How Bryan Kest First Incorporated Mindfulness into His Everyday Life

Life is busy! Although technology has made some tasks easier it has allowed us to take on more! Our attention is being pulled in multiple directions, simultaneously creating much more stress than any other time in recorded history. Never before has meditation been so important to our health.

Meditation truly means quieting one’s mind. This is the prerequisite for relaxation. Relaxation is the opposite of stress. Stress is an underlying factor in almost all diseases. So the value of meditation towards one’s health is self-evident. Meditation also contributes to perspective and insight as it allows us to step away from the commotion. Meditation may be the absolute most important tool in maintaining our sanity through all the noise surrounding us.

Meditation is not an esoteric practice. It is very simple and approachable and anyone with a desire for health and peace can partake. Yes, meditation can be difficult just as any exercise can be difficult, yet it gets easier with practice and when we approach it with a light and positive attitude. Our brains have become so busy and so addicted to the type of thoughts we are constantly having. Breaking addictions is not easy. Understanding this, we have to be patient with ourselves as we attempt to sit quietly and focus our mind, noticing our mind’s desire to constantly be swept into all the drama playing out around us and gently steering our mind back to that quiet place.

Meditation occurs in two ways. The first is within meditation practice. There are many styles of meditation, which is a good thing, just as there are many types of physical exercise. This basically means there are many benevolent places you could be steering your mind toward. Some meditation practices may have you focus on an object and some may have you focus on a word or words. Some may have you observe something and some may have you try to notice something. Some may use visualization and some may use sound. Trying different meditations is like trying different exercises as you discover what suits you.

Yet, you can only sit in meditation for a certain period of time, and then you must get up and live your life. This is the other part of meditation: Bringing meditation or mindfulness into everyday life.

When you sit in meditation you are gently steering your attention toward a place of your choosing. Now you are no longer sitting in meditation. Now you are driving, walking, eating, or talking. Now you are up and about and living your life. Integrating meditation into daily life means noticing our thoughts. Are they positive or negative? Are they benevolent or malevolent? Are they constructive or destructive? Are they necessary or unnecessary? According to the answer to these questions, we steer our mind away from the harmful, unnecessary noise and bring our mind to a positive and nourishing place. This is the key to relaxation and contentment, and the goal of Power Yoga.

The post Integrating Meditation Into Daily Life appeared first on Power Yoga.

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

In the West it seems physical yoga is the primary practice. This means bringing a yoga mentality into exercise. The movements or asanas are simply creative ways to access places in our bodies and ranges of motion. The reason for this is because you cannot take care of something you do not touch. If you don’t take care of it, it won’t stay well. Yet, touching it is not enough because the touch can actually be harmful if it is lacking sensitivity or gentleness. The reason being is the universal law that states the “harder you are on anything the faster you destroy it”. That’s why the touch needs to be gentle.

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

In the West it seems physical yoga is the primary practice. This means bringing a yoga mentality into exercise. The movements or asanas are simply creative ways to access places in our bodies and ranges of motion. The reason for this is because you cannot take care of something you do not touch. If you don’t take care of it, it won’t stay well. Yet, touching it is not enough because the touch can actually be harmful if it is lacking sensitivity or gentleness. The reason being is the universal law that states the “harder you are on anything the faster you destroy it”. That’s why the touch needs to be gentle.

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

Many people new to yoga take to it so immediately and resonate with it so completely because they already have the mentality. Finding the practice becomes an outlet to express or embrace that mentality. In other words, many people realize the harmful or helpful nature of their own thoughts. Many people realize the interconnectedness of all things. Many people realize there is more to things than meets the eye. Many of you are already yogis! So, believe it or not, if you come to a yoga class for the first time it may feel like you’ve come home or simply feel like it’s actually not that strange.

In the West it seems physical yoga is the primary practice. This means bringing a yoga mentality into exercise. The movements or asanas are simply creative ways to access places in our bodies and ranges of motion. The reason for this is because you cannot take care of something you do not touch. If you don’t take care of it, it won’t stay well. Yet, touching it is not enough because the touch can actually be harmful if it is lacking sensitivity or gentleness. The reason being is the universal law that states the “harder you are on anything the faster you destroy it”. That’s why the touch needs to be gentle.

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

Many people new to yoga take to it so immediately and resonate with it so completely because they already have the mentality. Finding the practice becomes an outlet to express or embrace that mentality. In other words, many people realize the harmful or helpful nature of their own thoughts. Many people realize the interconnectedness of all things. Many people realize there is more to things than meets the eye. Many of you are already yogis! So, believe it or not, if you come to a yoga class for the first time it may feel like you’ve come home or simply feel like it’s actually not that strange.

In the West it seems physical yoga is the primary practice. This means bringing a yoga mentality into exercise. The movements or asanas are simply creative ways to access places in our bodies and ranges of motion. The reason for this is because you cannot take care of something you do not touch. If you don’t take care of it, it won’t stay well. Yet, touching it is not enough because the touch can actually be harmful if it is lacking sensitivity or gentleness. The reason being is the universal law that states the “harder you are on anything the faster you destroy it”. That’s why the touch needs to be gentle.

