Five life lessons from Yoga that will stick with you for long

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From the oldest sacred texts of the Rig Veda to the lush studios of today - Yoga has emerged as an ancient art that changes the way we live. Each time you roll on the mat, you are on for an experience you had never imagined. While we begin with Yoga as a practice to attain flexibility, hormonal balance or to perfect that Warrior pose, we emerge off the mat with a heap of newfound knowledge about ourselves and the life around us. The magic about Yoga is that it doesn't just change your fitness levels, it changes your perception towards yourself and the world.

With Yoga, you are your teacher! And in the vivid asanas, breathing rhythms and mindful moves - you get to learn innumerable life lessons. As you hop off the mat after a sweaty session of mindful yogic asanas, here are five life lessons by Manoj Kutteri, Wellness Director at Atmantan Wellness Centre that will stick with you for long!

You are not perfect and it's okay!

Not all of us are perfect at everything. And when we are not, we take it with a pinch of pain. Yoga teaches us that we may not be perfect at everything, but what we are capable of doing is sometimes enough for us to be happy. When a beginner rolls out a mat, they may not be able to perfect those poses, but being able to complete a class is an achievement in itself. Besides, there is always scope for determined practice and perseverance to work on it and make you better. Even if you are not perfect at things, it is okay - learning is the essence of life!

Balance is the essence of a good life!

From Work-Life balance to mental-emotional harmony, we are often driven by an imbalance that disturbs our living. Attaining balance takes discipline, attention, focus, and practice. Yoga helps us learn how important it is to be disciplined towards something to attain balance. The yogic poses help us learn how to balance between the body parts, thinking and breathing to experience the true essence of the asana. When you hop off the mat, you seek this balance in everything that you do!

Living in the present moment

When exposed to difficult situations, we often are stressed about its outcome or what it holds for the future. In Yoga, when you are thrown into a difficult pose, you are encouraged to breathe, sustain and work through the discomfort to embrace the pose. Instead of stressing and panicking, you learn to fight through the pain while staying into the present moment. Likewise, as you get off the mat the learning stays with you for every life situation. You learn to embrace the situations and fight through them head-on.

You can heal yourself!

Yoga is an ancient art of healing. As you learn to channel energies within you, the poses help you work on your mental instabilities, emotional insecurity, and physical weaknesses to get healed. It helps you fight through your mental and emotional blocks to come out of it strong. No matter how difficult or tragic life has been, Yoga helps you find soothing. It teaches that healing is possible and its all about addressing your feelings to make a change!

To Hold on and To Let Go

The yogic asanas are movements that help you learn how to hold on the breaths and certain postures that toughen you physically and mentally. And after you hold on to these poses, you glide on to another one. Shavasana, the corpse pose is a Nidra meditation practised at the end of a yoga session. It teaches you to let go of every stress, thought and discomfort to relax and unwind. Letting go is the biggest life lesson that Yoga teaches seamlessly! Yoga teaches mindfulness, stability, kindness, compassion, and love. It takes you to a better version of yourself! And each time you roll off the mat - a new lesson awaits you!

Also Read: Bidding calories good-bye with Yoga

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