Flow Yoga Keeps Me in the Flow
February 17, 2017
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Yoga consists of many styles so that everyone who is searching for the evolution of the body and mind can find the best and most suitable one to practice.
In order to be able to choose though, we need to try different yoga classes and sometimes we even change the instructor. This will give us enough space to pick a practice that we will enjoy for a long period of time. Flow yoga is a practice that connects breathing with the movement of the body. It is more dynamic and intense than the classical hatha style. When flowing with the breath, the body and the mind are playing together and we are fully present in the moment.
In the now
At the beginning, the classical hatha yoga practice was alright for me but as soon as I got into better shape it seemed like it wasn’t enough anymore. I struggled with hatha classes as my mind was still very anxious and I didn’t have the patience to stay in one pose for so long. When I went to my first yoga flow class, I felt it was very similar to dancing and my body reacted well to it. The breathing techniques that went together with the poses helped me stay in the present moment. It is like a dynamic mediation and this feeling of being fully in the now, I call being in the flow – in the flow of the energy of life itself.
Dynamic
Having a background in dance, I needed something dynamic to keep me in good shape and help me relax my mind at the same time. When I started with the vinyasa flow yoga classes I was very excited to find out that yoga could be so much fun when playing with the changing of the poses. I like the idea of keeping my spine flexible with these gentle flow movements. For many years, I had problems with lower back pain and I was doing a lot of massages and I was seeing a chiropractor who helped me cure my dance injuries, but I also wanted to keep my body in good shape with something smooth and nice. The flow yoga classes became “my thing” and I started practicing regularly.
Emotionally balanced
Practicing more and more flow yoga, I started to observe how my emotions were triggered to come up to the surface, where I could deal with them. Sometimes during the practice, I have these moments when tears were coming out of my eyes. In these moments, I stop and accept them – the emotional release is enormous after that. To be in the flow for me also means to keep up with all the emotions that are stored somewhere in the body. When flowing following the breath, the emotional blockages start to dissolve and we can witness how the emotional memories are healed. This is a very long process because finding awareness about everything that is going on with us is something that takes time and dedication.
Peace of mind
In yoga we use different techniques to keep the mind relaxed but strong. Teachers show us methods to educate and motivate that inner “person” and teach ourselves to see the good in the world. I find my peace while flowing during my yoga class. When moving and breathing, observing the body, feeling the energy… I really don’t have time for thoughts that could make me upset. That’s a gift for me as almost all my life I was suffering from anxiety and overthinking. The flow yoga sequences are helping me feel safe and not get stuck in the negativity inside my head. When I am in the flow and so in the moment, my mind is calm and happy – no catastrophic scenarios or negative emotions. I inhale and I exhale, go down and then up, and then relax. With each breath, we can feel either more relaxed or more stressed. We just have to realize that we can choose which one we want.
Flow yoga is a very pleasant practice if you are a person who likes to be dynamic and yet to go into the deep. The practice is structured in a way to help the spine keep its flexibility by bending forward and backward. I vividly remember the day my chiropractor advised me to take some yoga classes in order to keep my spine in good shape. I am ever so grateful that I went to the yoga studio that day. I enjoy all kinds of yoga but my flow yoga practice is the one that keeps me in the flow. It gives me the feeling of connection with all my parts, with the world and with life. It teaches me that everything in life is based on cycles and sometimes you just need to breathe and make the next move.
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