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

Yoga can be applied to exercise the same as it can be applied to any endeavor, yet yoga is not exercise. Yoga is a mentality – it’s an understanding and a desire for understanding and cultivation of understanding. You don’t have to practice yoga to have a yoga mentality but you do have to practice yoga to cultivate it.

Yoga for Beginners Mentality

Many people new to yoga take to it so immediately and resonate with it so completely because they already have the mentality. Finding the practice becomes an outlet to express or embrace that mentality. In other words, many people realize the harmful or helpful nature of their own thoughts. Many people realize the interconnectedness of all things. Many people realize there is more to things than meets the eye. Many of you are already yogis! So, believe it or not, if you come to a yoga class for the first time it may feel like you’ve come home or simply feel like it’s actually not that strange.

In the West it seems physical yoga is the primary practice. This means bringing a yoga mentality into exercise. The movements or asanas are simply creative ways to access places in our bodies and ranges of motion. The reason for this is because you cannot take care of something you do not touch. If you don’t take care of it, it won’t stay well. Yet, touching it is not enough because the touch can actually be harmful if it is lacking sensitivity or gentleness. The reason being is the universal law that states the “harder you are on anything the faster you destroy it”. That’s why the touch needs to be gentle.

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

Yoga can be applied to exercise the same as it can be applied to any endeavor, yet yoga is not exercise. Yoga is a mentality – it’s an understanding and a desire for understanding and cultivation of understanding. You don’t have to practice yoga to have a yoga mentality but you do have to practice yoga to cultivate it.

Yoga for Beginners Mentality

Many people new to yoga take to it so immediately and resonate with it so completely because they already have the mentality. Finding the practice becomes an outlet to express or embrace that mentality. In other words, many people realize the harmful or helpful nature of their own thoughts. Many people realize the interconnectedness of all things. Many people realize there is more to things than meets the eye. Many of you are already yogis! So, believe it or not, if you come to a yoga class for the first time it may feel like you’ve come home or simply feel like it’s actually not that strange.

In the West it seems physical yoga is the primary practice. This means bringing a yoga mentality into exercise. The movements or asanas are simply creative ways to access places in our bodies and ranges of motion. The reason for this is because you cannot take care of something you do not touch. If you don’t take care of it, it won’t stay well. Yet, touching it is not enough because the touch can actually be harmful if it is lacking sensitivity or gentleness. The reason being is the universal law that states the “harder you are on anything the faster you destroy it”. That’s why the touch needs to be gentle.

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

One thing I hear all the time is, “I’m too tight (stiff) to practice yoga.” That’s like saying, “I’m too obese to go on a diet.” If you are really tight, stiff, or tense, then you are a prime candidate for physical yoga or yogasana. Really, yoga practice can be modified for anyone and as our understanding grows in the field of yoga we realize yoga not only can be modified to fit anyone but yoga should be modified to fit everyone. Yoga should conform to fit each individual, not vice versa. In other words, there are seven billion ways to practice yoga. This means wherever you are at is the perfect place to begin.

Yoga can be applied to exercise the same as it can be applied to any endeavor, yet yoga is not exercise. Yoga is a mentality – it’s an understanding and a desire for understanding and cultivation of understanding. You don’t have to practice yoga to have a yoga mentality but you do have to practice yoga to cultivate it.

Yoga for Beginners Mentality

Many people new to yoga take to it so immediately and resonate with it so completely because they already have the mentality. Finding the practice becomes an outlet to express or embrace that mentality. In other words, many people realize the harmful or helpful nature of their own thoughts. Many people realize the interconnectedness of all things. Many people realize there is more to things than meets the eye. Many of you are already yogis! So, believe it or not, if you come to a yoga class for the first time it may feel like you’ve come home or simply feel like it’s actually not that strange.

In the West it seems physical yoga is the primary practice. This means bringing a yoga mentality into exercise. The movements or asanas are simply creative ways to access places in our bodies and ranges of motion. The reason for this is because you cannot take care of something you do not touch. If you don’t take care of it, it won’t stay well. Yet, touching it is not enough because the touch can actually be harmful if it is lacking sensitivity or gentleness. The reason being is the universal law that states the “harder you are on anything the faster you destroy it”. That’s why the touch needs to be gentle.

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

One thing I hear all the time is, “I’m too tight (stiff) to practice yoga.” That’s like saying, “I’m too obese to go on a diet.” If you are really tight, stiff, or tense, then you are a prime candidate for physical yoga or yogasana. Really, yoga practice can be modified for anyone and as our understanding grows in the field of yoga we realize yoga not only can be modified to fit anyone but yoga should be modified to fit everyone. Yoga should conform to fit each individual, not vice versa. In other words, there are seven billion ways to practice yoga. This means wherever you are at is the perfect place to begin.

Yoga can be applied to exercise the same as it can be applied to any endeavor, yet yoga is not exercise. Yoga is a mentality – it’s an understanding and a desire for understanding and cultivation of understanding. You don’t have to practice yoga to have a yoga mentality but you do have to practice yoga to cultivate it.

