benefits, he explains, and meditation provides the recovery we need.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to meditation, you’ll gain the most from a consistent practice. Even if your mind shifts away from your chosen focus or your time gets cut short, you can still enjoy the benefits of meditation. 

Be mindful of how you’re feeling this winter. If you’re building a healthy meditation practice but still experiencing heightened levels of stress and anxiety, consider additional methods of self-care such as individual or group therapy. Meditation should be used as a mental health tool, but know it’s not the only one available to you.

Four ways yoga helps to nourish yourself this Winter

Winter is the season of introspection, manifesting, integration, hibernation, and surrender. It’s the perfect time to curl into your practice and go deeper. The long dark days of winter can lend themselves to physical stagnation, stress and fatigue, and rolling out your mat can help you call upon the light within by honouring the pause. Find a delightful fragrance in the exchange of surrender and support.

Being the fourth season, winter is a time for stabilising. The number four relates to the grounding nature of all things as well as nature itself — the four seasons, the four elements, and the four directions. This foundational number also corresponds with the heart chakra — the fourth energy centre. And the heart chakra, much like winter, is the bridge between the spiritual and the physical.

The winter blues are very common this time of year, with many of us experiencing a mood shift during the colder & darker days of winter. The chilly air might make you less than excited for your yoga practice, or to even leave the house at all. We have got you! Plunge into your practice in our warm studio set amongst cosy lamps and candles.

Here are 4 ways yoga can help you beat the winter blues:

1. WARM UP WITH HOT YOGA

Hot yoga is one of the best ways to warm up during the coldest months of the year! Not only does hot yoga help you to sweat out toxins, but practising hot yoga loosens stiff muscles, and creates flexibility in your body and joints. If your hands and feet are always cold, even a few minutes in a hot yoga room can increase circulation and help spread heat from your core outwards towards your fingers and toes. Stay healthy this winter by sweating it out on your mat!

2. STRETCH YOUR TIGHT MUSCLES

We have a natural tendency to hunch over more in the winter – especially when we need to bury our faces in our scarves and coats in order to stay warm. When muscles are cold, they tend to be less flexible, and movement can sometimes become painful. Yoga (especially in heated classes) gives us the space to open up again. Taking time for heart opening asanas can help counteract ‘the hunch’ and creates more space in your physical body.

3. BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM & MOOD

Research shows that doing yoga regularly can help reduce the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and seasonal affective disorder. If you find yourself missing sunshine and struggling to boost your mood, carving out time to be on your mat can help! Yoga has also been proven to boost your immune system and reduce inflammation. Say goodbye to that winter cold and set the tone of your Winter.

4. YOGA PRACTICE

Between the lack of sunlight and frigid temperatures draining your energy, winter is a time when energy levels are at an all-time low. Yoga is a great way to naturally boost energy! Increased breathing allows our blood to constantly receive fresh oxygen, and movement stimulates blood flow and circulation, which increases energy and benefits the entire body. Yoga can also counteract some of the harmful effects of sitting down for too long! Plan for your workplace to start a corporate wellness plan and hold each other accountable. For corporate packages please get in touch with us!

The following four yoga postures are gentle and nourishing for the cold winter months ahead and will help to support your immune system, gently squeezing toxins from internal organs and lowering stress hormones in the body. With these supportive poses in your pocket, old man winter can bring it on.

• Supine Twists

• Legs up the wall

• Lizard Lunge

• Reclined butterfly pose

Six simple ways to declutter your mind

From the desktop p.c., to the laptop, the smartphone and now ‘smart wearables,’ never before has information been so easily accessible. Social media, online messaging, email, streaming services, television, news… all help play a part in subjecting our brains to information overload.

According to a landmark study published in August 2018, people spend on average 24 hours a week online, with one in five spending as much as 40 hours a week online – for some, that’s an entire working week! We consume almost 90 times more information than we did in 1940. Little wonder, then, that we may feel a little frazzled at times.

How do you know if your mind is cluttered?

Do you find it hard to focus on one thing at a time, or that your mind is spinning? Do you struggle to concentrate and often feel restless? Are you easily distracted and feel that there is always somewhere else you should be, or something else you should be doing? Do you sometimes get to the end of the day feeling like you haven’t stopped, yet struggle to recall what you’ve done? If so, it’s likely that your mind could benefit from some decluttering.

