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.

Everything yin yoga and why we need to do it regularly.

A partner to the yang styles of yoga which consist of strong, dynamic, standing postures, yin yoga offers mostly seated, supine, or low-to the ground long, gentle stretches and holds. While the practice is relatively new to the western yoga lineage, it’s possible that it’s much closer to the original intent of yoga asana practice, a series of postures meant to train us to sit still for longer, and more comfortably, in meditation. In this article, explore the history and benefits of yin yoga practice for body, mind, and soul.

The History Of Yin Yoga

Yin yoga is inspired by ancient Chinese Taoist practices in which stretches were held for long periods of time. Sometimes referred to as Taoist Yoga, or Tao Yin, these practices have been incorporated into Kung Fu training for thousands of years.

Paulie Zink first introduced the stretching martial arts technique to a western audience in the 1970’s, combining it with elements of Hatha Yoga. Among Zink’s students was the American Paul Grilley. Grilley’s interest in yoga and the martial arts paralleled his meditation practice. Stemming from a desire to sit more comfortably in meditation, Grilley soon combined his familiarity with Zink’s Taoist Yin, Hatha Yoga, and the Chinese system of meridians into a practice of his own, which would eventually be called Yin Yoga.

Paul Grilley and his student Sarah Powers are among the world’s leading yin yoga teachers today. While both have given the practice a spin of their own, it remains true that yin yoga is all about balance and the partnership of body, mind, and soul. 

The Benefits Of Yin Yoga For The Body

To understand the benefits of yin yoga, it’s helpful to understand the Chinese concept of yin and yang. Yin and yang are opposing aspects of nature which work in relationship to each other. Like hot and cold, left and right, or sun and moon, yang and yin exist only in partnership.

Some refer to the superficial musculature of the body and its movement as yang, while the deeper structure of the connective tissue (ligaments, tendons, and fascia) is yin. It’s important to remember, however, that yin and yang are interdependent, and no one thing is always yang, nor always yin. The two concepts operate in relationship.

The balance of energy in the body is so important, both Grilley and Powers recommend yin yoga in partnership with a yang practice, as well as seated meditation.

A typical yin yoga class lasts anywhere from 60-90 minutes, and may only offer a handful of poses, each held for upwards of five minutes as students are encouraged to rest steadily in balanced effort and ease.

Yin yoga manipulates, stretches and lengthens the body’s connective tissue with long slow holds. The superficial muscles relax the longer the pose is held, allowing more access to the ligaments and tendons surrounding the joints, as well as the fascia.

Fascia is a system of connective tissue that runs throughout the body much like the inner sheath of a grapefruit exists between the meat and the peel. Fascia wraps all our muscles, internal organs and joints.

It’s within this system of fascia that yin yoga does it’s magic. Practitioners theorize that the fascia is home to the energetic body of the Chinese system of meridians. Familiar to most people as the map of energetic lines and pressure points used by acupuncturists, and similar to the pranic nadis, or channels, referenced by Indian yogis.

Through this unseen but felt system of meridians, energy, chi, flows through the body. Profound changes occur as the fascia is stimulated and manipulated. When chi flows more fluidly, we feel more spacious and well. Instructors may reference a pose’s effect on particular internal organs, as the asana intentionally compresses energetic points to encourage greater flow of chi once the postures are released.

The Benefits Of Yin Yoga For The Mind

It’s not the pose that makes it yin or yang, but the energy with which we practice it.

Remembering that the essence of yin is not in the poses themselves, but in their relative energy, is eka pada rajakapotasana, or pigeon pose, a yin or yang pose? It can be either, depending on the energy we bring to the shape. Thus in yin yoga, poses are given different names to remind us to approach each posture differently than we would in a yang class. Pigeon pose becomes sleeping swan.

In sleeping swan, we’re ok with rounding the back, propping up on our forearms, resting our chest or forehead on blocks, sliding a blanket under our hips, or shifting back from exertion in order to stay longer. In a yang class, we might instead push the body towards the edge of bearable sensation, press up against the limits of our mobility, or keep the chest open, pressing into our mat to actively traction the spine.

As yin works deep into our connective tissues, we not only stretch the tissue itself, but the ability of our mind to be patient and still. Being present with one pose for longer allows us to meditate on felt sensation in the body, the movement of the mind, or an instructor’s guided contemplation.