Yoga for Beginners Mentality

Many people new to yoga take to it so immediately and resonate with it so completely because they already have the mentality. Finding the practice becomes an outlet to express or embrace that mentality. In other words, many people realize the harmful or helpful nature of their own thoughts. Many people realize the interconnectedness of all things. Many people realize there is more to things than meets the eye. Many of you are already yogis! So, believe it or not, if you come to a yoga class for the first time it may feel like you’ve come home or simply feel like it’s actually not that strange.

In the West it seems physical yoga is the primary practice. This means bringing a yoga mentality into exercise. The movements or asanas are simply creative ways to access places in our bodies and ranges of motion. The reason for this is because you cannot take care of something you do not touch. If you don’t take care of it, it won’t stay well. Yet, touching it is not enough because the touch can actually be harmful if it is lacking sensitivity or gentleness. The reason being is the universal law that states the “harder you are on anything the faster you destroy it”. That’s why the touch needs to be gentle.

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

Okay, you have been living under a rock for the past 30 years and finally, you decide to climb out. Once out, you realize you are very stiff and completely atrophied. The current fitness trend seems to be yoga, so why not give it a try? Part 2 of yoga for beginners is all about mentality. If you haven’t read part 1 of beginner power yoga, read that first!

One thing I hear all the time is, “I’m too tight (stiff) to practice yoga.” That’s like saying, “I’m too obese to go on a diet.” If you are really tight, stiff, or tense, then you are a prime candidate for physical yoga or yogasana. Really, yoga practice can be modified for anyone and as our understanding grows in the field of yoga we realize yoga not only can be modified to fit anyone but yoga should be modified to fit everyone. Yoga should conform to fit each individual, not vice versa. In other words, there are seven billion ways to practice yoga. This means wherever you are at is the perfect place to begin.

Yoga can be applied to exercise the same as it can be applied to any endeavor, yet yoga is not exercise. Yoga is a mentality – it’s an understanding and a desire for understanding and cultivation of understanding. You don’t have to practice yoga to have a yoga mentality but you do have to practice yoga to cultivate it.

Yoga for Beginners Mentality

Many people new to yoga take to it so immediately and resonate with it so completely because they already have the mentality. Finding the practice becomes an outlet to express or embrace that mentality. In other words, many people realize the harmful or helpful nature of their own thoughts. Many people realize the interconnectedness of all things. Many people realize there is more to things than meets the eye. Many of you are already yogis! So, believe it or not, if you come to a yoga class for the first time it may feel like you’ve come home or simply feel like it’s actually not that strange.

In the West it seems physical yoga is the primary practice. This means bringing a yoga mentality into exercise. The movements or asanas are simply creative ways to access places in our bodies and ranges of motion. The reason for this is because you cannot take care of something you do not touch. If you don’t take care of it, it won’t stay well. Yet, touching it is not enough because the touch can actually be harmful if it is lacking sensitivity or gentleness. The reason being is the universal law that states the “harder you are on anything the faster you destroy it”. That’s why the touch needs to be gentle.

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

Okay, you have been living under a rock for the past 30 years and finally, you decide to climb out. Once out, you realize you are very stiff and completely atrophied. The current fitness trend seems to be yoga, so why not give it a try? Part 2 of yoga for beginners is all about mentality. If you haven’t read part 1 of beginner power yoga, read that first!

One thing I hear all the time is, “I’m too tight (stiff) to practice yoga.” That’s like saying, “I’m too obese to go on a diet.” If you are really tight, stiff, or tense, then you are a prime candidate for physical yoga or yogasana. Really, yoga practice can be modified for anyone and as our understanding grows in the field of yoga we realize yoga not only can be modified to fit anyone but yoga should be modified to fit everyone. Yoga should conform to fit each individual, not vice versa. In other words, there are seven billion ways to practice yoga. This means wherever you are at is the perfect place to begin.

Yoga can be applied to exercise the same as it can be applied to any endeavor, yet yoga is not exercise. Yoga is a mentality – it’s an understanding and a desire for understanding and cultivation of understanding. You don’t have to practice yoga to have a yoga mentality but you do have to practice yoga to cultivate it.

Yoga for Beginners Mentality

Many people new to yoga take to it so immediately and resonate with it so completely because they already have the mentality. Finding the practice becomes an outlet to express or embrace that mentality. In other words, many people realize the harmful or helpful nature of their own thoughts. Many people realize the interconnectedness of all things. Many people realize there is more to things than meets the eye. Many of you are already yogis! So, believe it or not, if you come to a yoga class for the first time it may feel like you’ve come home or simply feel like it’s actually not that strange.

In the West it seems physical yoga is the primary practice. This means bringing a yoga mentality into exercise. The movements or asanas are simply creative ways to access places in our bodies and ranges of motion. The reason for this is because you cannot take care of something you do not touch. If you don’t take care of it, it won’t stay well. Yet, touching it is not enough because the touch can actually be harmful if it is lacking sensitivity or gentleness. The reason being is the universal law that states the “harder you are on anything the faster you destroy it”. That’s why the touch needs to be gentle.

