30 Days of Yoga for Self Love

My relationship with yoga is deepening, as I feel the need to practice yoga daily. I enjoy the stillness and relaxation that yoga brings. In a world where we’re always on the go, it’s very therapeutic to be still and just breath. Through focusing on my breath, and only my breath, I feel calm and wholesome. Through daily yoga practice and 30 days of yoga for self love,

I’m awakening to the process of yoga.

Guided Yoga Practice

There is something magical about a guided yoga practice. I love being told what to do and when. It’s relaxing to follow someone else’s command. As an entrepreneur, always making decisions is exhausting, and Yoga gives me a break from decision making. I’m able to turn my mind off, and just be. I enjoy being told what to do, and find it incredibly rejuvenating. Yoga is totally different than weight lifting, bootcamps or running training, with yoga I feel like I’m gaining wisdom. With 30 days of yoga for self-love, I’m also giving my body a much deserved break. Rather than obsessing about how many calories I’m burning, I focus on building my breath. The more I practice Yoga, the more I’m interested in the origin and history of Yoga. I’m on a quest to truly understand yoga as a philosophy.

The Philosophy of Yoga

The philosophy of yoga helps me understand what I’m doing and why during my yoga practice. As a life-long learner, I picked up a Yoga book and started to learn. Through ancient texts such as the Bhagavad-Gita, yoga is a means for connecting and identifying with the spiritual world. The basic premise is that mind and body can be connected, by breath to reach enlightenment. Thus, the more yoga is practiced, the more enlightened one becomes. From studying the philosophy of yoga, I discovered that yoga is more than connecting body and breath. 30 days of yoga for self love will only deepen my enlightenment process. However, before mediation is possible, the practitioner must embrace the Yamas (what you should not do), and the Niyamas (what you should do).

The Yamas

I found the 5 Yamas to be enlightening as they provide a doctrine of what to avoid. I’m hoping that alongside my 30 days of yoga for self love challenge, I will also adapt these 5 Yamas into my reality. 

1. Ahimsa, the first Yama, Ahimsa is the principle of non-harming. To practice kindness and non-violence always. Which means to also refrain from anger and hostility. This principle helps live a more positive life, free of negative energy.
2. Satya, the second Yama, Satya relates to authenticity. Refraining from lying will lead to a true path. Truth is what leads to greater wisdom. Ain’t that the truth?! 😉
3. Brahmacharya, the third Yama relates to restraint and control. Enjoying everything in moderation. This also has to do with having purity in mind and heart.
4. Asteya, the fourth Yama is about non-stealing. Do not steal things or ideas from others. Respect others.
5. Aparighara, the fifth and final Yama is the rejection of greed. Choose to “cultivate moderation” to life a simple life. Stray away from attachment, and live a life free and detached from anything or any person. I like this Yama because I strive to live simply. Even as an entrepreneur, my husband and I strive for time away from our businesses to just live life.

As I continue my 30 days of yoga for self-love, I’ll attempt to also incorporate these Yamas into my daily life. The yamas will holistically help with my own self love, but also spreading love to others.

The Niyamas

The Niyamas are like a code of conduct that Yoga practitioners are encouraged to follow. 

1. Shaucha relates to purity, and cleanliness. Keep your space clean and neat for a clean mind. If you’re house, car or office are a mess, how can you get anything productive done? It’s best to work with a clean space. Cooking healthy, balanced meals is also imperative to living pure and clean. Cook with more vegetables, and less with meat.
2. Samtusha means to be self-aware, balanced and non-attached. Samtusha also means to feel content towards yourself, your belongings and your environment. This Niyama is about accepting where you are in life.
3. Tapas is about physical austerity. Tapas involves actually practising Yoga, as well as the asanas, pranayama and meditation. 
4. Svadhyaya is a dedication of life-long study and examination. To never stop learning.
5. Isvara Pranidhana is surrounding to God’s will, and being present in the NOW. This Niyama is about forgetting about the past, and future, to focus on the NOW.

All of this yoga philosophy, inspired me to start a 30 day yoga challenge for self-love. How can you incorporate the Niyamas into your daily life? Each of the Niyamas help live a simpler life.