Yoga and meditation go hand in hand.
According to the Yogas Sutras of Patanjali, yoga consists of 8 limbs; and meditation (Dhyana in Sanskrit), is one of the 8 pillars.
Meditation is therefore the logical continuation of yoga. The postures are a natural gateway to meditation.
Even though they are two disciplines in their own right and can be practiced independently, practicing both yoga AND meditation together offers an explosive cocktail of health benefits.
Incorporating meditation into your yoga practice helps you improve your mental well-being and be more present, which directly influences how you perceive, see and interpret things. It will also increase your body awareness which can help you improve your posture and improve your coordination, among other things.
Research shows that combining yoga and meditation practices has positive effects on mind-body health and improves stress resilience.
Numerous scientific studies prove that yoga and meditation are disciplines that not only relax us but also have a profound impact on our bodies.
In this article, I share with you what some interesting findings and a guide to combine these two practices.
Let's start.
A very relevant study of an intensive 3-month yoga and meditation retreat
A study of the participants of an intensive three-month yoga and meditation retreat showed some amazing insights as to what these two practices combined can do to our body-mind processes.
The practice consisted of a series of asanas, controlled breathing practices, and seated meditations during which the participants focused on mantra repetition, breath, emptying the mind, and bodily sensation.
The research team observed increases in the plasma levels of BDNF, a neuromodulator that plays an important role in learning, memory, and the regulation of complex processes such as inflammation, immunity, mood regulation, stress response, and metabolism.
1. IMPROVES YOUR SUBJECTIVE WELLBEING
Participants of the retreat mentioned above showed an improved mood and improved subjective well-being after being interviewed by the research team.
2. HELPS YOU BE MORE PRESENT
The habit of training your focus and anchoring yourself to the present moment builds up momentum.
After some time of practice, you will see yourself going back to it every time your mind drifts to the past or future.
China Yoga Products Manufacturers Suppliers Factory - Cheap Yoga Products Wholesale (faithmat.com)
3. INCREASES YOUR BODY AWARENESS
Consciously moving and listening to your body creates a space of awareness where you become present within your body and your movement.
4. REDUCES STRESS AND INFLAMMATION
Going to the more scientific side of the equation…
In the study we were mentioning, they observed increases in the magnitude of the cortisol awakening response (CAR) which is part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis (HPA), suggesting improved stress resilience.
Moreover, there was a decrease in inflammatory processes caused by an increase of the anti-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin-10 and a reduction of the pro-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin-12 after the retreat.
5. REDUCES YOUR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
The data also showed that participation in the retreat was associated with decreases in both self-reported anxiety and depression as well as increases in MINDFULNESS.