When you do anything with gentleness or its precursor, awareness, your mind becomes quiet. It really needs to be quiet in order to discover that moderate or gentle degree or to heighten sensitivity. This heightened state of sensitivity allows an exercise to become healing because you are now more able to optimally honor what you are feeling. In that quietness, you start to hear things (sensitivity) you’ve never heard before because you were never quiet enough to hear it. What you hear or discover within that silence fills you with understanding. It’s like you can now see more clearly. They used to call yogis “Seers”. Seeing clearly allows you to steer yourself more optimally towards wellness and before you know it you will have brushed off the stiffness and atrophy of living for 30 years under a rock and you will feel amazing!

If interested, check out my “Part 1” on yoga for beginners!

Welcome to poweryoga.

Sincerely,

Bryan Kest

The post Yoga for Beginners (Part 2 – Mentality) appeared first on Power Yoga.

My initial resistance came from two places. The first place it came from was “dogma.” I had been initiated into yoga in a certain way and I felt the way I was initiated was best and all else inferior. Obviously, this mentality pervades most dogma whether it’s religious, or otherwise, and might be what “dogma” is. I am pretty open-minded, and it didn’t take me long to notice that dogma and let it go. 

The other reason I resisted yoga for 20 minutes class was more practical, yet still ill-conceived. This reason had to do with what I just said–practicality. I came from a tradition of completeness. In other words, the Ashtanga yoga sequences I had originally learned and practiced were complete sequences in the sense that most all body parts and ranges of motion were addressed in each sequence. When the sequence was complete, I would be hard-pressed to imagine a body part or range of motion that wasn’t touched and cared for. This is something undoable within a 20-minute yoga stretch class or flow. My mentality was “why would I want to partake in a practice that wasn’t complete, that didn’t address everything?”

I do believe most all of us would like or appreciate the most complete and efficient type of exercise. Why would one want to partake in two, three or four different activities or what some might call cross training when you can accomplish it all in one activity? If nothing else, it certainly will save a lot of time! Well, firstly you can accomplish everything in a yoga flow for 20 minutes, and I know that seems to contradict all I just said but I will explain that in a moment. What you cannot do in these very short classes is touch all body parts and all ranges of motion, but what you can do is touch the five pillars of physical fitness. These five pillars are strength (tone), flexibility (suppleness), cardio, stamina, and balance. 

You heard the old saying “you cannot care for something you do not touch.” So, it is very important to touch it all if you want all to be well and as far as ranges of motion and body parts, you cannot fit all that into a 20 min. yoga routine. Yet, your short routine can include strength, stamina, flexibility, cardio, and balance. So, yes, in one way it’s complete but not the other way. 

So, being incomplete in at least the aspect of touching it all, how did I change my mind about my yoga for 20 min. being good enough for me? This was my epiphany: First and foremost a short class is better that no class, agreed? There is some benefit from short classes regardless of whether it is less thorough than a long class. It’s better to get some benefit than no benefit, right? The truth is, sometimes there is just not enough time or energy to do a longer class. Yet, who said that my complete or my completely thorough yoga routine can’t be divided into two, three, four, or five yoga in 20 minutes for beginners (or any level) classes throughout the week? Who said you must touch everything every day? That may be overkill.

So, now you can see how I have been able to broaden my perspective on these 20-minute yoga flow intermediate classes, beginner classes, or advanced (mature) classes.

Welcome to Bryan Kest Power Yoga where an open mind is even more important than an open body!

The post Can I Benefit from a 20 Minute Yoga Practice? appeared first on Power Yoga.

I will address three fundamental questions listed below, and I will give a general overview in answering each of these questions. In truth, the answer to each question could be a book. The three questions to be addressed are: What is yoga? Should you practice yoga? Where should you begin practicing yoga? So let’s get into it!

What is Yoga? 

Now there are actually many books that deal with this question. I will attempt to give you a simple yet clear answer to this question. Instead of a book, I will give you a few paragraphs.

Yoga can be a noun or a verb. The noun describes a mental state of which is in union with something greater than itself which it is a part of. Example: A leaf is connected to a branch, or the branch is connected to a tree, or a tree to the whole forest, or the whole forest to the earth. There are many words that attempt to describe this union such as “Enlightenment,” “Awareness,” “Samadhi,” “Nirvana,” “Bliss,” etc. This union minimizes the “I” and emphasizes the “All.” The idea is that the “I” is an expression of the “All” so there can be nothing wrong or right about you and whatever situation you are in. Just like there is nothing wrong or right about a tree branch, however, it looks and whichever direction it grows. Just like there is nothing wrong with any element of the forest as it is all part of the ecosystem. Basically, you are a tree in the forest of life! Therefore, one’s situation does not engender thoughts or feelings of positivity or negativity as it is all a perfect expression of nature. You gotta admit, if you trusted that any and all situations of your life were perfect and an important part of you becoming all you are becoming, then you would be less stressed. This means you would be much healthier, as stress is responsible for almost all diseases. Can you imagine your health is largely dependent on your understanding of your true nature? Can you imagine that yogis were interested in health and wellness? They weren’t messing around with diet and exercise, they were going straight to the source! Don’t worry, none of this negates free will and personal expression, which is also perfect, it just minimizes the attachment to any results of that free will as all results are nature expressing itself perfectly. After all, we humans might be at the top of the cognitive food chain so to speak, but we are still part of nature and we are not separate from nature. So, in truth, what can be happening that’s not happening perfectly? Yoga mind state is not simply understanding this, it’s having realized it! Having realized this, the mind stays balanced or equanimous through the ups and downs. One realizes the turbulent times are actually a step toward peace. So, don’t be stressed. You’re headed in the right direction and the turbulent times will lead to peace. So, don’t be too attached because this will change. Like the Phoenix, it only arises from the flames. Yoga can also be a verb in which case, yoga is the practice that leads to the attainment of this union.

