Levelling Up Your Practice
Yoga has provided the opportunity to transform mood, mind, body, and connection with ourselves at The Arrival. Yoga is a phenomenal way to develop and explore, and for us, it has been a great opportunity to zone in on the present while on the mat, and leave the behind distractions and problems in our lives. Yoga offers so much opportunity to grow your practice physically and mentally.
In this entry, we wanted to discuss some ways The Arrival recommends to take your practice to the next level.
1) Set an intention
What does it mean? From our view, this can be however you want to define it and they can help you stay focused and motivated throughout your both on and off the mat.
Mental Intentions: committing to staying present, limiting wandering or distracting thoughts, feeling a sense of pride for getting on to the mat, or being kind to yourself throughout your practice.
Physical Intentions: staying locked into your breath for your full practice, committing to your balance in testy poses, or pushing thru resistance to get deeper into poses.
2) Push your limits
When it comes to poses that you think you would “never be able to do” during your a group class, the only way to get there is to lean into progress. Find ways to push past your mental blocks, and believe in yourself along the way - especially after you fail.
One of the biggest lessons yoga has taught us at The Arrival is that there are no shortcuts, and that progress is a result of sustained focus.
Next time your teacher queues for that variation or extension, lean into your progress and focus on the effort, not on the end result.
Focus not on how you will appear to those around the room, but how each attempt at a challenging posture allows you to get better at it - regardless of your outcome.
3) Fuel your body
At The Arrival, we primarily practice vinyasa and faster-paced types of practice and know yoga can push your mind and body. Ensure The Arrival to your practice is deliberate.
Properly fueling your body through hydration and nutrient-rich foods will go a long way towards helping you get through that extra cycle of breath in poses, allowing you to embrace the fire in your muscles and mind.
Fuel your body by properly by hydrating with natural salts (lemon or coconut water) and bio-available minerals such as salts, calcium, and chlorine through either food or natural supplements.
Stay tuned to The Arrival as we evolve, as we will be releasing a tonic specifically-formulated for dedicated yogis to level up their practice.
4) It’s cool to be friendly
Yoga is a wonderfully communal activity and truly a great place to meet friends. Yoga classes shine brightest when breath and movement are synced up across a group of yogis. Knowing you have made a social connection with that person beside you on the mat will make it even better.
A simple “hey” to your neighbor upon your Arrival to practice can take away that slight sense of anxiety that comes before a class, and may even help make your fellow yogis more comfortable as well.
Next time you see a familiar face at the studio, embrace the opportunity to enjoy your practice together, and say hello.
There are many ways to level up your yoga practice, and take advantage of the opportunity yoga brings to open yourself up mentally, physically, and socially.
Yoga is a lifelong journey, and there's always room for growth and improvement. Keep practicing, stay open to new experiences, enjoy the journey, and embrace your Arrival to the next phase of your yoga practice.
