Why LAYLO yoga & wellness? Why not just wellness?
“People often think about wellness in terms of physical health — nutrition, exercise, weight management, etc., but it is so much more. Wellness is a holistic integration of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, fueling the body, engaging the mind, and nurturing the spirit” – National Institutes of Health.
I have to agree and that is why yoga is one of the primary tools we like to utilize in the pursuit of wellness, for myself personally but especially for my clients during classes, private sessions, and retreats.
How Yoga Fills the Bill
A cursory glance at the 8 limbs of yoga shows that the physical movement we often think of as yoga is only one part of a much bigger practice:
- Yama (Ethical Guidelines): These are moral principles about how we should treat others and the world around us. They include non-violence, truthfulness, not stealing, self-control, and not being greedy.
- Niyama (Self-Discipline): These are personal habits and attitudes towards ourselves, like cleanliness, contentment, self-discipline, and self-study.
- Asana (Physical Postures): This is the practice of physical yoga postures that improve strength, flexibility, mobility, and balance. It’s the most well-known aspect of yoga.
- Pranayama (Breath Control): Techniques for controlling and regulating the breath, which help to calm the mind and energize the body.
- Pratyahara (Withdrawal of Senses): This involves turning our attention inward by withdrawing from external distractions. It’s about becoming aware of our inner world.
- Dharana (Concentration): The practice of focusing the mind on a single point or object to develop deep concentration and mental clarity.
- Dhyana (Meditation): This is the practice of sustained and focused meditation, where the mind is quieted, and one experiences deep inner peace.
- Samadhi (Union): The ultimate goal of yoga, where one achieves a state of oneness with the self and the universe, experiencing profound peace and enlightenment.
How deeply each person dives into each of these aspects is highly individual. We focus on Niyma, Asana, Pranayama, and Dhyana. These are the facets that are in support of physical, mental, and emotional health.
Make Yoga Work for You
In my article “Make Yoga Your Own” I go into more detail on how you can begin to bring yoga into your life in a way that makes sense for you.
Look, everyone has their own opinion of yoga. It personally took me years just to not hate it! To this day, while I respect anyone’s pursuit of the perfect headstand, that is not me. And it is not my goal with this business.
From a physical perspective, any form of fitness falls in the “use or lose it” bucket. That includes flexibility (the muscle’s ability to stretch through a movement), mobility (the joint’s ability to have a full range of motion through a movement), and balance (how quickly your body/mind reacts to changes in stability. Yoga hits all of these and more!
Why Yoga is an Integral Part of LAYLO Wellness
My goal is to simplify your life. Period. That means bringing you tools that will support your desire to feel balanced, whole, calm, and able to do the things you want to do.
There are a lot of tools out there. Some are better than others. Some are amazing but complex. Many are just plain crap.
Yoga is something that is simple to do. It is something that is accessible to most people.
You can find it at your local gym, studio, or even YouTube. Contrary to what retailers would have you believe, it doesn’t require a lot of fancy or expensive gear.
Scientifically, it ticks a lot of boxes for physical health, mental health, and emotional health. Spiritual health as well, if you wish to go down that path.
There are no magic bullets in life, but this comes pretty close!
Even the peeps who have a hard time sitting still or slowing down can still find 10 minutes for mindful movement and/or quieting their mind.
Yoga on a Retreat or Yoga Retreat?
I get asked this question quite a bit. What is the difference?
Yoga on a Retreat is one piece of a greater whole. The asana practice (physical movement) may be something we do a few times, or maybe just once or twice, depending on where we are and what we are doing. LAYLO yoga & wellness retreats are not workshops in a pretty place nor are they travel tours. They are immersive experiences where everything we do, from the location to the discussions, activities in the local town, to any yoga practices, are designed around the theme of self-care for you. It is to enrich your life, give you multiple tools to support your life, and ways to integrate those tools into your real life.
A Yoga Retreat is focused on the practice of yoga. There are often at least 2 practices a day. Your focus will be on one, two, or maybe all of the 8 limbs of yoga. The retreat is designed to deepen your yoga practice. Some practical application to your life may be part of the conversation but it is not typically the focus of the retreat.
Still Not Sure How it Will Work for You?
If you have never experienced yoga or, even worse had a bad experience like I did, you may think yoga just isn’t your jam.
Here’s the thing: I had to find the right teacher to make the connection to yoga. Part of that meant understanding what I wanted out of it as well as what I needed.
I’m not talking about what type of yoga to focus on. Hatha, Yin, Ashtanga – there are quite a few forms of yoga out there. I am talking one step back from that. I am talking about what kind of approach you are taking.
Do you want to be social? Are you comfortable being hot or cool? Do want to focus on getting to that headstand? Are you into the physical aspects of yoga alone? Or do you want to go down a spiritual path?
Knowing what you want to get out of it will help get you to the right teacher and the right style for you. Take this quiz to uncover what kind of approach really interests you. Then you can be on your way to finding the right teacher for you!
Keep Looking for Your Unicorn!
At the end of the day, yoga is still not for everyone. And that is okay. Give the various aspects a try, see if they work for you. If they don’t, keep looking for what does.
Your self-care, mental, emotional and physical health depends on it!
Isn’t it time to leave burnout behind and lead a life that makes YOU a priority? Consider rebooting your mind and body with one of our wellness retreats! Designed specifically to immerse you in an environment that takes you out of your daily grind, you will be able to focus on crafting your life in a way that honors your family and career while carving out time to pursue interests that excite you so you can feel balanced, fulfilled, and calm. Get on the info list so you know what is happening, when, and where!
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