Should you practice yoga?

To answer this question you must want something that yoga practice offers. If you want health, peace, or a greater connection to your essence or nature—Yes you should practice yoga! These were the things a yoga practice was designed for. Yet, beware. Dismantling the mind state that you have developed that is preventing you from experiencing yoga right now is a painstakingly difficult task. It’s akin to breaking an addiction. It’s very similar to anything in life that’s worthwhile. It’s challenging. But, then again, if your desire is health and peace there is no other choice than to at least start taking baby steps in this direction. It’s not easy to climb all the way to the top of the mountain, but it’s only the view at the top that will get you the full picture. Once seeing the complete picture, your decisions can be most optimal. A supportive community (yoga class) may help things be easier.

Where should you begin practicing yoga?

I want you to understand one thing, and then it will not matter where to begin practicing yoga. Your desire for health and peace will continue to propel you towards it, so wherever you begin will be just a stepping stone towards where you are headed. 

What I want you to understand is there are seven billion paths toward yoga as there are seven billion of us on this planet right now. In other words, moving towards yoga or having a yoga practice is personal and the places you visit to help steer you towards a greater ability to discover your path are called yoga classes or yoga centers, studios, ashrams, temples, hermitages, etc. These places will all have different methods and maybe even different philosophies toward discovering your path. Some may even tell you not to discover your own path but to follow their path, a path that they say is proven—sort of pre-discovered. When entering these places, you may feel at home and you may want to stay forever. Then again, you may only want to stay for a short time. Then again, you may not feel a desire to stay at all. Trust your feeling and remember there are many ways to practice yoga and just because there are some who are benefiting from a certain path or style it doesn’t mean that path or style is for you. Don’t be shy about moving on—after all, you can always come back. 

In empowering yourself by trusting your intuition about the studio’s philosophy you are exposing yourself to, you will head in the most efficient direction toward your desire for health and wellness. You will stay if it feels right and you will leave when it feels right. There is an old saying that goes, “when the student is ready, the teacher (or path) will appear”. 

In moving through your wellness journey in this manner there will be no blind faith. Others may help you, and others you have chosen may help you, but you will always make the final decision according to your two abilities of discernment, your cognition, and your intuition. 

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Read our next post titled: Yoga For Beginners (Part 2 – Mentality)

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You might find yourself asking these questions – but first things first – fitness yoga might not be what you think of when you think of “fitness.” It might not be too far away from your ideas of fitness, but it is different.

It’s common to come to your first yoga class wanting or expecting a certain type of fitness. We have learned and seen a certain type of fitness, and quite possibly believe that to be what is necessary for health. Maybe you have searched for “best yoga for fitness” or “free fitness yoga videos,” looking for something vigorous or super-active. Something that burns calories and builds muscles, something that will change you into a lean, mean fighting machine. We offer daily yoga routines for fitness within each and every one of our classes. The reason is that yoga for overall fitness is the absolute best. Before we go on, let’s define fitness. Fitness means health.

Health is a personal state of balance, or homeostasis. This means that a generic image of “fitness” may not be what healthy looks like on you. Maybe you are supposed to look like you and not some generic prototype. So when someone asks me “how to do fitness yoga,” I interpret that to mean, how can I create a yoga practice that helps me maintain health and balance. Yoga is a tool that can be used benevolently or malevolently, as it is just a tool.  Why would someone use yoga in a harmful manner? I do not believe anyone would use yoga in a harmful manner purposely. Yet the goal of yoga is enlightenment or awareness, because awareness is lacking, and if there is no awareness then you could be using yoga in a harmful manner without even knowing. This is actually what is happening all over the fitness world. My teacher is my life experiences and my teacher has taught me that “the harder you are on anything, the faster you destroy it.” So in pushing your body hard to achieve the generic prototype, the body is abused. Yes, you will get bigger and stronger or more flexible as the body responds to the abuse, but we are actually damaging ourselves and end up breaking ourselves down instead of building ourselves up. We still do not have proof that prettier, skinnier, stronger or more flexible people are healthier or happier. Yet if all you know pertaining to fitness is to push and be aggressive (“no pain, no gain”), then you will actually be doing this in your hot yoga practice, rendering it malevolent. So, let’s bring some awareness into our yoga practice, so we are not breaking ourselves down but building ourselves up.

