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the power of yoga

10/24/2018

Yoga, which originated in ancient India as a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, has garnered massive popularity in the west within the past few decades. Although it may seem like yoga is just an intense game of Twister, the practice can be so much more than a physical exercise. It can be about taking deep breaths and relaxing into different poses. It can be about taking the time to experience what your body is feeling. It’s relaxation for some, a spiritual experience for others, and simply a great physical activity for others. No matter what you personally get out of yoga, there are other benefits you may not know about it. Yoga:

Increases flexibility
Encourages mindfulness by strengthening your mind-body connection
Can help reduce stress and anxiety
Increases muscle tone and strength
Can help alleviate pain
Improves posture
Increases blood flow
Promotes good sleep quality
Some studies have even shown that a regular yoga practice can fight depression and improve your overall quality of life!

There is no shortage of yoga classes in Austin. Here are a few suggestions:

If you are searching for a therapeutic approach to yoga, have injuries, or want a gentler practice, check out Your Yoga Studio.
If you are interested in the more traditional aspects of yoga, check out Sanctuary Yoga.
“Down-to-earth” and “accessible for all” Black Swan Yoga has locations all over town for your convenience.

You don’t have to attend a yoga class to reap these benefits. Get stretchy at home! If time is an issue, consider waking up fifteen minutes earlier than usual to do some yoga in the morning. For instruction on just about every yoga pose and every level of difficulty imaginable, consult Adriene’s YouTube channel.

If you are one of the 31 million Americans who experience back pain at any given time, here are some poses that can help alleviate your pain:

Stay healthy, chaps, and namaste!
--Kirsten Dalquist, MSSW Intern

The Health Benefits of Journaling

10/11/2018

Keeping a regular journal can have many benefits. Journaling has been demonstrated to boost IQ and improve memory, it enhances creativity and improves communication skills, and is a successful tool in setting and achieving goals. Additionally, journaling has positive outcomes for social and emotional health. Taking time to journal each day can help with managing anxiety, reducing stress, and coping with depression. Writing in a journal can help individuals to better understand their own feelings, and writing about challenging emotions such as anger or sadness can help to release the intensity of those feelings. People who write in journals regularly report feeling calmer and more present. They tend to be better problem solver and can more readily resolve conflict with others.

If you’re trying to start back up an old journaling habit, or are encouraging your child to start, you can try some of these tips to help as you get started:

Journaling works best when it is part of a routine. Try writing every day. If possible, set aside a specific time to help make this healthy habit easy to build into your routine.

Write what feels right. Your journal doesn't need to be perfect, and noone is going to judge it but yourself.

Privacy is important. Your journal should be for your eyes only. Your child’s journal should be for their eyes only.

Write quickly and freely. Avoid spending time with spelling and grammar, or other “shoulds.”

There are no rules. Use your journal however you see fit!

Try it out, and as you start to see the positive benefits in your own life, feel free to write yourself a congratulatory note in your journal!

By:
Jim Rowell
Social Work Intern

Sources:

Mindfulness!

10/4/2018

Mindfulness...having your mind full of what you are doing while you are doing it That might be one of the best explanations I've ever heard for mindfulness but it makes so much sense. We are on automatic pilot so often, multitasking so often, we do hardly take the opportunity to be mindful. The idea behind mindfulness is that if we can stay in the current moment, we can have some separation from our stress.

For example, how are you feeling in this moment reading the blog? Is there a feeling of anxiety, frustration, worry, feeling hurried, confusion? All of these emotions are indicators that you are not actually in the current moment. Check out this diagram for an explanation.

So now I ask you again, where is your attention? Because truly, with the exception of may just having stubbed your toe, things are usually pretty OK/calm in the present moment. So again, to learn have your mind full of the current moment is to be able to separate from your stress. And since there's no shortage of stress in parents' or students' lives, this practice feels more important than ever!

I've compiled a list of other blog entries where we discussed mindfulness! Take a moment to familiarize yourself with more of the science, practices, and positive outcomes!

Stay Healthy and Mindful, Chaps!
-Kristi Waidhofer

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the power of yoga

The Health Benefits of Journaling

Mindfulness!

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