What is yoga?

From teacher to student, yoga has been passed down through the generations as a physical, mental, and spiritual practice. Yoga practices include breathing techniques, postures, relaxation, chanting, and other meditation methods. Our bodies, minds, and souls can be transformed and purified through yoga. minds, and souls. It helps us to connect with nature and the universe around us. We experience greater access to inner resources that teach us about self-awareness, acceptance, patience, gratitude, forgiveness, love, peace, and joy. We face new challenges in life everyday. The challenges in life vary from frustrations, stress, traumas and other life events, instead of a solution, we face emotional & mental blocks. Yoga Strengthens your brain & boosts your problem-solving abilities. Obviously, yoga is no magic that will make you get rid of all your problems but it will prepare you to face those challenging situations.

People manage to do many activities at a time but sometimes there is no mental relaxation and other moments you need to concentrate on particular things but your mind is not sharp.

Is it possible for a person to be totally aware, calm, and happy, as well as have sharpness at the same time?

Yes, Yoga can help us to achieve a state that gives you sharpness of mind & a clarity of what needs to be done, as well as brings happiness & peace of mind.

But why is awareness important? When you act without awareness – you are like a sleepwalker, who doesn’t know where is he or what is he doing. You just act & don’t know what you are doing. However, when you act with awareness your senses become clear that they can perceive better, see better, think better, and hear better.

Yoga attends to all aspects of our being – Mind, body, emotions & inner self.

You are at peace with yourself and everything around you when you practice yoga as you become aware of your body, including the pains or discomfort in any part of the body & try to tackle those situations or pain.

Health Benefits of Yoga

• Improves flexibility: Yoga is a great way to work on your flexibility and strength. Yoga poses stretch your muscles which helps you feel less tired & reduces body stiffness.
• Improves balance: Yoga helps in improving balance by strengthening your core muscles. Each yoga pose helps you to strengthen the muscles & the joints differently thereby improving balance. If you are not emotionally stable then you won’t be able to achieve or maintain a balanced posture.
• Eases and prevents back pain: If you work at a desk all day long, you might be experiencing some neck, shoulder, and lower back pain due to poor posture. Yoga helps to support & strengthen the muscles which gives support to the spine and the back.
• Teaches better breathing: Breathing exercise in yoga helps to correct poor breathing habits & gain control over the breath. It also increases oxygenation to all parts of the body. It helps in keeping the lungs healthy & strengthens the respiratory system.
• Reduces stress: Stress is the culprit which can lead to anxiety, and depression not letting you fully enjoy the present moment. Physical activity is good for relieving stress, yoga poses require concentration which helps you to forget about the stress or worries for a particular period of time.
• Boosts heart health: Yoga reduces cardiovascular disease risk, by lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and even cholesterol. The practice of yoga increases blood flow and circulation, thereby improving heart health.
• Improves sleep: Yoga practice during bedtime can help you get in the right mindset and prepare your body to fall asleep and stay asleep. With better breathing & relaxation yoga can help you to get quality sleep at night.
• Peace of mind: Practicing yoga every day can have significant benefits for your mental health. Just doing yoga for a few minutes every day can help in promoting a peaceful mind. It helps to create a sense of calm & inner peace.

Yoga & Mandala

The mandala is recognizable by its intricate concentric circles and other designs. Mandalas are made through a center point which represents the beginning. Mandala starts by concentrating at the center point & then moving outwards. Traditionally yoga aims to create a union of mind, body & soul. Whereas modern yoga is more associated with asana to build strength & stamina.

In yoga, the mandala helps focus attention during meditation & it also symbolizes unity and harmony of the mind, body, and soul. When you place a mandala or hang a mandala in front of your eyes & start focusing on the center it will help you to go deeper & reduce stress. Focusing on the mandala designs during yoga practice calms the mind & shuts out the worries of the outside world allowing the person to concentrate during meditation. 

In yoga, the mandala is often used as a tool for visualization and concentration. For instance, when you are trying to visualize your breath, you may imagine a mandala that is expanding and contracting with each inhalation and exhalation.

