Why Invest in Your Wellness?
by: Erica Kaufman
Let’s look inside ourselves and see how we can make ourselves feel better.
The first thing to try is a deep, slow, and comfy breath.
This is a big part of yoga. It helps us relax, tells our brain that everything is okay, and it even shifts the balance of our hormones. When we’re stressed, taking a slow and mindful breath can help a lot. This kind of breath opens up room inside us for happiness and calm.
When we feel heavy or pressured in our body and mind, it’s a sign that we’re just reacting to things, not really living sustainably. We’re holding onto too much energy and not moving forward. This can lead to feeling out of sync, which is the exact opposite of feeling balanced and at peace. In the language of ancient India, Sanskrit, there’s a word for this kind of suffering – ‘Duhkha’. ‘Kha’ means space, so ‘Duhkha’ is like the space in our heart getting squeezed.
Right now, it feels like everyone is dealing with some tough emotions. It’s confusing and overwhelming, and sometimes we cope in ways that aren’t so good for us. We might ignore our problems, stop taking care of ourselves, get angry easily, or make choices that hurt us more.
Being stressed is tough and can make it hard to choose what’s best for us. We all do better when we make time to improve how we feel.
Let’s pause for a moment— A moment to take a deep breath and feel energized again.
I’ve seen for myself how important it is to have a solid base for health. My mom showed me how we can rise above the hard stuff. That’s when real change happens.
Ever since I was young, we’d practice like this:
- have a seat
- close our eyes
- gently unfold our front body into a more balanced relationship with gravity
- breathe through your nose if possible
- relax
- take a spacious breath in for six seconds
- feel your side ribs spread and your chest comfortably rise
- suspend for a few seconds without tension
- exhale smoothly for six seconds
- and again relax for a few seconds with ease before repeating
This is where we RECHARGE and ESTABLISH A PEACEFUL BREATHS… a foundation of TRANQUILITY…where we experience SPACIOUS RELAXATION and ‘SUKHA’ can expand.
Sukha is a Sanskrit word that means expansion of space for…
JOY, HAPPINESS, BLISS, and EASE.
I have always enjoyed the collective impact we make when we take care of ourselves and each other.
You can join me for my Lila Yoga Mindfulness Retreat!! It will take place from June 24-26. By practicing the art of open attention, Mindfulness Lila Yoga provides a complete holistic approach to a healthy, balanced body and mind. Through the ancient Indian practices of asana (yogic postures), pranayama (yogic breathing), chanting, Satsang gathering, meditation, and quiet-present-time, we are able to open to our greatest awareness and learn the keys to joy, patience, peace, and eternal wisdom. Let’s practice together and set a foundation to flourish and enjoy.
About the Author: Erica Kaufman
Yogacharya Erica Kaufman is the founder of Lila Yoga® and the owner of Lila Yoga Studios. She began daily devoted yoga practices at age 9 with her mother in Jerusalem, Israel. Today she still recognizes her mother at each practice. Influenced by Jiddu Krishnamurti’s philosophy and Krishnamacharya’s teachings, she spends three months a year in India.
Since 1984, Erica has taught ancient wisdom as a daily practice and holds the highest level of Registry with Yoga Alliance. Erica continues to serve annually as faculty and presenter at the world renowned International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh India; World Yoga Festival in Chennai India; Global Yoga Festival in Kerala India. This year all three were held online. Her teaching expertise and sophisticated gutsy openness awarded her Yoga Journal’s Karma Credit and features in publications such as The Times of India. As a mentor to yoga teachers, aspirants, and community members alike, Erica tours the USA, Europe, Israel, and India teaching seminars on Lila Yoga® and Contact Improvisation. Visit Erica’s website: LilaYoga