The Benefits Of Yin Yoga For The Soul

Chinese medicine has long insisted that to heal the body is to heal the mind and soul. We may feel tightness in our hips, or weakness in our knees, but these pains are intimately connected to the energetic blockages that equally affect our minds. Because mind and body are connected, we can heal either one by working on the other.

Yin heals our souls and brings us to a greater sense of well-being because it asks us to slow down and rest.

By slowing down and resting, we’re better able to witness sensations, thoughts, and emotions. Sometimes these thoughts and emotions seemingly arise out of nowhere, but they’ve been there all along. Through yin’s gentle movement, profound stillness, or both, we coax trapped energy to the surface where we can recognize it, then set it free.

Yin offers us the opportunity to listen to what’s arising in body and mind, and to let those energies dissipate as we neutrally witness. Yin might be preparing us for a more comfortable seated meditation, but it gives us ample opportunity to meditate during our yoga.

Whether we arrive at a yin practice to awaken after long periods of stagnation, or to settle down after a lifetime of movement addiction, it can be the perfect balance we need to heal body, mind, and soul.

Want to sleep like a baby? Yoga is the answer!

Up to a fifth of adults experience insomnia and almost 25% use sleep medication at some point in a year. There are many factors influencing how easy or not we fall asleep, how well we sleep, and if we wake up during the night. Many of them have to do with our mental health, stress levels and anxiety. Lack of sleep can result in tiredness, chronic fatigue, irritability, low mood, memory impairments, lower ability to learn and process information, and conflicts – which may then lead to yet more difficulties with getting enough sleep. It’s easy to get trapped in this vicious circle. And that’s where Yoga can achieve great results. 

And the same applies to our mental performance – sleep is crucial for your brain to process and sort information and experiences, and to recharge its cognitive abilities. Research shows that sleeping only 4 hours a night has serious negative impacts on your reasoning, verbal skills, and overall cognition comparable to aging your brain by 8 years. The good news is, with getting 7-8 hours of sleep, you can bounce back very quickly – physically and mentally!

If you think you don’t need as much sleep as others, consider this – men who sleep less than 6 hours a night have smaller testicles than men who get 7-8 hours of sleep, and lower testosterone levels. In women, natural hormone fluctuations result in more sleep disturbances which is why women generally have a higher need for sleep – and if they don’t get it, it leads not just to physical but also mental fatigue. Too little sleep and disturbed sleep also make you (regardless of gender) more hungry and prone to overeating – your body isn’t rested and recovered enough and it asks for more energy. And the list could go on – we simply need our sleep, ideally 7-8 hours each night.

Stress reduction

Even in highly stressful professions, Yoga can achieve great results. When Border Security Force personnel received just a few days of Yoga training, their anxiety levels decreased yet their vigilance increased. This was accompanied by improved quality of sleep. Yes, Yoga is that powerful!

Yoga practice helps to decrease your stress levels in a number of ways – the physical practice brings more oxygen into your tissues and stimulates the ‘happy hormones’ (endorphins and serotonin) release, it makes you breathe deeper and slower, and it also teaches you to be more mindful. Research shows that practicing mindfulness changes how your brain responds to stress – you have greater emotion control, are less reactive to stress triggers and recover from tense situations faster. 

Yoga practice also includes various breathing techniques which significantly reduce your stress hormones and help you unwind. They won’t make you stress-free but can make a world of difference to your sleepy time.

Sleep-easy Yoga

Research on Yoga and sleep brings encouraging results – as one study showed, three Yoga practices a week can markedly improve the quality of your sleep as well as your mental wellbeing. But what if you don’t have time for three yoga sessions weekly? Worry not! Even two Yoga practices per week can help a great deal. As a study of hospital nurses showed, having regular, twice a week Yoga practice reduces stress and improves sleep quality so you wake up more rested.

If you suffer from chronic insomnia and think you need something stronger than Yoga to make you sleep – think again! Yet more research data suggest that regular Yoga practice can not only enhance the quality of your sleep but also makes you fall asleep faster. These results are supported by a large study which revealed that Yoga makes you feel better during the day, and sleep better and longer at night. Essentially, Yoga is a one-stop sleep aid. 