Interconnection of Mandala & Yoga

• Symbolic Representation: Symbolic representations convey deeper meanings. Yoga postures (asanas) are associated with animals like cats, dogs, butterflies, cobras, swam, camels, etc, or spiritual concepts, which reflect the interconnectedness. Same way mandalas incorporate geometric patterns that represent unity as all the shapes are connected to each other.

 

• Meditation and Mindfulness: Both yoga and mandala practice involves meditation and mindfulness techniques. In yoga, people focus their attention on the breath, and bodily sensations creating awareness and inner peace. Mandalas serve as objects of meditation, enabling individuals to concentrate their minds and achieve a state of relaxation. Both yoga and mandala practice involves meditation and mindfulness techniques.

Try this yoga out:

Stand with one foot on the ground and raise the other leg in Tree Position. Notice the sensations in your body, like the stability of your standing leg and the stretch in your raised leg. Staying in the pose will help to focus & develop balance in your daily life.

Get comfortable, take deep breaths, and look at the mandala in front of you. Trace the lines of the mandala & let go of the other thoughts when you focus on the mandala & achieve a state of relaxation. 

• Integration of Body, Mind, and Soul: Yoga seeks to unite through physical postures, breath control, and meditation. Practicing yoga positions like Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog), Veerabhadrasana (Warrior pose), and Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose) rejuvenates the body’s chakras which release positive energies which unite the mind, body & soul. The repetition of Mandala patterns, colors, and shapes is done to create a whole mandala that fosters balance & invokes wholeness in an individual.  

 

• Energy Flow: Restore the energy flow with yoga positions like camel, triangle, chair, half moon, bridge, etc. These positions help the flow of energy to parts of the body. In mandalas, you move in a circular pattern & the energies flow through all the colors & patterns you create.

• Self-Exploration and Transformation: · Self-exploration is knowing 'what you are' and 'what you really want to be' & transform yourself accordingly. Yoga positions calm your mind which gives you mental peace & helps you to know yourself better. When you create a healing mandala it is a reflection of your thoughts & so the process of creating mandalas is a form of self-healing or self-exploration. 

Integrating yoga & mandala practices into one's routine can enhance the benefits of each.

Mandala Yoga

Mandala yoga is based on using the principles of mandala designs to create a flow & meditative practice just as the mandalas themselves. Mandala yoga is used to develop a sense of peace & helps the mind to focus on things. Mandala yoga practitioners practice a series of postures that form a circular pattern on the mat. They rotate 360 degrees to form a mandala. The asanas will always change, so it requires a lot of concentration and stamina. Slower, gentler flows are also available.

 Who is Most Likely to Benefit from Mandala Yoga

In Mandala yoga, you will move circularly with your body by playing around all four corners of the mat. During Mandala yoga, make sure you have enough space around your mat, as you will move around your practice space 360 degrees. Mandala yoga is not as popular as the other yoga styles but it has great benefits & every individual should try it.

Here are a few examples of people for whom Mandala Yoga is helpful in their journey:

• Shruti, a production artist who does all her work with perfection. She is an overthinker & that doesn’t allow her to sometimes focus on things. Mandala yoga practice quiets her mind when she overthinks, allowing her to focus on the present moment.

• Vidhi, a Marketing expert having 50 people on her team, faces a lot of stress & pressure in handling the team. She incorporates Mandala Yoga into her daily routine as the focused movements help her redirect her attention away from work-related pressures promoting relaxation and mental clarity so that she can work attentively.

• Ashok, a middle-class businessman having family responsibilities struggles with insomnia, discovers that Mandala Yoga helps him in getting better sleep. Engaging in a soothing mandala yoga practice before bedtime calms his mind and prepares him for a restful sleep.

• Amit, a student having his architecture exams, deals with anxiety and depression, as he can’t think of creative ideas for his project. Mandala yoga exercises enhance his creativity & the circular movements help connect his mind & body creating a sense of awareness.

