Yoga is fantastic in helping someone deal with change. From embracing the new to making space for the old. As the season changes from summer to autumn, there is change all around us. Starting almost imperceptibly before snowballing and suddenly everything looks and feels different. Our lives are constantly evolving, shifting and changing to reflect who we are and who we'd like to be. From new jobs, different relationships, letting go and starting anew - we put ourselves through a lot of change. Often in the hopes of finding happiness or joy. But change can often be unsettling or even upsetting for some, and yoga can help us deal with the transitions around us. Yoga teaches important lessons besides the physical wellness the practice gives us. From patience and working towards a goal, to a rhythmical constant anchoring ourselves in our day or week. Yoga has the ability to help us reflect and change who we are and grow into who we'd like to become.

Yoga and patience
Anyone who has practiced yoga, whether for a long time or just one session will know that patience is indeed a virtue when it comes to yoga. From challenging asana where you're itching to move to the next pose, stoic yin where time may drag on and on, to meditation where patience is key to being able to drop into that sweet meditative state. Yes, yoga and patience go hand in hand. Patience is needed for change, often change takes a long time. Personally I've been wanting to be a yoga teacher for around three years, working towards this goal didn't happen over night - it took three years. The patience I've had, which hasn't always been steadfast, has been buffeted by the practice yoga gives me. Patiently waiting for changes in my practice can take weeks, months even years. Working to a headstand or arm balance takes weeks, months, even years. Allowing change to happen, accepting it, and not rushing it all ties into the patience we learn as students of yoga.
Yoga and goals
One of the main reasons patience is so often employed in yoga is due to personal goals we may have within our practice. For some a headstand may be the ultimate goal, for others touching their toes, maybe maintaining 5 minutes of meditation, perhaps practicing mindfulness regularly. There are so many goals we may have for our personal practice. These goals are working towards change, yoga can help us identify an aspect of our practice that feels out of balance and show us a way to achieve these goals. Yoga can be a bigger part of our life goals if we let it. From gaining fitness and peace of mind to help with general health, to targeting a specific problem in our lives and practicing yoga to help ease it or overcome it. I originally started yoga as a way to cope with anxiety, others have started as a way to stay fit, or heal after surgeries. As always, if you have a medical issue discuss with your doctor if yoga is a good idea for you before giving it a go.
Yoga and changes to body, mind, and spirituality.
While you may have a specific goal in mind for your yoga practice you may just practice for the enjoyment of it. Either way, if you practice long enough you'll surely notice a change. Whether physically, mentally, spiritually or all three. Yoga has an almost imperceptible way of strengthening the body, quietening the mind, and encouraging curiosity, until one day you notice how much stronger and flexible you are. How much easier your mind can find peace when in turmoil. How curious you are about new and old topics. Yoga deepens your understanding of yourself, constantly asking you to check in with the self. So whether you practice everyday, once a week, or just occasionally. You'll have a running log of your mind and body from which to draw from and notice. If you've practiced for a while sit and think about how you were when you first started and how you are now in this very moment. Notice how you are at the start of your next practice and how you are at the end. The self is constantly evolving, yoga just helps us notice.
Yoga as a constant
As the self is constantly evolving, not just because of yoga and its lessons, but because we cannot live in a vacuum. Yoga can be used as a wonderful constant during times of change. To counteract the effects and anxieties change can bring. Moving house, changing jobs, ending or starting new relationships - all can come with a unique set of anxieties. Yoga can be an anchor from which to set sail. A point in our day that remains the same. Perhaps an hour of movement meditation - working the body into a state of sweet fatigue, helping to provide respite to the stresses of the day. Perhaps practicing meditation to provide a quiet space for the mind to work out any discomfort change is bringing. Notice if the same issue pops up again and again, meditate on this subject and see what arises. Yoga as a constant can be incredibly helpful in dealing with change merely by providing a bit of stability. After all, stability can be a huge comfort.
Yoga for mindfulness.
As described above, meditation can be a wonderful way to process change as it's happening. Tapping into the mindful aspect of yoga, whether in movement meditation (asana), sitting meditation (dhyana), centring breath work (pranayama), or a combination can all help in anchoring the mind and body in the here and now. Often anxieties and worries come from the dreaded 'what if...'. What if this new job doesn't work out, what if this relationship fails, what if I hate this new area I've moved to. Catastrophising rarely helps, but stopping the self from doing so can be much rarer. Practicing mindfulness with the help of yoga can ease these worries by helping the mind drop into the present moment with ease. Noticing what is actually happening in the moment rather than a hypothetically grim future. Just like muscles, the mind needs practice to get good at something. Mindfulness can be incredibly challenging especially for over-thinkers and worriers, so by practicing yoga when calm we can strengthen this ability and then this can help in times of anxiety or crisis.
For more information on how yoga can help you during change and what that could look like feel free to contact me or book a 1-2-1 for personalised yoga lessons.
By Laura Carey
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