It doesn’t matter when you do your Yoga practice, you will reap the sleep benefits regardless. However, if you do Yoga right before going to bed, avoid fast-paced and challenging sequences as they are too energising – go for slower, more relaxing practice instead.

Pre-sleep routine

Whilst Yoga helps in general, you may want to introduce a little pre-sleep routine if you have trouble falling asleep. It may be simple – for example a seated forward fold for a couple of minutes, breathing deeply, followed by alternate nostril breathing for another few minutes. 

Any forward fold position helps to calm the mind and pacify anxiety – you may also want to try Child’s pose, wide legged forward fold, or sitting cross-legged and folding forward. These positions followed by a balancing breathing technique stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system – that’s the part responsible for rest and relaxation. It’s the best preparation for sleep and will only take a few minutes of your time.

When we close our eyes and want to sleep, the mind is often very active, processes events of the day, worries or plans ahead. What works really well for many of us is a quick check-in when you’re in bed and ready to sleep. 

By checking-in with your body, your brain automatically switches off some of its hyperactivity and it can help you fall asleep.

Sleep like a pro

Who wouldn’t want to wake up well-rested, recovered and energised? Yoga practice can be a great help in this aspect, along with bringing more mindfulness into your life. If you’d like to try a slow-paced stress-relief Yoga, we have just the thing for you – all you need is 20 minutes. 

Whenever you can’t fall asleep, try one of the calming breathing techniques or curl up into Child’s position and do the physical check-in. It may seem like a small thing but it helps to quieten the mind and break its fretting.

Obviously where and how you sleep also has a big impact on your shut-eye time so you may need to make some adjustments there as well – a new mattress, different sleeping position, smaller pillow, opened window or earplugs. The tiniest changes sometimes make the biggest difference!

We are creatures of habit, whether we like to admit it or not. When it comes to sleep, creating healthy habits, including regular Yoga practice, might just be the key to sleeping like a baby.

Why Happiness is Contagious.

In 1948, scientists and doctors began the most comprehensive study on heart disease ever conducted. Over 60 years later, the Framingham Heart Study still continues. Because the study involves so many people and spans such a long time period, there are many different aspects that scientists continue to study. One of their key findings relates to the happiness theory.

Scientists found that we experience happiness through social connections.  Therefore, the clusters of people around you strongly influence how you feel. In fact, a positive change in one person affects everyone in their friend cluster. Your probability for increased happiness improves 15% if your most immediate friend is happy, 10% if a friend of your friend is happy, and so on until four degrees of separation.

They have discovered and quantified what yogis have known for thousands of years: happiness is contagious.  

Many practice yoga or go for a run because they feel good after. Physical activity releases endorphins into your body, which make you feel good. By feeling better and being happy, you influence others to feel better, too.  What you do to manage your thoughts to create happy cells impacts those around you. In this way, we are creating our world thought by thought. We can influence more people than we ever realized, simply by being happy.

The Yoga Sutras spell out that if we are not balanced mentally, physically, or emotionally, then we are not living our true, naturally happy potential. To remedy this, we are taught to practice Pratipaksha Bhavana (Chapter 2.33) to eliminate negative thoughts by denying them our attention. Instead of wasting energy by engaging or resisting our negative thoughts, we replace them with positive ones. Over time this process of substitution sublimates negative thinking. Engage happy thoughts and try this breath meditation when you need to reframe your outlook.

Inhale: I welcome happiness
Exhale: I am grateful
Inhale:  I welcome inspiration
Exhale:  I am grateful
Inhale:  I welcome love
Exhale:  I am grateful
Inhale: I welcome hope
Exhale: I am grateful

In a world where almost anything can go viral, why not inspire happiness? Knowing that Happiness is contagious means that happiness benefits more than just you: those around you reap the benefits as well. Let’s join together in a happiness movement, where joy, happiness, and peace spread to everyone around us!

Love yourself, love your day, love your life!

4 Easy Steps to Help You Get Back Into Your Yoga Routine

Some things are easier said than done, especially if your fitness routine falls by the wayside. If you haven’t worked out for a while, here are some useful tips and tricks to help you get back on track.

1) Start with Visualisation.

