“I don’t have time to meditate.”

“I just can’t sit still for that long.”

“Yoga is boring.”

“Yoga is too easy. I need a workout that’s going to burn more calories”

These are the common negative comments I hear people make about yoga and meditation. But what if I told you that investing a little bit of time and energy into adopting a mind-body practice, could significantly improve

🍎 your health

🍎 mood

🍎 Longevity

While reducing

🦠 pain

🦠 Stress

🦠 Feelings of anxiety

Would it be worth trying?

It’s not required to meditate for 2 hours a day or do a week long silent meditation retreat to feel into this work. Although, personally both of those sound really fun to me. You actually might even be using a mind-body practice already without knowing it. I’ll explain. I came across this definition of mindbody practices and I liked it because it spoke to the root of what it does.

“Mind–body therapies focus on the interactions between the brain, mind, body, and behaviors and on the ways in which emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and behavioral factors can directly affect health.”(1) It includes everything from yoga, pilates, and meditation to art therapy, music therapy, and the healing arts Reiki, Ayurveda, and so much more. I see a mindbody practice as any regular habit that you do to slow down, go within, and connect to your heart and body.

Specifically though, choosing a mind practice that gets you into your body is important. We are physical creatures. Designed to move. Movement can release dopamine and serotonin and when done mindfully can become a healing art to bring more peace into your nervous system and your life.

However, the state of our physical body is not the only thing that affects our health. That is why exercise and dieting alone are not always the answers to being healthier. You may have physical health but if you’re overrun with anxious thoughts, this could feel harmful in your daily life. You could be at your goal weight but if you're in physical pain and have low energy, this could feel equally harmful. We have to embody health in all areas of our life - from how we interact in our relationships, to improving our movement patterns, to cultivating calm and peace of mind.

Adding a mindbody practice into your health routine could be exactly what you need to help

⚡️boost your mental and physical fitness

⚡️be more present in relationships

⚡️more productive at work

⚡️happier with your life.

5 reasons Why A Mind-Body Practice is Crucial for your Personal Development

1) It Gives You Life

Breathwork is teaching you to breathe deeper, bringing more oxygen into your cells, literally fueling your body to sustain your life. We cannot live without oxygen. And by savoring a breath while expanding your lung capacity, you get to experience the joy that is life in a simple way.

2) More Energy

By flowing through a physical practice like yoga, pilates, or tai chi, you learn postural alignment. We are biomechanical systems that run on energy. By mastering a movement art, energy will flow efficiently through your system. This means more physical and mental endurance to enjoy your life. You can experience a body that is pain-free because with optimal movement you limit wear and tear on your joints while building physical strength and mobility to protect your body.

3) You Learn Resiliency

You are holding poses without distraction, or sitting in silence while resisting the urge to open your eyes, you are learning a new skill that takes consistency and practice. You challenge your body to move in hard ways that feel uncomfortable aka feeling the burn. Your mind can be seriously tested when engaged in a mindbody practice. And through the practice, you learn the skill of persistence. Of successfully navigating struggle on your mat. And you receive proof that you can do hard things.

4) You Practice Courage

As you advance your practice, you’ll face fears and doubts. Can I do this? I don’t think I can hold this for one more second. I’ll never be able to do that move. And each time you face a fear on your mat, you build a sense of trust with yourself. Each time you conquer a new pose or a more advanced variation, you receive the reward that lies on the other side of courage. Once you have courage on the mat, you have that available to you in other areas of your life, too.

5) Connecting to your Spirit Calms your Mind

Stress is constant in our modern world. Coming to the mat is like a breath of fresh air. For me it’s the equivalent of going on a tropical vacation - but I get to do it every day and for little to no monetary cost. Stress is a contributor to most of the chronic diseases that plague humanity - heart disease, diabetes, cancer. Learning to manage your stress could save your life. A mindbody practice allows you to do this seamlessly.

By choosing a mindbody practice, you are choosing longevity.

All of the skills you learn on your mat that teach you how to handle your emotions, move through discomfort, and courageously step through fear have a profound impact on the way you live your life.

You will feel safe enough to try something you’ve always wanted to do but never thought you could. You will finally sleep through the night without waking up at 2 am frantic about your to-do list tomorrow. You may even finally find peace in your heart after a big loss.

The possibilities are endless. You can become equipped to build your mind and body into a safe place. The tools are waiting for you. You just have to open your mind enough to give them a try.

If you are striving to live a better life, you don’t want to skip out on mindbody work. I promise you it’s worth it.

I hope you enjoyed this piece.

With all my love,

Thalia Wynne Dorsten

Your Coach, empowering you to take up space

References:

1. Hoffman, R. (2018) ‘Integrative Therapies in Patients With Hematologic Diseases’, in Hematology (seventh edition). Elsevier.