Believe it or not yoga is a form of mediation.  I know this can be hard to believe, but it is true.  Even though yoga initially brings some sort of contorted pretzel pose to mind; it is so much more than just physical exercise.  When properly done yoga includes the main parts of meditation breathing, focusing the mind, and relaxing the body.  Here is how it works.

How Yoga Incorporates Mediation

The main goal of yoga is to calm the mind.  Sound familiar?  To calm the mind yoga utilizes controlled breathing and controlled focus.  As you are doing your downward dog position you are breathing through the pose to release tension in your body and relax.  The more relaxed you are the longer you can hold the pose.  In conjunction with your breathing, you are focusing your mind on keeping your balance.  This combination keeps you in the moment.  In addition, just like mindfulness mediation, you are not passing judgement on yourself for not being perfect.  If you make a mistake you just resume the position.

Benefits of Yoga Mediation

Here are a few benefits of yoga meditation.

Increased Flexibility – Beginners in yoga start out by doing basic poses and stretches which over time will increase flexibility.

Improved Clarity of Mind – Yoga meditation brings focus to your mind.  A more focused mind is more organized, extra peaceful, and maintains better memory.  It also contributes to a better mood improving your outlook on life.

Better Health – Physical movement and stretching from yoga increases blood flow reducing inflammation.  It improves digestion, heart health, and helps with asthma.

Better Quality of Sleep – The physical exercise of yoga combined with the breathing and mind clearing techniques of meditation help reduce stress and anxiety.  This allows you to be more relaxed physically and mentally.  In turn you will get to sleep faster and have better quality of sleep.

Traditional mindfulness meditation is just one aspect of contemplative practices.  Yoga meditation belongs to the movement centered arena of contemplative practices.  Other practices similar to yoga meditation are Tia Chi and even walking.  I like to refer to these as meditation in motion.  The point I want to make with this is meditation is not just sitting in one spot focusing on your breathing and relaxing your mind.  It is a practice you can use anywhere any time in your daily life.  I encourage you to think outside of the box and find ways to incorporate meditation into your everyday routine.