Mantra and Stress Reduction by Nancy Weshkoff

Mantra and Stress Reduction

By Nancy Weshkoff

Beginners to yoga often ask what is a mantra and why is this used in yoga classes.  Mantra is a short phrase, or a chant, or it may be a single word.   It can be in Sanskrit, the ancient language of yoga, or it can be in English.  As an example, “shanti”, is a Sanskrit word and means “peace”.   At the end of a yoga class, a yoga teacher may close the class with “shanti, shanti, shanti” as a message that peace be with you and with the world.

Mantra can be any word or combination of words that has meaning to you.   It is important that it be a POSITIVE message.   For example, you can say “I am smart”, “I am beautiful”, “Everything is going to be okay”, “I am grateful”, “I am happy”, etc.    You want to avoid negative versions of this such as “I am not stupid”, as your brain has difficulty processing the negative and hears “I am stupid”.  You could also choose a famous phrase that resonates with you.  A simple “I love myself” is also wonderful.

Sometimes people think a mantra can only be used in a yoga class or if you are doing a seated meditation in your house.   This is certainly when you might encounter mantra, but mantra is available to you at any time during the day.   If you are sitting in traffic, on a train, waiting in a doctor’s office, standing in line at a store, or just walking down the street, you can use a mantra.   Just silently repeat to yourself the positive mantra of your choosing.

So, why is mantra important and how can it help with stress reduction?  During our day, our mind is occupied with many thoughts – not all of them good.   We might find ourselves regretting something from our past and reliving the past scene in our mind.  Or perhaps you are imagining what might happen in the future at a certain event which is making you anxious, and we start to worry.  Our blood pressure rises, which increases a strain on our heart and other organs.  Guilt and worry are two negative emotions that we should try to reduce as much as possible.

Instead of negativity, how about changing this to something positive?  If you change the negative into a positive mantra that you repeat to yourself, you start to relax.    It helps with stress reduction and lowers blood pressure.

Try doing this for just 2-3 minutes.   Select a positive mantra that is meaningful to you.  Notice how you feel before you start the mantra.  Take a few deep breaths.  Then start repeating the mantra to yourself.  If you are alone in a room, you can choose to say it aloud.   After just a few minutes of slowly repeating the mantra, notice how you feel.   You should notice a reduction in your stress and your mind should be calmer.   Mantra can be miraculous!

If you would like to discover more about mantra, come try one of the great yoga classes at our Moonflower Yoga studio in Bellmore, in Nassau County (Long Island, New York).  Our yoga teachers offer mantra to our yoga students and encourage them to incorporate these into their daily routine.  In our singing bowl meditation classes, mantra is used with sound, which is a fabulous way to relax.  In our Kundalini yoga classes, mantra is part of the yoga practice, and you may repeat your mantra while moving in a certain yoga posture or with a breathing technique offered by our Kundalini yoga teacher.  I encourage you to incorporate mantra in your life and see how it can help you relax and feel great!

Chair Yoga by Nancy Weshkoff

Chair Yoga

By Nancy Weshkoff

One of my favorite yoga classes to teach each week at Moonflower Yoga is Chair Yoga.    It is a special yoga class to me because it enables yoga to be available to students who would find it challenging to be part of a regular yoga class.    Chair yoga at Moonflower Yoga is not just for seniors – it is also great for women in the latter stages of pregnancy.   Do you feel stiff and tense from sitting in your office chair most of the day staring at a computer screen?  Chair yoga will teach you some stretching exercise that you can do from your office chair to alleviate muscle tension.   For people with injuries that might make it difficult to be in a regular yoga class, Chair Yoga is also a great option.

For the seniors who do attend the weekly Chair Yoga class at Moonflower Yoga, I applaud them for trying yoga for the first time in their 70’s and 80’s.   How cool is that!   Chair yoga provides them with fabulous stretching poses to keep their muscles flexible.   We also work on yoga poses to build strength.   Each class also consists of mantra (chanting) to quiet your mind, as well as several minutes of quiet relaxation with bolsters, blankets, and essential oils to enhance the relaxation while you meditate.   The mantras are something that everyone can use to help with stress reduction, as well as use as a tool if you are having difficulty falling asleep at night.   Meditation is something that is helpful for everyone, and meditation is recommended by leading doctors.

Chair Yoga is wonderful for people of all ages.   Come to Moonflower Yoga on Tuesday mornings and give this great yoga class a try!    Moonflower Yoga is located in the town of Bellmore, in Long Island, New York’s Nassau County.   You will love this great yoga class or any of the fabulous yoga classes on the Moonflower Yoga schedule from some of the best yoga teachers on Long Island.