When lethargy sets in, it feels like an insurmountable task to get to the Yoga Mat, though the intention is always there. It happens to the best of us and sometimes this lethargy lasts for a few days and months. The ‘Promise of the Yoga Mat’ is pushed to the next week, and then the following week. But what if we told you, there may be something more enticing in Yoga for you to get on the Yoga mat?
1) Yoga Helps To Get More Done In Less Time
Yoga brings perfect coordination between all the parts of the body and coordination on the level of body, mind and soul. So when all your body parts are well-coordinated, you will require less energy to perform the same task than what (energy) you required before. Yoga helps conserve your energy.
2) If It Is Rest That You Need
There is a myth that Yoga is just asanas or postures, whereas Yoga is really the union of your body, mind and spirit, something that gives you deep relaxation on the physical, mental and the subtle level of your being. When you are well rested, you are highly energized. When there is right amount of energy in the system, you find the required interest to do the task.
3) Is Your Food The Culprit?
Yoga is a way of life and not just body contortions. It includes inculcating a healthy lifestyle into one’s system. If you have lethargic tendencies, you must look at what you put in your system. So in the context of eating, Ayurveda is also an important aspect of Yoga. There are basic rules, of Ayurveda, that. if one follows, they can get rid of lethargy. For example, if you are eating right quality and quantity of food, it can make a big difference. There are three kinds of food- Tamasic (negative), Rajasic (neutral) and Satvic (positive). Meat, fast food and heavy to digest food are considered Tamasic food. Milk and milk-based products have Rajasic qualities and foods like fruits and fresh vegetables are rich in Sattvic qualities.
Your state of mind depends on what you eat. If you eat a sattvic meal, you attain a restful and alert state of mind. Generally restfulness, and alertness appear opposite but Yoga is something which can help you to experience this EFFORTLESSLY!
4) Meditation requires you to sit and do nothing
Meditation gives you a beautiful blend of high awareness and deep rest. Lethargy is a demand of rest in your body and mind. Yoga (including breathing and meditation) is something that can suffice. Apart from asanas that can help you get rid of physical restlessness in your body, meditation helps you to keep your mind peaceful and helps you to get rid of restlessness and agitation on the mental level. According to Spiritual Guru and Founder of the Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, “Meditation is the art of doing nothing. It is total effortlessness.” There are various guided meditations available on CDs or YouTube for those who find it difficult to sit by themselves and meditate.
5) Using The Tool Of Breath
Pranayamas are a set of breathing practices which increase the flow of Prana, a subtle life force energy in our system in a big way. Pranayamas like Bhastrika and Ujjai breathing are instant energy boosters for the body. These may be learned guidance of a professional Yoga instructor.
6) The bliss of Yoga Nidra or Yogic Sleep
Yoga Nidra is a beautiful practice which can be done even by literally anyone. Yoga Nidra is a technique where all you need to do is lie down in the corpse pose with your hands by your side. The attention is taken through different parts of the body, giving energy and taking away the fatigue stored in each cell of the body. It gives a deep relaxation. Yoga Nidra takes away the tiredness and rejuvenates the mind in only 20 minutes or less.
7) Slowing it down
You can get into the physical aspect of yoga gradually. You can slowly get into simpler Asanas first and then over time can reach to the perfection of asanas. One can start with rotations and stretches and then can gradually get into the perfection of postures. In this way, the body adapts much easier and faster. Being in complete oneness with whatever posture you practice, is more important than complexity of the posture.
8. Ayurveda-inspired massages for the lazy in you
The laziest person on the earth will agree, there is not much as blissful as a nice warm oil massage or Abhyanga. But not many know that it can also be a great tool to get rid of the lazy tag as it increases one’s awareness and alertness, nourishes and tones up one’s skin and revs up the metabolism.
Abhyanga incorporates warm, aromatic oils, rhythmically massaged into your body, which loosen toxins, relax the nervous system, and provide rest, nourishment, and rejuvenation. It improves blood circulation, tones and moisturizes skin, works up the lymph system, and calms the mind and nervous system.
Shankara’s Soothing Body Oil is one such offering. It is a soothing blend of essential oils that are known for their relaxing and de-stressing qualities. Made from essential oils of almond, grapeseed, sunflower, borage, evening primerose, lavender, sandalwood and chamomile, this nutrient rich body oil also helps address worries of the mind, over critical thinking, irritability and anger! An oil for hypertension and stress release is also an oil for a perfectly calm and relaxed mind!
·More awareness
A balanced nervous system leads to more awareness, alertness and clarity to dawn in your mind. With Abhyanga, you also feel more energized after the massage.
· Tones and nourishes the skin
Ayurvedic massage as part of the Panchakarma treatment helps the oil penetrate the skin, presses into tissues, lubricates internal organs, muscles, joints and releases toxins like lactic acid and trapped oils and chemicals that may have seeped in, apart from toning up the skin, nourishing and moisturizing it. An oil massage regulates Vata, increases blood circulation and supports the detoxification in the body.
· Metabolism
The massaging action in Abhyanga also boosts your body’s metabolism, so you can eat more and digest faster, even as the metabolism tends to slow in the season. It also improves the body’s waste elimination process. So Aama (toxins) does not get produced in the body.
Yoga is not only physical postures. It begins with tuning of body and takes us to the harmony of inner being when the emotions and feelings are smooth. It is not just physical exertion that leads to lethargy. It is an emotional burden too. Yoga helps us make our emotions light and smooth where one can live the life with true health, where the body is fit, breath is quiver free, mind is peaceful and without stress, memory is sorrow free and intellect is free of inhibitions.
