Trying to relax? Even forcing yourself to finally being able to let go of the stress? Most of us have a rather limited time for relaxation and then we put extreme pressure on ourselves to use the time we have 100%. Does this lead to more relaxed minutes? No!
In today’s extremely fast paced world it is easy to feel that your body is lacking speed and always behind you somewhere. A new out-of-body experience? In order to be able to relax you must step back into your body. Practicing yoga is an excellent way to return back to your body.
How does yoga help you experience the unity of mind, body and soul? With awareness, or in other words focused attention. During yoga practice you are “forced” to pay focused attention to your body in order to properly do the postures. But what happens after you leave class? Our students come to yoga class once or twice a week. Your company might offer a corporate yoga class at your workplace but again that is usually limited to 1-2 classes per week.
We gathered two playful ideas for more relaxation! You can do both activities alone or invite friends and co-workers to play!
Cloud gazing
Spread out a blanket, sit on a bench or just look outside your window to follow the movement of the clouds. Imagine the clouds transporting your stress and worries away from you. For more playfulness give names to the different shapes you see. My favorite cloud formation is the one that looks like faraway mountains. What does it all remind you of? Imagine a story, come up with plans, and daydream. What if thoughts of worry enter your mind during your cloud gazing session? Just place those non supportive thoughts on a cloud and let the wind carry them away from you. Why not start a cloud watching right now if you have the chance.
Chocolate tasting
Get your friends bring their favorite artisan chocolate for everybody to taste. How many times do we just swallow food (and chocolate) really quickly and forget to enjoy the taste of it? The goal here is to consciously experience different tastes. And for once do not worry about the calories, your BMI index or how many minutes of extra workouts you now need to do. Just enjoy! This is not about how many pieces of chocolate you can inhale in a minute. This is about fully experiencing the chocolate, the fine nuances of flavor, to savor the distinctive flavor of cocoa and all the other ingredients. Definitely try dark chocolate, there is a lot of flavor to explore behind the bitter taste many complain about!
Looking for more ways to return to your body and relax? Why don’t you book a Thai yoga massage with Michelle? Or get one of our unlimited yoga class cards on promotion in September? Check out our shopping card right now for the best choice for you!
Remember the clouds are waiting….
It is the sweetest thing when my daughter names the clouds and discovers the shapes and forms.. This is a prime example of having a candid heart similar to a child..
And then along with the chocolate; a glass of red wine for the heart?!