What are the benefits of mentally decluttering?

Decluttering our physical space helps us to feel calmer and yes – joyful! The same goes for decluttering our mental space. Clearing out the clutter increases our ability to focus, enables us to concentrate for longer periods of time, and generally helps us to feel calmer.

How can we declutter our minds?

Since the availability and accessibility of information and stimulus (particularly the online aspects of it) is unlikely to decrease any time soon, the onus is on us to manage their impact on our lives. Here are our top 6 tips:

1. Schedule tech-free time

Decide on a cut off point in your day – perhaps 7 or 8pm – where you turn off your computer / put your laptop away, and switch your phone to silent – or better still – off. A great tip from Esther Ekhart is to turn off your wi-fi off at night and don’t turn it on again until the following morning after your breakfast or yoga / meditation practice. That way, even if you are tempted to grab your phone within the first 5 minutes of waking up (as 65% of all adults under 35 do), you won’t be drawn down the online rabbit hole.

Make ‘phone-free’ spaces such as the dinner table or bedroom so that there are at least a couple of times a day where you can be fully present. We also have a phone-free bathroom rule (with two teenagers in the house it’s a necessity!) and a ‘telephone hotel’ that our phones spend every night recharging their batteries in.

2. Connect with nature

Although the physical benefits of exercise are well-documented, taking a moment to truly connect with nature can have a profound effect on our overall sense of wellbeing. (And by ‘connecting’ I don’t mean charging around a forest, while listening to music or a podcast).

In a 2015 study, researchers found that people who had walked in nature showed lower activity in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that is active when we find ourselves trapped in a repetitive loop of negative thought patterns. Even if it’s a few minutes spent feeling the fresh air on your skin, listening to the birds singing or watching the clouds drift by, nature can have a powerful effect on our mental state.

3. Stop multitasking

When life speeds up, we have a tendency to speed up too – as if spinning seven plates with half an eye on each will help us get more done. It won’t; some of them will get smashed. Even in our so-called downtime, we watch TV or a movie whilst simultaneously scrolling through our Instagram or Facebook feed.

In fact, what is known as ‘multi-tasking’ is more accurately described as ‘task-switching’ because the brain isn’t capable of focusing on two serious tasks at the same time. So try to focus on doing one thing at a time and do only that. Even if we’re browsing social media, it’s much easier to do it mindfully if we haven’t got half an eye on Netflix at the same time.

4. Practise mindfulness

Mindfulness is a practice where we give our undivided attention to whatever we are doing at a particular moment, aware of our thoughts and emotions but not reacting to or judging them.

It works a bit like this: if we choose to be totally absorbed and pay attention to what we’re doing (whether it’s skiing or mopping the floor), we actively choose to be more ‘alive’ in that moment and are more likely to enjoy what we’re doing. Practising mindfulness can also improve the efficiency of our minds, helping us get to the point of what we’re doing or thinking about, rather than allowing a cycle of constant worry to take over. If you’re new to this, try our Introduction to Mindfuless meditation

5. Scroll responsibly

The average person now spends a staggering four hours of their day on their mobile phone and though much of this is as a result of clever algorithms designed to take advantage of our ‘dopamine-driven’ desires, we can take back some control. The iphone has a setting which allows you to monitor how much time you’ve spent on apps. For Android, you can download an app (the irony) which does the same. 

Another simple tip I’ve found really helpful is to move apps that you use a lot off your home screen and ‘bury’ them in a harder-to-access folder. Better still, remove them altogether. However, perhaps the best thing I’ve done is to delete all notifications from my phone – that way, I can be more mindful of when and how often I check my messages – rather than at the behest of a tiny, red notification bell.

6. Embrace boredom

Research has shown that even just a few minutes of downtime can aid learning and helps us retain information. Not only this, but as the saying goes, a relaxed mind is a creative mind: Mental idle time may “foster a particular kind of productivity,” according to Jonathan Schooler, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He says overcoming impasses  often happen when people’s minds are free to roam.

