Reclaim Power Over Your Mind By Pairing Yin Yoga with Affirmations

In our busy 21st-century world, we're constantly interrupted, our attention pulled in all directions every minute of the day.

If you often find yourself feeling overwhelmed, scattered, or lacking a sense of direction, know that you're not alone. Reclaiming control over your own mind and body is essential to stay well both physically, and mentally.

Traditionally, both these aspects of wellness have been dealt with separately. As if one side of the coin was entirely independent of the other.

As a busy person, I know first-hand that this makes it tricky to incorporate both physical and mental exercise into the day. We tend to skip on one, or worse, both of those as our time is limited.

It doesn't have to be that way.

In this article, I'm going to share some techniques which I found particularly useful to remain fit in mind and body throughout the pandemic.

I chose to use this time and make the most of it by consciously choosing how I start the day, and where I focus my attention and energy throughout the day.

I have found that a combination of yoga (and one type of yogic practice in particular, for the reasons we'll explore later on) coupled with well-chosen affirmations, works a charm.

Since beginning this practice and making it a regular habit, I have experienced several benefits:

Clearer mind at the start of, and throughout the day.

More flexible, nimble body.

Increased productivity on both a professional and personal level.

Sustained energy levels and no more sense of feeling drained after a long day's work.

Those are fantastic outcomes, and stand in stark contrast to how I used to start my day in the old world: stressed, scattered, and rushed.

Those are fantastic outcomes, and stand in stark contrast to how I used to start my day in the old world: stressed, scattered, and rushed.

Ready to give this a try? Let's dive into it!

1. How to Practice Yin Yoga for Maximum Physical and Mental Benefits

First of all, let's look into Yin Yoga as a yogic practice, understand its foundation and practicalities.

Yogic poses can help treat a number of ailments: from asthma and back pain to digestion and neck pain.

However, Yin Yoga in particular has many other benefits. It turns into a kind of moving meditation, combining both the physical and mental aspects of more active forms of yoga and meditation.

1.1 What is Yin Yoga, Exactly?

Yin Yoga is a form of Yoga where the practitioner holds each pose much longer than in other styles.

Poses (also called asanas) are typically held for 2 to 4 minutes, and the focus is on breathing and slowing down the constant traffic jam in your mind.

By not having to rush through the moves, you can sit in the present moment, take control of your breath and let gravity do the work as you go deeper into the poses with each minute that goes by.

Yin Yoga was developed as a specific style by martial arts expert Paulie Zink in the 1970's. It's also referred to as Yin and Yang Yoga, since it's based on the Taoist concept of the same name.

Yin and Yang are, by nature, two opposite yet complementary principles:

a) Yin typically represents passivity, stability and immobility.

b) On the other hand, Yang is linked to change, activity and adaptability.

These principles are also sometimes compared in terms of gender (feminine versus masculine), or temperature (hot versus cold).

In terms of physical movement, one is a passive pull (Yin) whilst the other is an active push (Yang). Both are required in the practice of Ying Yoga.

Since this type of physical practice allows time for the mind to rest in the intervals between each posture, it's a great way to develop fortitude, patience and steadfastness.

Now, let's get to the practicalities.

1.2 How Do You Practice Yin Yoga?

One of the things I enjoy most about Yin Yoga is its accessibility.

No matter your ability, experience level or flexibility, you can practice it without feeling the need to push yourself too hard and force your body into poses.

The point of Yin Yoga is actually to let gravity do most of the work. No pushing- no pulling!

Just the calm breath and the accompanying rising and falling of your chest. The noises and sounds around you. The quality of the air in the room you're in. And the thoughts floating in your mind.

To start your practice, below are 8 key postures most used in Yin Yoga (along with their Sanskrit versions).

The Sphinx (Salamba Bhujangasana):  probably the most passive of all poses, great for the lower back.

The Butterfly (Bhadrasana): a classic, great for the groin.

The Dragon (Anjaneyasana): this one targets the lower body, and I find it to be particularly effective after a day's work sitting down.

The Swan or Pigeon, in its sleeping variant (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana): one of my all-time favorites, this one is relaxing and grounding at the same time.

The Bananasana:  as the name might suggest, getting into a banana shape offers a nice stretch all along your ribs and upper body.

Reclined Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana): another great stretch for the spine, using the center of your body as the anchor for the twist.

Garland Pose (Malasana): a hip opener that also works the ankles, groins and back, while facilitating proper digestion and pelvic floor health.

Extended Child's Pose (Balasana) :  a yummy, restorative pose to counterbalance the more intense asanas.

Corpse Pose (Shavasana):  arguably the easiest pose in Yoga, but not one to be missed! Done at the end of a session, it lets the body absorb the full benefits of the practice.

As you can see, a mixture of those poses will work every single part of your body.

As you go from beginner to intermediate and eventually gain more experience, you'll be able to go deeper into each pose.