Our physical aim is the best fitness yoga course on a daily basis. I call it the ultimate cross-training, as every aspect of the fitness paradigm is included, “strength, balance, flexibility, CVR, stamina,” and most every place in our body touched. Remember, you cannot take of something that’s not touched (gently). Yet we do all this with an awareness that we are not trying to change ourselves to conform to the generic prototype, but we are trying to take care of ourselves. The mentality shifts, and finally a yoga fitness class becomes healing, because we are honoring what we are feeling. Enjoy our wide selection of the most well-rounded, complete fitness class on earth. My opinion, of course. For a yoga class, always use a yoga mat vs. a fitness mat.

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How to start doing yoga or practicing yoga? Well, as mentioned above, there are classes, yoga books for beginners and videos, so take your choice. There are many types of yoga a beginner can start with, as there are many types of yoga. Yet obviously a beginner yoga class needs to be approachable to beginners. There needs to be basic info and philosophy, otherwise, old habits patterns may slip into your yoga class and pollute it without you even knowing. What makes a yoga class yoga and differentiates it from most other exercise is its philosophy and approach. Understanding the philosophy and approach is essential. Then we take action in the form of meditation and/or asana which are exercises, positions, or moves. We put the philosophy into action, which equals satisfaction and creates a mind-body experience.

The teaching yoga to beginners objective should be to try to express the objective of the poses and how to go about achieving that objective. Hopefully putting all this into a simple yet not easy, dynamic beginners yoga routine. For best effect, these exercises or a beginners yoga pose should be approachable without strain.

Whether the class focuses on meditation or asana, or whether it focuses on alignment or dynamic flow, whatever it might be, be gentle with yourself. The objective of yoga could be articulated as “Wellness.”  When wellness is the objective, any effort or sensation more than modest is overkill. Remember, we are not trying to change ourselves, we are trying to care for ourselves, and the only way to take care of anything is to touch it gently. You could describe this as the middle path. Don’t push to hard but don’t run away. Moderation or gentleness. I’d rather call yoga a maintenance practice than a workout. Because in a maintenance practice (like brushing your teeth), we are not trying to change anything, we are just trying to care for things. Whenever you want to care for anything, the approach must be gentle or moderate. This gentleness thing alone can be a new idea for most in the exercise community, as so many exercises can be so physically aggressive or demanding. This is why understanding the philosophy and approach initially is so important.

For the beginner in yoga online, there are many choices. I always understood all the varying possibilities and choices there are within the yoga world as a reflection of all the varying personalities and body types. In other words, there is something for everybody. What are you into? Are you young? Older? Injured? Athletic? Academic? Devotional or philosophical, etc?

The beauty of it is, as you age and change, as you morph and grow, your style of yoga practice will also morph and grow. It evolves and becomes more subtle and acute. And the beginner learning about themselves is no longer the beginner. Welcome to PowerYoga.

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I pondered more questions such as,

• Are yoga and meditation the same thing?
• How should I place my hands when I am meditating and does this really matter?
• Should I meditate before or after my physical asana practice?

The more time I spent on my mat, whether it was to sit quietly with my eyes closed and watch my breath or to move through physical asana practice, it became clear to me that personal experience coupled with the process of tuning into what my emotional and physical body needed the most that day, would serve as my ultimate guide. Nonetheless, as someone new to the practice, I think it is helpful to be armed with some basic information to sift through the layers of content provided on the Internet and to help formulate questions to ask of long-time practitioners and respected teachers as you travel along your path.

So…to get you started, here are some common questions asked by beginners:

Are yoga and meditation the same thing?

In the beginning, my yoga practice was defined purely by physical asana. My perspective was that the physical practice was distinct from my sitting meditation. Now, the two have merged into one, and there is no distinction in terms of the final product. In fact, on a fundamental level, meditation is a process whereby one is “mindful” of an object, such as the breath, to help anchor the student in present-moment experience, ideally without judgment, criticism, or evaluation. This practice has become far more important and beneficial in my life relative to the physical asana, which is now a precursor to my sitting practice. Personally, without meditation, there is no practice.

What is a yoga meditation position?

Outlined below are some common yoga meditation poses to experiment with when deciding which position resonates for you. It is most likely the structure of these poses that will best support the body for yoga and meditation. Again, this is general information and should not preclude you from experimenting with other poses.

Easy pose: This is one of the most approachable poses, especially for beginners, and lends itself nicely to supporting the body during meditation. Generally, this pose is done by sitting with the legs crossed, feet resting on the floor, one foot in front of the other. The pose can also be done with a prop, such as a bolster or a block, placed under the sit bones to elevate the hips and alleviate exacerbation of pain/pressure in the knees.

Relaxed lotus: Another approachable pose, especially if you have tight hips or knees. Sit with legs crossed at the shins, and with feet resting underneath opposite knees.

Half lotus: A variation on full lotus pose. This is similar to full lotus, but rather than having both feet on top of opposite thighs, just one foot is placed on top of the opposite though, with the other foot resting under opposite knee.

Full lotus: Most challenging to hold, sit with legs crossed as shins and feet placed on top of opposite thighs.

What is an optimal yoga meditation position?