Sometimes the first step can be the hardest. This is why the power of visualisation can be the key in the first step to taking up a consistent workout routine again. Having recently undergone a minor surgery myself, I can only speak from experience when I say that visualising yourself doing what you’d like to do is key before starting any kind of routine. Your mind is a powerful tool and can aid in preparing your body for any upcoming activity. Ideally, it would be highly recommended to practise meditation, as it in fact helps your mind to become focused on any tasks ahead of you. 

2) Simply Breathe.

Another possibility to ease yourself back into your workout routine would be simple breathing techniques. After my surgery I was very restricted in my physical capabilities and I was not allowed to move about a lot. However, I still had my breath. And guess what…lungs need to be exercised too! One of my go-to breathing techniques in this case is Nadi Shoda, also known as alternate nostril breathing. What may sound simple is actually quite challenging: While holding one of your nostrils closed, you breathe in through the open one. Once you take a deep breath, you close both of your nostrils for a brief moment before you open the nostril that was previously closed and then you repeat this for at least ten times. Trust me, this will not only challenge your breathing muscles but also strengthen your concentration! 

3) Walk, Forrest, walk!

If you haven’t noticed already, I believe in small but consistent steps. So if you feel like you are totally unfit and need to take it easy or need to recover slowly like me, I would strongly encourage you to start going for little walks. Whether you measure those with a step counter or by minutes, the important thing is not to overdo it. Aim to walk a little further everyday and you will see that you will build up some strength. Promise! 

4) Work it!

 Last but not least, the only way to build up a workout routine again is by exercise itself. However, you should not overwork yourself as pain and sore muscles on the next day usually discourage people from continuing to exercise again. And if you have just undergone surgery like me, it is best to start exercising those muscle groups which you can work and move fully. 

Overall, the above steps do not need to be followed strictly and can be combined in whichever way you want to. Just remember: Be kind to yourself and take it easy.

Disconnect to reconnect - Our guide to a digital detox

Are you struggling to control your digital habits? Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling, only to realise hours later that time has been wasted? Take back control and create a more mindful approach to integrating technology in your everyday life. In this article we will discuss the effects of technology on your life and ways to improve your relationship with it.

How Technology Impacts Our Lives

The day I realised I relied too much on technology was when my phone died and I was in the middle of Melbourne. With no Google Maps and no way to call anyone I simply stopped, confused.  

 “Ok think, what do people do without Google maps?”

It was then I realised how aimlessly I moved around in this huge city with no real idea where I was going just absently staring at a screen waiting for my next instruction. Lost, anxious and helpless, all because my phone was dead.  How did I get to this point where a piece of technology was my key to survival? And not just my survival but also my main source of entertainment. The only reason my phone was dead was because I had spent the last  hour watching Netflix on the train, and before that I was listening to music in the shower, and before that I was scrolling social media while I ate my dinner. I began moving through my day step-by-step and couldn't find a time that hadn’t revolved around my phone or some sort of device. It was then I knew I had a problem.

The Benefits Of Technology

Before we get started I do want to say I am not anti-technology. I agree that technology has created new worlds of opportunity for our generation and now we are able to do stuff that would have seemed impossible only 30 years ago. With new technology we are able to hear sounds which have previously escaped human ears, see loved ones who live on the other side of the world, send people up into space and even create prosthetic limbs with 3-D printers. There are so many ways in which technology is advancing humankind.

The Effects Of Technology On Our Health

But what I do not love about the world we live in today is the way we unconsciously use technology.  We live in a time where we have the world at our fingertips, you can find the answer to any question in a matter of seconds with just a few clicks. Yet, I think it’s safe to say the average person is not using technology to expand their knowledge but rather technology today is used mainly as our greatest pastime. And don’t we pass the time. Hours and hours spent just scrolling, not really paying attention. I cannot tell you how many rabbit holes I have fallen down. It would start by watching a video of a cute old grandma and a baby dancing together, then that video would roll onto the next and then the next, then somehow I would end up on a clip of a dog in a bubblebath - 1 whole hour of my life I will never get back. And many of us are guilty of this, the mindless habitual mooching around on our phones. 