You might notice one side of your body fares better than the other.

You may also feel like your body is 100 years old at the end of your first session. At least, I did.

This is perfectly fine! Most likely, your body will not be used to sustaining such deep postures for so long, and you may experience temporary stiffness as a result.

The point of Yin Yoga is to nurture your mind and body, in a way that works for you, and where you are now. As you practice more regularly, that stiffness will turn into a gentle feeling of nimbleness, physical and mental agility that carries you forward into the day.

Now, since Yin Yoga gives you the opportunity to take your time and breath during each pose, it also gives you the time to go beyond the physical aspect and focus on your mind.

One important aspect of this is how you breathe.

Ujayyi Pranayama is a breathing technique whereby you gently constrict the back of your throat as you inhale and exhale. The point is to regulate the breath and control its rhythm.

Ujjayi stands for victory over, in Sanskrit. Pranayama is composed of Prana (life force or simply breath) and Yama (control and restraint). Ujjayi breathing is therefore the act of conquering your own breath, the life force or energy that sustains your every move.

Before going into your poses, take a few deep, normal breaths. Then close your lips and focus on breathing through your nose only, applying the slight constriction at the back of your throat.

Your breath should become audible, which helps to calm the mind down as you'll find it easier to focus inward. No need to hold it at the top - just let the waves of your breath come and go. Ideally, each exhale should be the same length as your inhales.

You've now mastered your breath ; which is the start of mastering your mind!

Aside from deeper, more conscious breathing, having more time between each posture is where affirmations come into play.

2. How Affirmations Can Help You Reclaim Control Over Your Thoughts (and Life)

Affirmations have become a popular technique in the world of self-improvement and human psychology. Self-affirmation theory goes back to 1988, and stated benefits include better response to stress factors and threats when practiced on a regular basis.

Affirmations are used as a way to re-program the subconscious mind and set clearer intentions.

As such, affirmations can help people steer their lives in the direction they want to take them in - as opposed to feeling battered by life's events, blown around like windswept leaves, constantly reacting rather than actively choosing.

2.1 What are Affirmations?

Affirmations are a powerful technique that can help you:

Clear up your mind.

Focus on what truly matters to you in the moment.

Define your life vision and goals, and follow through on them.

They are simple, one-line statements that are written, stated aloud or mentally.

The aim of affirmations is to reinforce positive feelings and images and bring a better future state into your mind.

It's important to make a distinction here.

Affirmations, when done right, are not some kind of wishy-washy, up-in-the-air "new agey" technique with no grounding in reality. The point is also not to claim that mere thoughts can manifest things in real life, in and of themselves.

Instead, thoughts when verbalized in the form of affirmations, influence our behavior. Which in turn, influence the kind of outcomes we get from our actions.

This is why Oprah Winfrey and many others have stated:

"Our thoughts are literally creating our experiences."

Think of affirmations as messages, like the subliminal ones our minds are constantly subjected to by adverts, social media and other stimuli that influence our behaviors against our will.

Only in this case, you are in charge. You decide what you want your mind to be fed, and what kind of behavioral change you want to see in yourself.

Scientific research on the topic has concluded that: "if people benefit from deliberately choosing to self-affirm, they can learn to incorporate self-affirmation into their arsenal of tools for coping with everyday threats and thus become agents in the maintenance of their own well-being".

So why not include them in your own arsenal of tools for living a better life and becoming the best version of yourself?

To make it work, you'll need to craft your own affirmations. Ones that resonate and are relevant to you and your own situation.

2.2 How Can You Make Affirmations Work For You?

To make the most of them, you'll want your affirmations to be relevant to you.

Don't just blurt out something that doesn't resonate with you because it worked for others.

To tailor affirmations to your own life and what you want to achieve out of it, have a think about:

Which areas of your life do you want to focus on?

What goals are you trying to achieve?

What is most important to you in life?

Whether you want to achieve greater financial freedom, more success in your career, or nurture your relationship will influence the kind of affirmations you'll want to include in your routine.

Here are some of my examples  -  feel free to use them as inspiration, but remember to make them yours:

I live in complete joy and abundance.

I thrive in all my endeavors.

Everything that I touch turns to gold.

New opportunities come my way on a regular basis.

I am naturally filled with energy and unlimited resourcefulness.

My potential is limitless.

I set myself inspiring goals and believe I can achieve them.

I am building my best life, day by day.

Each and every day, I am getting better at what I do and add more value to the world.

Take some time to write them down on paper. There is something beautifully powerful about thinking in ink:

As you commit each word onto the page, you're also committing it to yourself.

The key is to ensure your affirmations are phrased in a positive tone and in the present tense. Don't dwell on what you don't want, but on what you want to attract in your life and what you're doing about it now.

This is not about running away from what you want to avoid at all cost, but rather running towards the future state you've defined for yourself. Embrace the possibilities that this future contains.

