Work and current affairs worldwide cause many people to suffer from severe anxiety and stress. In this article, yoga instructor and fitness expert Dylan Celli describe the benefits of incorporating yoga, tai chi, and meditation into your daily life. Together, these three activities will create inner calm and peace and help people manage life’s challenges.
Yoga
Yoga—a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines—originated in ancient India and aims to control and still the mind while promoting concentration and physical well-being.
People of all ages practice yoga, and it is proven to improve strength, balance, and flexibility. From reducing back pain to diminishing arthritis to enhancing heart health, yoga promotes better health. Healthier people are generally happier and more productive. In addition, happy and productive people are less affected by situations that induce stress and anxiety.
Tai Chi
Tai chi, sometimes also known as “Shadowboxing,” is a Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits, and meditation. Tai chi has practitioners worldwide.
Tai chi is easy to learn and described as “meditation in motion” because it is valuable in treating or avoiding many health problems. Practiced by millions of people worldwide, this low-impact, slow-motion exercise is often used as an adjunct to traditional medical treatment for the prevention and rehabilitation of many disorders commonly associated with age.
Meditation
Meditation includes several practices that use mindfulness techniques—focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity—to train attention and awareness and achieve a mentally clear, emotionally calm, and stable state. Numerous religious traditions incorporate meditation as part of a spiritual journey.
Meditation will sharpen your mind and create a buffer between external stimuli and your reactions. The intentionality learned by practicing meditation will help you craft appropriate and meaningful responses to the world around you as you control your emotions.
Yoga, Tai Chi, and Meditation Used Together
Many people can stay engaged easier by varying their daily self-care routines. For example, some mornings when you wake up, you may not feel like meditating—at least not right away. Try an energetic Tai Chi workout to get your blood pumping and expend some excess energy when this happens. After a good cool-down, you may find you are ready to practice meditation to get ready for your day.
The point of learning and practicing yoga, tai chi, and meditation is to have a complete toolbag of techniques at your disposal so you can adapt to the needs of each day. Changing your routine also helps avoid repeated overuse stresses on your muscles and bones.
Each of these disciplines emphasizes a specific physical and mental well-being aspect, so use the tool you need that day. For example, if a big event at work presents the possibility of causing anxiety, reach in your tool bag for some calming meditation before you head out the door.
On the other hand, if the events of the day have you wound up in the evening, use your tai chi or yoga skills to work off the stress and bring order back into your life.
About Dylan Celli
Dylan Celli is a yoga instructor, fitness trainer, and life coach who specializes in leading people towards inner perfection by helping them achieve outward gains. Dylan primarily focuses on high-end clients: executives, athletes, and industry leaders by applying a progressive, goal-oriented strategy that improves self-confidence and inner peace.