Habitual scrolling is a real problem for some people; a 2019 study showed that on average US teens were spending just under 7.5 hours a day on entertainment through digital media[1]. Another study which claimed some adults can even peak at 11+ hours a day. Needless to say, this amount of screentime is very detrimental to our wellbeing. Studies show that more than 2 hours of screen time a day can have a negative impact on our sleep, our bodies and our mind. But it's not surprising that many of us have fallen into this trap. You see, our brains are directly impacted by this constant sensory overload all coming from our devices. They have even found that using technology for recreational use such as gaming or social media can result in our brain producing dopamine which is a chemical reaction that relates to pleasure or enjoyment and is often associated with addiction.

 So this is the problem, but what is the solution? I propose a digital detox. 

What Is A Digital Detox?

You might be wondering: “What exactly is a digital detox?”, “How can I possibly go on a detox from technology?”, “I have to work so I need my laptop, my phone is my alarm, I get google alerts to remember appointments, it is not practical for me to give up technology, and so on and so on”. 

But the digital detox outlined below is not the complete abstinence from technology but rather a reduction in the amount of unnecessary time spent on our screens, and instead focus on our real-life social and physical interactions; a way to get off the screens and into the present. By not using technology as a habitual distraction we can bring mindfulness into everyday activities. Follow these easy steps below and you will soon find your mind calmer, your sleep longer and your awareness heightened.  

7 Ways To Start Your Digital Detox Today

The most important part of any detox is establishing a time frame and sticking to it. If it is your first time trying this detox you can always start small. Even if it's one hour, you can always work up longer and longer each time. So first set yourself a goal and let's get to it.

1. Put your phone on airplane or silent mode to turn off notifications.

This brings back your control over your device - it does not command your attention rather you look when you're ready. Allowing you to continue doing other activities without being constantly distracted, thus allowing you to get lost in your other non-digital projects.

2. Have technology-free hours or activities.

Have a designated ‘no technology time’. For many of us the first thing we do when we open our eyes in the morning is check our phone.  This starts our bad habits from the minute we wake up and will likely continue throughout the day. So instead, try waking up and having a whole hour to establish a set routine before you even think about checking in with the digital world. Also it is good to have certain activities such as cooking or reading where you completely detach from your devices and put all of your attention into what is in front of you to reconnect to the present moment.

3. No screens just before bed.

This may be the hardest as many of us love scrolling or watching a movie before we drift off to sleep, but by turning off you would be giving yourself the greatest gift - a good night's sleep.  Studies show the detrimental effects the blue lights and stimulations from screens have on our sleep. It messes with our natural day and night rhythm through artificial simulation of daylight. By letting go of this unnecessary use before bed you will find your body more relaxed, falling asleep will be easier and you will reconnect with your natural body clock.

4. Delete unnecessary apps from your phone.

This action step is actually very liberating. It's so tempting when you have apps on your homescreen so removing the temptation will really make things easier. It doesn't mean you have to delete your accounts but rather make it harder for you to access them. Either access through a browser where you have to log in each time or put the app in a folder in a folder in a folder, thus when you go to open it you have an opportunity to think with each click if it's worth your time.

5. Put a timer on when on certain devices or apps.

If you don’t want to completely remove yourself from the digital world a trick to stop you getting lost in them is setting timers. Enjoy your time while it lasts and when the buzzer goes you let go of the attachment and move on to your next activity. On iPhones you can set a limit per app and after the set amount of time you will get a reminder to either close the app or extend your screen time. You decide how much energy you want to give a certain device or app and set the time appropriately. This will also bring a conscious element into your technology use, you will learn to use your time wisely.

6. Have mindful alternatives activities ready.

The key to success in this detox is having alternative activities to fill the time.  Most of us only use our devices either out of habit or out of boredom so by having set tasks or activities ready allows us to find our pleasure and entertainment elsewhere. Replacing technology with mindful practices such as reading, playing an instrument or meditating is an amazing way to transform a spare hour in the day into something wholesome and beneficial for our minds.

7. Ask for support from family or friends.

It's a good idea to have a friend or a family member as an accountability buddy who is ready to undertake this challenge together. Also ironically there are apps that exist to help you reduce screen time and technology use, this can be super helpful as you will be able to see your improvements as you go along.You do not have to do this alone, it's always easier to do something challenging with support.