While there is no “optimal” position to speak of, a few things you should be mindful of when practicing a seated meditation, including the position of your spine and shoulders, and the placement of your hands and eyes. You will want to sit upright with the spine reasonably erect, shoulders relaxed down away from your ears, and eyes either open or closed. If open, rest your gaze on a neutral object to minimize distraction. Hand placement can also vary according to your preference. Yoga philosophy posits that hands placed in a mudra (Sanskrit word meaning to “seal in” or to close your practice) position during meditation is meaningful. For example, connecting the thumb with the index finger, with palms facing up, suggests reception of energy and willingness to be open and spacious. While the same mudra with palms facing down suggests grounding energy, connecting the body with the earth. Then there is the placement of hands in the lap, with one hand resting on top of the other hand. This is known as the “meditation seal” and is associated with synergy between the right and left hemispheres.

What are meditation techniques? Am I doing this the right way? 

There are a variety of yoga meditation techniques that can be used to support one’s practice, including attentional focus, open monitoring, and Transcendental Meditation (TM).

With attentional focus, a neutral object is used to steady the mind and cultivate focus and present-moment awareness is to focus on the breath during a meditation or yoga practice. The breath can be accessed at any time and from anywhere, whether we are driving in our car or standing on our yoga mat. The other amazing aspect of breath is that we can use it to anchor us in our bodies. For example, when we associate counting with the breath, drawing out the inhalation and exhalation to a 4 or 5 second count, that process in and of itself is useful to cultivate and maintain focus and to stay in the present moment experience.

Considered a little more “advanced”, open monitoring asks the student to notice whatever is arising in that moment without reacting. The student is asked to be an “observer” of whatever thoughts, feelings, emotions arise without criticism or evaluation, to sit with that experience, and then to come back to a focal point such as the breath, the sound of a person’s voice, or the subtle vibration of background noise.

Transcendental meditation (TM) is another technique popularized by Maharishi. This Hindu technique provides students with a “mantra” or sacred word that is chanted internally for a 20-minute period, both in the morning and in the evening. To learn this technique, one needs to complete a course offered by a certified teacher trained in TM. TM is an evidence-based approach that has shown significant benefits for people experiencing traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety.

Ultimately, while it may seem daunting to begin a yoga meditation practice, beginners and long-time students alike can find refuge in the following:

1)    Set feasible goals. For example, you might start by doing a short practice (physical asana and sitting meditation) 3 days a week. Do this for one month, then gradually increase the duration and frequency of your practice. The time of day is also important to consider as this can affect your ability to accomplish the previous step. If you know that your morning is unaffected by kids, work, etc., and you have more energy in the morning relative to the evening, then morning would be the optimal time for you to practice.

2)    Location. Think about whether practicing in a studio or at home is optimal given your lifestyle.

3)    Technique. This addresses the sitting part of your practice. Use a technique that is approachable for you. Students will often want to start with something like paying attention to the breath, using the breath as a focal point to return to when the mind becomes distracted by thoughts, emotions, feelings. Another technique that is extremely useful for those wanting to keep their eyes open is to gaze at a neutral object like a tree or piece of furniture.

4)    Posture(s). For your sitting meditation, experiment with various posture(s) to determine what works best for you. This can also vary based on what you are looking for/focusing on in your practice. For example, you may want to focus on intention setting, cultivating loving-kindness, or self-forgiveness.

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Basic yoga poses create a solid foundation for you to build upon in your practice. They are simple and easy to integrate with a well-established practice. Anecdotal and scientific information is readily available on the benefits of yoga—all of which extend to these basic and fundamental yoga poses. Such benefits include, but are not limited to, the cultivation of emotional and physical strength, flexibility, and resiliency.

The Nuts and Bolts of Beginner Yoga Positions

Basic yoga positions are commonly found in a typical yoga class and constitute the building blocks of a safe and well-rounded practice.

The best yoga positions for beginners are simple, yet challenging at the same time, and lend nicely to modifications. Whether you are practicing at a yoga studio or at home, remember to listen to your body, practice gentleness, modify a pose if necessary, and drop into a child’s pose at any point during your practice to recharge and focus your breath. If delving into a home-based practice, find an online yoga streaming service that offers instructional videos on basic yoga poses. A good way to approach doing these physical poses is to find a quiet and calm place in your home with little to no interruptions. Ideally, you want to hold the poses for 5-10 breaths, depending on the amount of time you have to devote to your practice. After you feel comfortable with the various poses, play around with sequences on your own, or find an online yoga streaming service that offers classes for beginners.

The best basic yoga positions are functional and address the fundamental motions of standing, balancing forward bends, and backbends. There are well over 200 yoga poses in the physical (asana) practice. F

Take a look at the following list of ten yoga positions for beginners; while this does not constitute an exhaustive list of basic poses, these poses can serve as a perfect starting point to ignite and/or strengthen your practice.

Balasana (Child’s Pose)

The queen of healing poses in the asana practice: lacing pressure at the spot between your eyebrows stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, activating the relaxation response.
Give it a try!

Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

The foundation for all standing poses; with a lengthened spine and sturdy base, it provides an opportunity to engage the quadriceps and ground down through the feet, also supports improved posture.
Check it out!

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)

Creating an inverted v-shape with your body for flexibility and strength in the arms and legs; stretches and strengthens the entire body.
Watch the video here.

Vriksasana (Tree Pose)

Great balancing pose for beginners; helps with focus and clarity, and learning to breathe while balancing.
Give it a try!

