When you are lethargic, it is hard enough to pick yourself up from the bed. Practicing Yoga, then, becomes a distant dream. You keep pushing the ‘Promise of the Yoga Mat’ to the next week, and then the following week and so on. The result is a guilt trip. But can there be something more enticing in Yoga for you to get on the Yoga mat? Can Yoga be custom made for the lethargic kind? The answer is a resounding Yes!
Yoga Is for the lethargic
Yoga brings perfect coordination between all the parts of the body and coordination on the level of body, mind and soul. So when all your body parts are well-coordinated, you will require less energy to perform the same task than what (energy) you required before. Yoga helps conserve your energy.
The myth about Yoga
There is a myth that Yoga is just asanas or postures, whereas Yoga is something that gives you deep relaxation on the physical, mental and the subtle level of your being. When you are well rested, you are highly energized. When there is right amount of energy in the system, you find the required interest to do the task.
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Watch your food.
Yoga is a way of life and not just body contortions. It includes inculcating a healthy lifestyle into one’s system. If you have lethargic tendencies, you must look at what you put in your system. So in the context of eating, Ayurveda is also an important aspect of Yoga. There are basic rules, of Ayurveda, that if one follows, they can get rid of lethargy. For example, if you are eating right quality and quantity of food, it can make a big difference. There are three kinds of food- Tamasic (negative), Rajasic (neutral) and Satvic (positive). Meat, fast food and heavy to digest food are considered Tamasic food. Milk and milk-based products have Rajasic qualities and foods like fruits and fresh vegetables are rich in Sattvic qualities.
Your state of mind depends on what you eat. If you eat a sattvic meal, you attain a restful and alert state of mind. Generally restfulness, and alertness appear opposite but Yoga is something which can help you to experience this EFFORTLESSLY!
Meditation requires you to sit and do nothing
Meditation gives you a beautiful blend of high awareness and deep rest. Lethargy is a demand of rest in your body and mind. Yoga (including breathing and meditation) is something that can suffice. Apart from asanas that can help you get rid of physical restlessness in your body, meditation helps you to keep your mind peaceful and helps you to get rid of restlessness and agitation on the mental level. According to Spiritual Guru and Founder of the Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, “Meditation is the art of doing nothing. It is total effortlessness.” There are various guided meditations available online for those who find it difficult to sit by themselves and meditate.
Also read: International World Yoga Day 2019: Misconceptions and Myths about Yoga Busted
Power of Pranayama
Pranayamas are a set of breathing practices which increase the flow of Prana, a subtle life force energy in our system in a big way. Pranayamas like Bhastrika and Ujjai breathing are instant energy boosters for the body. These may be learned guidance of a professional Yoga instructor.
The bliss of Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is a beautiful practice which can be done even by those, who do not know the Y of Yoga. Yoga Nidra is a resting technique where the attention is taken through different parts of the body, giving and taking away the fatigue stored in each cell of the body. It gives a deep relaxation. The process is very similar to ironing a garment. As ironing takes out the wrinkles from the garments, Yoga Nidra takes away the tiredness and rejuvenates the mind in only 20 minutes or less.
Slowing it down
You can get into the physical aspect of yoga gradually. And like when one starts the ignition of a car, it starts off at a slower speed and then the driver steps on the accelerator; you can slowly get into simpler Asanas first and then over time can reach to the perfection of asanas. One can start with rotations and stretches and then can gradually get into the perfection of postures. In this way, the body adapts much easier and faster. Being in complete oneness with whatever posture you practice, is more important than complexity of the posture.
Yoga is not only physical postures. It begins with tuning of body and takes us to the harmony of inner being when the emotions and feelings are smooth. It is not physical exertion that leads to lethargy, it is an emotional burden also. Yoga helps us to make our emotions light and smooth where one can live the life with true health, where the body is fit, breath is quiver free, mind is peaceful and without stress, memory is sorrow free and intellect is free of inhibitions.
Inputs by - Gaurav Verma
The author is a senior international Faculty of Art of Living's Sri Sri Yoga who is a yoga expert and work on spreading the importance of yoga among people.
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