This week on Swami Ji, the OG we are talking about how the various types of yoga practices can help change the current state of the mind and emotions to free yourself from negative thoughts and actions. Yoga isn’t just about bending into unusual shapes-it helps you lead a more positive life! So in this episode we will touch on what practices you can implement in your life to experience more positivity. Some of these practices include asana, pranayama and meditation but that’s not it. Tune into find out more!

To follow along on social media, find me on Instagram @atmarupasaraswati or on Facebook at Swami Ji, the OG.

To learn even more about these practices come check out the Atma Center in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. You can find our schedule on our website.

Using Asana

• Forward bending is introverting and calming – use to overcome anxiety and anger

• Backward bending is extroverting and stimulating – use to overcome lethargy and dullness

• Spinal twists can yield insight and untie the “knots” of life – use to increase energy and help to see the twists and turns of life more proactively

• Balancing improves steadiness and concentration – use for relief of stress and mental dissipation

• Inversions improve self-confidence and allow us to see things differently – use to release old patterns of behavior

Using Pranayama

• Basic breathing methods are introverting and improve concentration – use to overcome anxiety, agitation and mental dissipation

• Vitalizing pranayama increase energy and release held stress – use to overcome lethargy and depression

• Balancing pranayama introvert the mind, balance the energies and hemispheres of the brain – use to create calmness, focus and insight

• Tranquilizing pranayama calm and the mind and create serenity – use to overcome states of agitation, stress and dissipation

Using Mudra

• Yoni mudra improves concentration and balances energies and hemispheres of the brain – use to gain focus and insight

• Hridaya mudra increases energy to the heart physically and soothes emotions in times of crisis – use to release pent-up emotions and unburden the heart 

• Nasikagra drishti is calming, focusing and grounding – use for disturbed states of mind and to attain focus 

Using Mantra - Japa 

• Om chanting – chanting with a long ‘o’ is more extroverting, with a long ‘m’ more introverting

• Om Gam Ganapatayah Namaha – Ganesh mantra to help remove obstacles

Meditations

• Yoga nidra – calming, restorative, rejuvenating and transformative

• Antar mouna – become the witness to thoughts with less reactivity

• Antar Darshan – become the witness to the emotions and ego

If you learned something new from this episode, please share with a friend who might learn something too! You can copy and paste the link from the episode right into a text message or email. It’s a great way to support the podcast and spread the word about how yoga can help change your life! Thank you for your support.