Yoga For Beginners: How To Make Your Yoga Sessions More Fun

The pandemic has disrupted the daily routines of people worldwide, and everyone struggles to adapt to the new normal. Social distancing and isolation affect not just your mental health but also your physical health. Fitness enthusiasts are increasingly taking to yoga to make up for the lack of physical activity and combat isolation. While yoga practice is a great way to keep your body and mind healthy, it can be a little challenging for beginners. If you are looking to inject more levity into your yoga practice, we have a few simple tips to make all the difference.

1. Incorporate Smile

Positive thoughts at the beginning of your practice will help you smile naturally. A smile makes your brain release neuropeptides, which help fight off stress. It also brings harmony in the endocrine system, which helps lower your blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and epinephrine. Smile also releases serotonin and dopamine, which reduces stress hormones, improves mood, relieves pain and strengthens the immune system. Smile on the face while doing pranayama can make your practice more enjoyable and beneficial.

Also read: Let Face Yoga Take Away All Tension. Simple Face Exercises To Try

^{Positive thoughts at the beginning of your practice will help you smile naturally}

2. Do More Backbends

Excessive stress can get to you and make you feel like you are carrying the world's weight on your shoulders. You may have noticed a heaviness in your chest at times like these. Practicing backbends is an excellent way to battle burgeoning stress. They create a feeling of openness across your chest, and just the physical action is enough to lighten the load on your chest and promote a greater sense of calm.

3. Activate The Swadhisthana Chakra

It is vital to have a balanced Swadhisthana Chakra. When your energy is stifled there, it can lead to a lot of negative thoughts and make your perceptions more self-centred. Try poses that activate the Swadhisthana Chakra like Bhujangasana, Urdha Mukha Svanasana, Uttanasana, and Paschimottanasana. It will transform your perspective, boost your energy levels, and make your more positive, creative and joyful.

Also read: Suffering From Insomnia? 6 Yoga Poses For Deep Sleep

^{It is vital to have a balanced Swadhisthana Chakra​}

4. Add Arm Balances To Your Practice

Arm balancing poses are an excellent way of injecting more vigour and fun into your practice. They also help you connect to the present moment. It takes a lot of mental focus to pull off a handstand. You cannot practice it while simultaneously thinking about your dinner plans. Even if you don't manage to get airborne, the very process of trying them out can be enjoyable and uplifting. (Practice under experts advice/guidance).

5. Wear Bright Colours And Play Good Music

The colour of your clothing has a distinct effect on your mood. The colours have subtle effects on your mental state. Orange calls to mind feelings of enthusiasm, excitement and warmth. Yellow is a stimulating colour which activates your mind and frees you from fear. White is not only comfortable if you live in a tropical country like India, but it also lifts your mood by promoting confidence. You can choose your colours, the colours which make you comfortable and also excite you. Apart from cloths, good music can set the tone for your yoga practice. Instrumental Music, which uplifts your mood, will make the practice joyful.

^{It is always easy to practice yoga with a friend}

6. Practice With A Friend

Regardless of how serious and dedicated you are about yoga practice, it is not always easy to do it yourself, this is why it is a good idea to practice it with a friend. You get to share your time in a deeper and more meaningful way, without phones, social media, and other distractions. The goal is to be gathered and completely present. Practicing it together, even for a short while, can make it more fun and enrich your relationship.

If you are new to yoga, make sure you practice under the guidance of a trained and qualified yoga instructor. Improper practice can have adverse effects. If you are having trouble finding an instructor near you or want to stay indoors for safety reasons, sign up for an online class. There are plenty of options, and you have the added advantage of choosing an instructor you like. Once you master the poses, you can continue practicing them on your own.

About the author: Deepika Dikshit is a senior yoga teacher at Jindal Naturecure Institute.

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