With Valentine’s Day just passed we’ve been thinking a lot about love, or rather self-love. Valentine’s Day is focused on the love shared between two people, but we believe the adage that you can’t truly love someone else until you love yourself. With that in mind here are some ways to pamper and love yourself every day. Start a Yoga Practice
Yoga can be daunting to many people; it tends to conjure up images of people twisting and contorting themselves into impossible positions. But yoga is not that, especially for beginners. Many of the positions or movements of yoga are gentle and are used in conjunction with breathing techniques and mindfulness. Practitioners claim that they sleep better at night and have more energy during the day. Yoga practice has benefits for the circulation, soothes the pain of stiff and sore muscles and eases asthma and other medical conditions. The perfect thing to make you feel refreshed and happy!
Meditate
Meditation is practiced in conjunction with yoga and leads to mindfulness, which means the person focuses on what is going on inside and outside of them at any given moment. Many people are wary of meditation because they believe it requires too much effort, but this is not true.
To meditate, the person should sit in a comfortable position on the floor or on pillow or in a straight-backed chair with their feet planted on the floor. Close the eyes, and concentrate on breathing in and out. If the mind wanders, allow the thoughts to pass like clouds in the sky then return to concentrating on the breathing. Ten minutes a day of meditation is a good starting point for folks who are new at it.
Eat Healthy
Healthy foods don’t have to be boring or flavorless! Healthy foods are simply foods that support the health of the body and the mind, and many of them are naturally delicious. A blueberry risotto served in the hollow of a baked acorn squash is scrumptious, as are slushies made of crushed ice, Greek yogurt, the fruit of choice and honey whirled in a blender. Try shopping mainly in the outer areas of your grocery store; the produce, meat and dairy sections are a great place to find healthy meal inspiration!
Get Out in Nature
Whether February is a time when the magnolias start to bloom or the snow and cold is at its height, it’s always good to take a walk in nature. Find a park or a nice patch of forest, Walk, listen, observe and give thanks.
Take a Bath
At the end of the day, nothing beats a soak in a tub of hot water. Do the Hollywood business of putting out some candles, turning on your favorite ambient music and tossing a handful of scented bath salts into the water.
If you’re interested in achieving a healthy body & mind come by Rasa Flow Yoga, we would love to meet you!