KayaYogini

Summer is almost over, even though it’s still warm when the sun shines, the air has changed, it’s fresh. It’s cold when it’s cloudy or in the morning and evening. It’s like it’s summer in the daytime, but in the morning and evening it’s fall. It’s nice though. The fresh air makes me want to cozy up. It’s nearly cozy-season. Although summer is my favourite, there is something different to look forward to. 

With summer almost over, it’s back to regular routines. Well, almost regular. For many people there is still the home office.. And of course there’s still restrictions. Anyways, what I want to share is that at least for me, getting back to “normal” is equal to getting back to being busy. I am currently taking a bachelor degree in business administration and also I am still working at the studio with all my regular classes. I barely have time to do other things. I feel that with so much online, there are so many technical issues, and honestly, technical stuff is just not my thing… These things stress me out. Today I want to share with you what I do to handle mental stress, keep your energy and not get drained even though your life is busy. 

The clue for me in keeping my energy high but not stressed is to take breaks that restores me. It’s so easy to just lay down on the couch and stay there and watch some netflix. Watching screens is not actually relaxing for the body though. Because of how the eyes move when they look at a screen, it is actually stressful for the nervous system. What you can do instead (not saying you should never watch something fun on your screen), is to go for a walk or sit by the ocean. Or you could try the Yogic meditation called Trataka. Watching an object, keeping your gaze still will slow down the nervous system, also watching something far from you is relaxing (like when you are outside). Taking a break for even ten minutes to calm your gaze helps to restore your nervous system and feel a bit more energised afterwards. 

A little note on what I call lazy-stress: Sometimes we feel like we have to relax because we have too little energy, but guess what? Sometimes we need to do something that energizes us that gives us more energy. It’s the kind of situations when you just can’t pick yourself up. You just want to take a break that never ends and even getting up from the couch feels like too much effort. It’s the kind of stress when you feel sedated but not calm. You crave unhealthy foods and watching tv. These habits will never give you more energy. They will actually give you less and less energy. It is your lifestyle that makes you feel tired, not that you have too much to do. What you need in this case is to pull yourself together, exercise, move your body, eat something healthy (not too much fat and fast carbs, you need something colorful with fibers). This is what is gonna make you feel that you have energy again. 

In yoga this is called tamas. It’s the dull feeling, being lazy, feeling tired and not energized. The opposite, hyperactive, rigid and busy is called rajas. The middle way is called sattva. That is where you have energy, but you are not hyper active. You feel energised but calm. That is what we are aiming for in a yogic lifestyle. It’s good for your body and your brain. If you lead a high performance lifestyle it’s a must. 

Thank you for reading my blog ❤ Stay tuned until next time. (follow me on instagram for updates: @kayayogini).