• Usha, a housewife, often faced digestion-related issues & had to visit the doctor frequently. But she started doing mandala yoga where the twisting movements helped her improve her digestion & stimulate the organs in her abdomen.

In all these cases, Mandala Yoga serves as a supportive practice, offering different individuals a path to relaxation, stress reduction, improved sleep, emotional well-being, and a greater connection between mind and body.

What You Need to Know About Designing Your Yoga Space at Home

If you love yoga, & don’t know where to practice it, then create your own yoga space at home. Let me tell you how I designed my own yoga space. My yoga space is a sacred place for me & so I created a calming and relaxing vibe that can improve my yoga practice. So my “yoga space” is not a dedicated room in my house, instead, it’s a space where I feel comfortable. You can choose any space like a corner in your living room or bedroom for your yoga exercises. 

Things I took care of while designing my yoga space:

Clutter

I have my space where there is no clutter of things because it isn’t great for your mental health. When it comes to a yoga room, less is more. Be very minimal with what items you include in your yoga space. 

Lighten and brighten your space 

Lighting has a significant effect on your mood, energy, and overall wellness. I use Cotton curtains to curtain off my yoga space from the rest of the living area, filtering light and adding privacy. Decide where you wish to set up your space near a window or balcony with natural light and an open airy space or you feel calmer in a dark environment with dim lights.  

Add little touches to your space

• Sight: I have wall paintings that help me feel spiritually connected. Some of you might find natural objects, such as beautiful stones or carved wood, useful to create a calm visual atmosphere. You can also add small plants to your space.
• Smell: Scented candles, oil diffusers, and incense holders are all great ways to set the mood for your yoga room without taking up too much space. Choose one smell that makes you feel relaxed. 
• Touch: I wear comfortable clothes & have a yoga mat that has a good grip. But if you don’t have a yoga mat at home you can use a blanket, a towel or do yoga on the carpet.
• Sound: Different sounds inspire positive emotions in different people. I choose instrumental tunes in my space.
• Taste: Set up a mug of your favorite herbal tea or juice and place it where you can easily reach it. Water with lemon and mint is an excellent option for me to stay hydrated throughout a more intense yoga session.

Facts You Should Know About Yoga

You Don't Have to Be Flexible to Do Yoga

Flexibility is not a prerequisite for doing yoga. Whether you are flexible or not you can practice yoga & it will help you become flexible. Flexibility is the outcome of practicing yoga.

Yoga Is for Everybody

Anybody & everybody can do yoga regardless of age, weight, gender, or fitness level. Yoga is for all the athletic, the weak, the flexible, the inflexible, the underweight, the overweight, the elderly, the young, the spiritual, the doubter, the graceful, the uncoordinated, etc.

Yoga Is About More Than Stretching

Yoga is the union of mind, body & soul. Practicing asanas looks like stretching but it is more than that. 

Yoga Can Be as Easy or Challenging as You Make It

Yoga is not necessarily hard but can be challenging for people. There are various asanas in yoga; some may find them easier & some hard. 

You Can Do Yoga Even If You're Pregnant

Exercise is healthy for pregnancy & yoga asanas are considered to be safe & low impact as long as you practice safely.

Yoga Can Fit into Your Schedule

You can practice yoga as much as time you can dedicate to it. It can be 30,45,60 or more minutes. But the thing is you have to commit yourself to practicing it daily for better results.

Conclusion

Incorporating yoga along with mandala into your lifestyle can have a profound impact on your overall well-being. Whether you are seeking physical fitness, stress relief, spiritual growth, or simply a moment of calmness in your day, yoga & mandala offers a versatile and beneficial practice. Remember to listen to your body, be patient with yourself, and enjoy the journey of self-discovery that yoga provides along with the mandala. We at bambaiSe make mandalas a part of your home décor by engraving traditional mandala designs on all our products whether it be an Oval tray or an Accessory box as we know that just by looking at a mandala people find peace. Our designs have Elegance & a touch of traditional mandalas to décor your house.