om spirit om spirit
I
t’s no secret that yoga can be
wonderful for promoting general
mindfulness and health on a
personal level. But it’s often thought
of as an individualistic practice
that’s not particularly relevant to our
relationships with others; meditation is a
solitary pursuit, and we rarely acknowledge
the presence of others in a group yoga
class, remaining within the four ‘walls’ of
our mat. Yet in actual fact, yoga can be
used as a practical tool to improve social
awareness in real-life situations, be that at
work, in the pub, or in the bedroom. Allow
me to demonstrate how.Five ways to improve the quality of your relationships with yoga. By Lucy Sabin
Be a BETTER yo u
1
Self-awareness
Being self-aware is the key to forging
mindful and meaningful relationships with
others. Because if we are not fully connected
to ourselves, we cannot effectively connect
with others.
Like body therapies, the somatic
connection that yoga encourages can
be used to dramatically transform our
behaviour patterns in relationships for
the better. For example, while performing
Warrior II, you might ask yourself: where do
I need to be more of a warrior in my life?
Perhaps I need to adopt a more warrior-like
approach to marketing, applying for jobs,
networking, or dating.This approach can be consciously
implemented as part of a daily yoga
practice. And in real-life situations, we
might think about adjusting our body
language to fit the social situation we
find ourselves in. In the above example,
you might replicate Warrior II as a micro-
posture, with one foot forward and arms
energised, in order to embody conviction
and determination in any given moment
and, in turn, inspire others around you to
follow your lead.2
Self-care and self-love
Done mindfully, yoga promotes deep
self-respect because it encourages