In a society that values ‘busyness’ and ‘productivity,’ it can be difficult to give ourselves permission to pause, let alone stop for long enough to get (gasp) bored. Yet, not only is there evidence to suggest boredom sparks creativity, a greater capacity for insight and aids problem solving, but that it’s simply good for our mental health. It allows the body and mind simply to process life. If you cannot recall the last time you let yourself STOP, try this practice with EkhartYoga teacher, James Reeves, and embrace the life-changing magic of doing nothing.

5 Ways Meditation Makes Us Better at Yoga

Meditation. Yoga. The two go together like Batman & Robin (though with less capes… usually).

As spiritual health practices that have both found popularity in the West over the past 50 years, we tend to lump yoga and meditation together. Whenever we read of one, the other usually isn’t far behind. And when we’re shopping for yoga pants it’s no surprise to see a meditation mala in the vicinity. 

Yet despite the obvious correlation between yoga and meditation, there are still countless people who do one or the other and not both.

Big mistake. 

Yoga makes you better at meditation because it creates a relaxed body that is conducive to a relaxed mind. Not to mention, it also makes it far easier to get into lotus position without feeling like your legs are going to snap in two. And meditation makes us better at yoga in five key ways. Let’s take a look.

How meditation makes us better at yoga

1. Meditation helps us focus on asanas

When we’re practicing yoga, we are, of course, exercising the body. But we ought to be exercising the mind at the same time.

Every time we place the body in an asana (pose), we should be focusing on that pose. By focusing the mind on the body while in a pose, we experience the asana in full. Yoga asanas offer many mental health benefits, but in order to glean those benefits, we have to actually focus on what we are doing. 

Sadly, many people don’t leave their thoughts and distractions at the yoga studio door. And so they are not able to focus on the yoga.  Meditation is well known to improve focus and concentration. And because of this, it makes it easier to focus the mind on the body when we enter a yoga pose. The result is complete mind-body immersion in the asana.

2. Meditation lowers oxygen consumption

One of the lesser-known benefits of meditation is that it changes the way the body uses oxygen.

Scientific research shows that meditation lowers oxygen consumption rate by 10%. This means that we are more able to control the breath during and after meditation. This is a game-changer for anyone who gets short of breath when practicing yoga. If that’s you, try meditating before doing yoga, and during your yoga session, take a few moments here and there to practice mindful breathing. This will help regulate the breath.

Not only does this help us practice yoga for longer, it also gives us more control of pranayama. 

3. Meditation helps you to discover the philosophical aspects of yoga

While most yoga studios these days are more concerned with physical exercise than philosophy, historically yoga has been about both. If you want to truly embrace the yogic lifestyle, you have to get in touch with the philosophical side. Meditation can help.

The yogic system itself includes many meditations, such as Trataka (Still Gazing), chakra meditations mantras, and sound meditations (Nada Yoga). Not only do these meditation techniques help train the mind, they also prepare the mind-body for more advanced stages of yoga. After all, it’s hard to truly experience Pungu Mayurasana  (Wounded Peacock Posture) while you’re worrying about that business meeting.

4. Get too sweaty doing hot yoga? Meditation will help

Anyone who practices Bikram (hot yoga) knows what it’s like to sweat a little too much. But meditation can change that.

We get sweaty when our body temperature rises. But meditation reduces heart rate and blood pressure, and this cools down the body and thereby reduces sweating.So if you’re worried you might be a little hot, sweaty and, yes, smelly when you’re doing hot yoga, try meditating.

5. Meditation improves balance 

Feel a little wobbly in Warrior III? Meditation will change that, at least according to one scientific study. 

Ying Kee, PhD, and his colleagues at the Nanyang Technological University’s National Institute of Education took 32 men and split them into two groups. Kee made both groups stand on one leg while holding a basin of water.   While they were doing this, Kee asked one group to be mindful of their hands, while the other group were allowed to think of anything they liked. Kee then tested the balance of members of both groups.

The results showed that being mindful of the body increases balance, where thinking about something other than what we’re doing will actually lower our balance.

So, if you want to stay in an asana for longer, be mindful of your body while you’re in the pose.

Anyone who is serious about getting better at yoga should embrace both the physical and the mental exercises. And of the latter, meditation is the most important.

