Yoga for Balance: Finding Your Center

Introduction

Have you ever felt off-balance, physically or mentally? Today’s busy lifestyles—and factors like age or scoliosis—can play a part in losing your center. Not only does sitting behind a screen contribute to physical misalignment but it can reduce connection to our core values and priorities—we lose sight of our relationships with other people and ourselves. Yoga, with its focus on alignment and mindfulness, offers a powerful way to cultivate balance in all aspects of life. Here are some reasons to search for balance and how yoga can help you find it.

The Benefits of Balance

• Improved posture and strength: Good balance leads to better posture, reducing strain on your back, neck, and joints, and enables functional mobility. Training your balance improves tone and strength throughout your body.

• Injury prevention: Having strong physical balance can help prevent falls and injuries.

• Increased confidence: When you feel grounded and stable, you are more apt to exude confidence and are more satisfied with your decision-making abilities.

• Mental clarity: Hormonal balance is closely linked to mental focus and clarity, and practicing physical balance improves focus and cognitive function.

Balance in Yoga

In yoga, balance is the cornerstone of many poses. As you practice postures, you’re developing mental resilience and the ability to stay present in the moment. You’re also learning how to cultivate a balance between your physical efforts and your emotional demands—you begin to observe how you confront challenges, what makes you uncomfortable, and when you can learn to let go. All of these things are helpful off the mat and help you live a more balanced life, juggling the commitments, responsibilities, and joys of the human experience.

How to Cultivate Balance

• Start with the basics: Begin with simple standing poses like Mountain Pose (Tadasana) and core-strengthening poses. Today’s post targets core strengthening.

• Listen to your body: Pay attention to the sensations you feel and avoid pushing yourself beyond your limits. This is a practice in discernment and demonstrates balancing your physical abilities, your ego, and your momentary state.

• Practice regularly: Consistent practice is key to improving balance and overall well-being in both body and mind.

• Mindful breathing: Deep, steady breaths can help anchor you and maintain balance.

• Find a focal point: Focus your gaze on an unmoving point, called a Drishti, in order to develop your concentration and help you maintain your balance and posture.

A Sequence to Try

One of my favorite pose sequences to improve core strength and balance takes place in a chair. Stop at any point that you feel you can no longer control the movement or you feel pinching in your back. The goal here is to progress through the series and develop balance in a seated position before carrying it to standing. If your core muscles and stability are weak, you may not complete the whole sequence today or even this month. It takes time to repattern the muscles of the deep core, so be patient and do only as much as you comfortably can.

To do this sequence, sit in a stable wooden or folding metal chair; shift forward so that just your sitting bones are on the seat. Line your ankles under your knees and lengthen your spine, bringing the crown of your head up toward the ceiling.

Seated Cow Pose in a Chair

Seated Cat Pose in a Chair

Seated Asymmetric Cat Pose

Opposite Arm and Leg Lift

Urdhva Hastasana with Leg Lift

1. Transverse Abdominis Breathing: As you inhale let your belly be soft; as you exhale engage your lower abdominals (an inch or two below your navel), bringing them in toward your spine.

2. Seated Cat-Cow: Inhale as you bring your hands to the seat behind your hips, looking forward or slightly up, and broaden the front of your chest. Exhale as you lower your chin down toward your chest, bring your hands to the tops of your thighs, round your back, and engage your lower abdominals as you did in the transverse abdominis breathing practice. Only move through a range of motion that is appropriate for you—which might be reduced if you live with spinal issues.  

3. Asymmetric Cat-Cow: Follow the same inhaling and exhaling sequence as with Cat-Cow but now when you exhale lift one heel or foot up, lower it when you inhale, and with the next exhale lift the opposite heel or foot. Use your hand on the back of your thigh as much as needed in order to support the lift.

4. Opposite Arm and Leg Lift: Bring your arms out in front of you at shoulder height and width with palms facing each other. On an exhale lift your right arm up by your ear and lift your left heel or foot off the floor. Maintain stability and control, engaging your lower abdominals as you exhale. On the inhale, lower the arm back to shoulder height and return the foot to the floor. On the next exhale, raise the other side. Alternate back and forth with your breath for 3 to 5 rounds.

5. Urdhva Hastasana with Leg Lift: Raise both arms up by your ears. If this bothers your shoulders, open your arms out into a Y or T position. On your exhale lift one heel or foot, keeping the arms stationary and engaging the lower abdominals, and lower the foot on the inhale. Alternate between sides for 3 to 5 rounds while keeping the arms and spine lengthened. 

Conclusion

By incorporating balance into your yoga practice and daily life, you can enhance your physical and mental well-being. Remember, balance is not just about the ability to stand on one leg for a length of time; it's about finding harmony in all aspects of your life. Start finding more balance by returning to your center—your core.