As the pace of modern life increases, finding moments of peace and stillness can be challenging, but within the practice of vinyasa flow yoga lies a powerful opportunity to cultivate inner harmony through movement—a practice that is often described as moving meditation.
Why Power Yoga Helps to Calm the Mind
People sometimes imagine that power yoga is more challenging and less calming than other forms of yoga. However, this soothing and strengthening yoga style can be practised by students at all levels of fitness and is just as likely to bring about a transformation in mind, body and spirit as a yin yoga practice.
When we practice power yoga, we flow from one yoga pose to the next in an unbroken stream of movements and, in doing so, are forced to focus the mind as we place the body with intention and precision.
Power yoga calls us to move through the asanas seamlessly while integrating the breath with movement. This helps to create a dynamic and fluid practice that calms and focuses the mind and brings increased presence, mindfulness and balance.
Transform Your Vinyasa Power Yoga Session into a Deeply Meditative Experience
As well as increasing physical strength and fitness, power yoga can have a substantial impact on our mental and emotional well-being.
If you’re new to power yoga and think you would enjoy a class that not only brings highly beneficial physical challenges but also increases your sense of inner harmony, here are a few tips to help transform your vinyasa flow yoga session into a deeply meditative experience.
Connect with the Breath
By synchronising the breath with each movement and allowing it to guide the pace of your practice, you begin to tap into one of the most respected and renowned forms of meditation in existence—mindfulness of breathing.
As you are guided to focus on the breath during each movement sequence, you will begin to bring your awareness inwards, away from the distractions of the outer world.
Focus on deep, intentional breaths – inhaling to expand and exhaling to release tension as you move through the class.
Stay Present
With so many ways of stimulating our minds in the twenty-first century—everything from mobile phones to movie streaming services—many people are losing the ability to focus their minds for long periods. Most of us have no idea how much all this stimulation drains our vital energies. There’s always something else we could be doing and somewhere else we could be going.
Giving ourselves time to focus on mind, body and spirit can be the most restorative thing we ever do.
As you move through a power yoga class, instead of letting your mind wander, anchor your awareness to the sensations of your body and the rhythm of your breath.
Notice the way your muscles engage and release with each pose. Remain completely present.
Cultivate Mindfulness
Develop the habit of becoming more observant of what’s happening in your mind and body as you participate in the class, noticing when your attention has wandered and returning it to the practice without judgement or attachment.
Let go of distractions and worries, allowing yourself to be fully immersed in the experience.
By approaching each power yoga session with mindfulness and intention, you can transform your practice into a moving meditation that brings a sense of peace, clarity, and inner harmony, which extends far beyond the mat.
Find Flow
Embrace the fluidity of movement as you transition between poses. Think less of the movements as a series of poses you need to fit together and simply allow your body to move through the sequence with flexibility and grace, surrendering to the natural flow of energy and movement.
Find Your Flow with the Power Yoga Co.
If you’d like to try vinyasa flow yoga in a safe space with expert teachers, book a power yoga class with the Power Yoga Company.
We offer over 50 classes a week at our bright and serene studio in lovely, leafy Parsons Green. The majority of these classes are in power yoga—a rejuvenating, strengthening and meditative vinyasa practice.