What I've come to appreciate most about practicing yoga is how it seamlessly incorporates meditation with movement. I really enjoy meditation as a standalone practice, but in terms of spicing things up and adding variety, adding yoga to the "toolbox" has been a no-brainer.

One of the things I've personally noticed after practicing yoga for a while is how much smoother meditation flows when practiced through yoga, both in terms of breath and its depth, as well as in terms of the perception of time. I still practice meditation frequently, but rather as a supplement to my yoga practice.

If you're new to yoga and meditation, primarily focusing on the meditation aspect of the practice, how do you choose the most suitable yoga form for you? Let's take a look at the overview below.

What if the key to better focus, deeper sleep, less anxiety, and a more balanced body and mind was already inside you?

"I don't have enough time to meditate", "My mind is too busy—I can't meditate properly", and "I'm not the 'meditative type'—it's only for calm, patient people," are phrases I hear a lot when talking about meditation. And if you asked me 10 years ago, I would have told you something along those lines as well.

My introduction to meditation was more or less forced, as I "hit the wall" during the first months of the pandemic back in 2020. Up until that point in my life, I was carrying a lot of internal stress, and my preference was to direct my focus outwards - maintaining my well-inhabited coping strategies. I thought that worked perfectly until my set of coping strategies stopped working, and I had to start the inner work.

And yes, I'll admit that starting to practice meditation was a pain in the ass in the very beginning—a bunch of racing thoughts, no inner stillness, and so forth.

However, it did become much better and more comfortable over time.

Have you ever heard of the "rest and digest" or "feed and breed" system?

Both are informal descriptions of complex systems that can cause significant pain and frustration when poorly regulated.

Also known as the parasympathetic nervous system, it is a network of nerves that relaxes the body after periods of stress or danger. It is also responsible for running life-sustaining processes, such as digestion, when you feel safe and relaxed.

In the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the sympathetic nervous system, which helps our bodies activate their "fight-or-flight" response.

Your sympathetic nervous system is a network of nerves that helps your body activate its "fight-or-flight" response.

This system becomes more active when you're stressed, in danger, or physically active. For instance, a near-miss car accident, a sudden loud noise, or a confrontation can trigger the 'fight-or-flight' response. The effects include increased heart rate and improved breathing, enhanced eyesight, and slowed bodily processes such as digestion.

Are you new to yoga, or have you been wanting to start practicing?

When I was new to yoga this summer, I had quite a few questions myself, as most beginners do. How should I get started? What yoga style would suit my body? How often should I practice yoga to achieve the health benefits I want?

Yoga was slightly outside my comfort zone during the first few weeks, but I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it gradually became a sense of mastery. Don't worry too much if your flexibility isn't quite where you want it to be; this will improve as you continue practicing yoga.