Yoga Journal: Week 10

         This class introduces me to all the different ways Yoga could be interpreted as. It is interesting to see how the philosophy behind yoga, can be used in so many different context's. I like to follow the idea of Yoga as a science, which is a body of techniques that lead us to consciously connect with ourselves and with life. As yoga is a science, there is no dogma or belief system attached to it. Yoga simply tells us to do a certain practice and to feel the effect of that practice. For example, if we breath slowly in a relaxed manner we will slow our heart rate, and if we focus the mind we will develop mental peace and deep insight. 

        To go off of this idea, I watched a YouTube video that had a lot of meditation and postures that require muscle endurance. The video is off of Yoga with Adirene's youtube channel called, Yoga For Concentration and Mental Focus, and then watched, Meditation For Inner Peace. The practice alone, was able to give me a stronger, mind to muscle connection. I always struggled with engaging my lower back muscles due to an injury, but the practice almost, literally, reset my body. I felt like a whole new person and the muscle release I got from it, spread throughout my entire body. And for the first time in awhile, my mind was not focused on any negativity I had about my back. All the limitations I had in my head, just vanished. 

    Yoga, from a science perspective, can introduce you to movements that ultimately relieve muscle tension and pain, if done correctly. The use of meditation can also help a person clear their mind. The video says to use it to "restore inner peace" and I certainly agree. I also use meditation to help determine which parts of my body feel the most stressed. Combining yoga and meditation, one could create a strong mind to muscle connection, which improves strength and coordination, and also helps in clearing negative thoughts.

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