Affirmations are emotionally-charged, and you don't want to create negative emotions in the process.

Instead of "I don't ever want to be stuck in a job I hate", re-phrase along the lines of "I am finding my own path towards fulfillment and joy".

This way, you'll feed your mind positive thoughts that will reinforce a healthy state of mind.

Words have power - by changing your words, you can take your actions in new directions. With the right words, you can get into flow and reach the desired outcomes faster.

You'll avoid sabotaging your own success (which happens when people's words, thoughts, and actions don't match what they say they want to achieve).

As Dr. Andrew Newberg, author of "Words Can Change Your Brain", explained it:

"Language shapes our behavior. We must carefully orchestrate our speech if we want to achieve our goals and bring our dreams to fruition."

There are affirmations for all areas of life, and for every taste:

• For men, women, teens, moms and dads.
• For entrepreneurs and other professions.
• To combat certain mental states such as anxiety and stress.
• And myriad others.

Whilst such statements may sound arrogant on the surface, you first need to realize that you're absolutely deserving of the best that life has to offer. Don't fool yourself: you are!

You deserve to achieve whatever you set your mind to. That  includes starting your day with clarity and peace of mind.

No need to put limits on your own dreams and aspirations. Challenges will surely come along as they are. Don't stand in your own way on top of it all!

As Mary Kay Ash put it, "don't limit yourself. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve".

Once your affirmations are tailored to you, you'll want to back them up with strong emotions and even visualizations.

Emotions are incredibly powerful. Research shows that emotion has a strong influence on the brain's functions, such as memory, attention and learning.

By linking emotions to your affirmations, you'll solidify the affirmations in your mind and be more likely to internalize them.

For instance, if you're affirming for your future success in one area of your life, feel yourself successful.

What are the emotions that come up? How does this new position make you feel?

Are you hopeful, looking forward to a bright future? Excited about the opportunities that this will create?

Bring all those emotions to the fore and go as deep as you can go.

See in your mind's eye what being successful in that area would mean for you and your life.

When stating and visualizing your affirmations, act as if you had already received what you're asking for. Start from right where you are, yet have no doubt in your mind that you will get to your destination.

Rūmī, the 13th-century Persian poet and spiritual figure, once wrote:

"The world is a mountain. Whatever you say, it will echo it back to you."

Whatever you put out in this world comes back to you. The clearer the request, the better the response.

So make your affirmations specific and relevant.

Say them as if they'd already manifested in the physical world, to get the most out of your practice and feel uplifted.

Every time I do this, I am left energized and ready to take on whatever comes my way.

3. Bringing It All Together For a Clearer Mind

All of the above takes regular practice. Learning to identify and stimulate your own emotional responses is an art in itself, and the mind is often too distracted to envision a future state without constant disruptions.

Trust the process . Sstart small, and build from there.

After all, as 6th-century philosopher Confucius had already written at the time:

"The man who moves mountains begins with carrying small stones."

See each of those affirmations and your efforts to visualize them, backing them up with strong emotional responses, as little pebbles. Each of them will add up, stacked on top of each other, eventually filling an entire ocean.

The ocean of a tranquil, composed mind. Your mind.

As you state each affirmation in your mind or out loud, repeat them several times.

Let them enter the core of your being as your body loosens deeper into each pose.

You may want to keep a journal by your side to capture the thoughts arising when you utter each affirmation.

What comes up for you?

Do you feel a sense of comfort, or slight discomfort when saying a given affirmation?

If you don't feel totally aligned with what you're affirming (such as "I am a loving being and am deserving of love"), ask yourself why that is.

Is something holding you back? Dig deeper. After each session, get to the root cause of where these feelings are coming from.

You might need to go back to early memories or events that have shaped who you are today. Try to understand the inner workings of your mind.

Give those self-affirmations a try whilst you're holding those Yin Yoga poses. It may well help you reclaim power over your day, and how you feel - that is, how you live!

Final Thoughts

Combining Yin Yoga poses with deep breathing and self-affirmations as described above has transformed my mornings. This has led to more fulfilling, productive days where I feel in control.

I hope this practice can do the same for you.

You don't need to be an acrobat breaking into full-splits or a Zen master with a crystal-clear mind to get started (I, for one, am neither of these things).

So why not begin now?

The important point is to make it a regular practice and sticking with it. Set yourself a 30-day challenge to start with, and by the time you get there, it'll feel like second nature to you!

Define your own affirmations and make it a personal practice. Experiment, keep practicing and see how you go.

This is not a "quick fix", and will take sustained efforts on your side. But once you get used to it, you won't want to go back  -  I promise!

Resources to Go Further

a) Yoga Poses By Benefit: all kinds of poses for stress, anxiety, headaches, insomnia and more, including detailed descriptions and guides.

b) Yin Yoga with Affirmations: Youtube channel with a range of sessions covering affirmations for success, self-love, healing, anxiety and others.