Virabhadrasana I (Warrior Pose 1)

Build strength and stamina in your practice, strengthen lower body and core; also serves as a gentle backbend.
Watch the video here.

Virabhadrasana II (Warrior Pose 2)

External hip opener opens inner thighs – a good building block for side asanas, including triangle and standing half-moon.
Check it out!

Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

Starting pose that helps to stretch the sides of the waist, open the chest, and strengthen the lower body.
Give it a try!

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold Pose)

Foundation of sun salutations and provides a deep stretch to the hamstrings; brings fresh oxygen and blood to the brain, calming the nervous system and reducing stress.
Watch the video here!

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge pose)

Counter to forward bends, a good beginner backbend that opens the chest, stretches the thighs, and strengthens the back body.
Check it out!

Savasana (Corpse Pose)

Usually done at the end of your practice, supports assimilating the benefits of your practice and mindfulness of breath and physical sensations.

Ultimately, it is important to meet your practice with an open mind and a willingness to accept where you are in that moment, without criticism, evaluation or judgment. Through focus and dedication to the practice of these basic yoga positions, one can cultivate and strengthen both the asana (physical) and mindfulness practice.

Give it a try!

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Yoga is a mind-body practice that supports slowing down and taking time to tune into the breath amidst the chaos of our lives. This slowing down process triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, otherwise known as the relaxation response, and runs directly counter to the fight-flight-freeze response so commonly associated with chronic stress. Additionally, yoga helps to cultivate cardiovascular strength, flexibility, and stamina. If you are a new student interested in starting a yoga practice to dial down the stress or are just attracted to the multitude of benefits that yoga has to offer, starting your yoga practice at home can be simple with the use of online yoga videos. Other online yoga classes are out there. New students should look for an online streaming service that offers a variety of styles, especially classes that are tailored to the beginner. Along with finding the right online service, here are 5 easy steps for starting a yoga practice at home for beginners.

5 Steps for Starting a Yoga Practice At Home

Step 1: Gain clarity on the importance of starting a yoga practice

For beginners learning how to do yoga at home, it is important to get quiet and reflect on why it is important to start a yoga practice. What is it about the practice that attracts you?

Perhaps you have heard about its benefits, both psychological and physical. Or, maybe you are looking to live a more balanced life with contentment, ease, and less reactivity and feel that the practice can help support you along this path. Get clear and set intentions about what it is you hope to derive from your practice. This clarity on your “values” around starting a yoga practice will provide a solid foundation upon which to move toward your practice, and guide and support you on the journey.

Step 2: When and where to do your home practice

Get clear with what works best for you in terms of when to do your practice (e.g., morning versus evening), and the location. Life can get in the way.

So, psychologically, it is optimal to set realistic goals and take “baby steps” as you work your way towards these goals. So, for example, it might be best to set a goal of doing a 20-minute practice for at least 3 days/week for a month. Stay with this goal for one month before thinking about increasing the amount of time or frequency of your practice. With respect to location, find a quiet space if possible where you will have little to no interruptions (e.g., kids, animals). And, have your yoga mat, towel, blanket, block, and any other props you might need readily available. Try to make this location your sacred space for the practice.

Step 3: Practice basic yoga poses

Basic yoga poses form the building blocks for your practice. They are key to both cultivating and sustaining a home practice.

Therefore, you will want to choose poses that you feel attracted to. Basic yoga poses, when done with intention and mindfulness and without judgment or evaluation, can be just as challenging if not more than the more “advanced” yoga poses. Examples of basic poses include fish pose, cat-cow, downward-facing dog, child’s pose, cobra, and plank position. An online streaming service that offers classes tailored to yoga at home for beginners is a great resource for providing instruction on how to practice these poses with pictures to guide the new student.

Step 4: Commitment, commitment, commitment

How do you lay the foundation to stay committed to your practice, even when you feel low, lethargic, or tempted by the many other priorities that eat up your time on a daily basis?

Think about the other commitments you have going on in your life and reflect on how you were able to develop commitment towards these projects. It may also be worthwhile to reflect on why starting a yoga practice is important to you. Get clear about whether you are being guided by your ego, or by something that truly provides meaning in your life.

Step 5: Patience, self-compassion, and flexibility

It is nice to approach your home practice with patience, self-compassion, and flexibility.

Without these two aspects, the hard days when you are feeling run down and overwhelmed will leave you feeling worse. Have patience when setting up your home practice and remain diligent, even during turbulent times. This especially comes into play when not feeling connected to your practice. For example, maybe you find that you are falling out of balancing poses more often than you would like. Practice self-compassion for similar times, and find joy in the challenge that can come with staying grounded and connected with each breath as you move through the asanas—just you alone on the mat with your breath. Flexibility comes into play when you have set a schedule, get into a comfortable groove with that schedule, and feel like you finally “got it.” Then, something comes up to throw you off balance, as is typical of life’s tendency for turbulence. These are the times when flexibility is paramount. Allow yourself the space to make changes to your schedule, and practice self-compassion during the times you get off track. If you are unable to practice on any given day, make it up on a different day. And, be okay with the shift in schedule.

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