By practicing meditation not only do we embrace more of the yogic lifestyle, we also prepare the mind for success in the yoga studio. The benefits of meditation are significant, and they are invaluable when it comes to improving our yoga practice.

If you’ve been doing the physical side of yoga without practicing meditation, perhaps it’s time for that to change.

3 Mantras to Build Your Self-Love

Self-love. We all need more of it.

The teachings of yoga are big on self-love because of one spiritual truth: you cannot fully love others until you fully love yourself.

And why should we love ourselves? That’s what our ego so often asks. So much of the time we have very little self-compassion for our own vulnerabilities and fears.

But, these “negative” aspects of ourselves are merely part of being human. We come into this world as little innocents, afraid of nothing and curious about everything. It’s the experiences and traumas of life that create our fears and vulnerabilities.

We can use yoga and mantra meditation to see them for what they are, and cultivate self-love for ourselves so that we can live from our souls—our place of truth—free from fear and full of unconditional love.

Then we can help others do the same, by seeing them for who they are—spiritual beings in a physical body, riding the ups and downs of this roller coaster called life.

All that said, how do we cultivate more self-love?

One effective way is through the profound practice of mantra meditation. Mantra specifically designed to cultivate self-love are some of the most effective yogic tools for creating lasting grooves in our minds and hearts.

Grooves that tell us we’re beautiful, lovable, and enough—just as we are.

A little time spent each day practicing mantras to build your self-love will work wonders! Not only will you come to know that you’re innately lovable, you’ll also see the exact same love in everyone you meet.

Why Do Mantras Work?

Mantras are healing tools for the mind, and when you repeat a mantra, you shift your brain state and transform your state of awareness. When you still the mind during mantra meditation, you open up space for the mantra to plant its seeds within your consciousness.

The more you do it, the stronger those seeds grow. And eventually, your mind becomes a beautiful garden of loving thoughts. This is the power of mantras.

3 Mantras to Build Your Self-love

No two people will ever live the same life story. This makes each and every one of us unique. You are a collection of unique talents, and no one on the entire planet is exactly like you. Only you have that special something to offer the world that no one else has. 

When you truly understand this truth within your heart, then you can come to cherish the beauty in yourself (and others) in every moment.

We’re going to explore three mantras to embed this sense of knowing deep into our state of awareness.

1.  Aieem namah– “My true nature is love and joy.”

This mantra opens your awareness to the true essence of who you are. You are the source of all strength, love, and joy. Let this mantra sink in, as you prepare yourself to sit in meditation.

As you sit, repeat the mantra over and over—out loud, or in your mind’s eye. You can repeat the mantra in Sanskrit, or in English—whichever resonates in the moment.

Every moment is different. Some days, you may prefer English, others Sanskrit. Listen to what you want, and let your soul be your guide.

2.  Aham brahmasmi– “I am wholeness.”

You are whole—just as you are. Nothing needs to be added. Nothing needs to be taken away. Build your self-love by meditating with this mantra for a few minutes each day.

With time, you’ll come to rest in this state of inner knowing and self-love. As you repeat the mantra, allow each repetition to guide you into an expanded state of awareness. With time, you’ll understand just how whole and complete you truly are.

3.  Aham prema– “I am love.”

We’re all on this planet to express every aspect of love that exists. All it takes is a tiny shift in the way we see ourselves in order to live from a state of pure love. And this is what happens when you repeat the mantra. You shift the way you see yourself on a profound level—from your state of deep awareness.

Unlock your kind, open, and generous heart with this mantra for self-love. The poet Tagore wrote that love is the only reality, and the only truth that lies at the very heart of creation. This mantra takes us to our true Self, our source, which is divine love.

To connect with love as the quality of your true spirit, repeat this mantra in Sanskrit or English for a few minutes each day.

Supercharge with a Mala

To supercharge these mantras, get yourself a beautiful set of mala beads and use them to practice your mantra 108 times whenever you sit. This is the holy number, the one that’s said to be sacred and auspicious. If your mind wanders, simply bring it back to the mantra, and to the beads.

This is your practice. Allow it to fill you with profound states of peace, compassion, and of course—self-love.