Yoga and Mood

So you’re in a mood.

What do you do?

What are your go-to ways to get over it?

Whatever way you choose to work through your moods, here’s one thing to know:

Moodiness isn’t “good” or “bad.”

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It’s neutral.

It provides us with clues about what’s going on underneath the surface of our awareness.

They’re like the tip of the iceberg of our inner world – the world of our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, perceptions, fears, etc.

A particularly bad mood can be like a tape caught on loop and overdrive.

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Except the tape is our mind and we tend to loop hard when we’re bothered/ pissed/ annoyed/ disappointed/ overwhelmed/ irritated… you get the idea.

So what do we do?

We start breathing.

We tune into the breath and use it to help us navigate the waters of mind and emotions.

Yogic sages have known for thousands of years that the breath is the portal through which we can transform stress and anxiety while accessing a state of inner calm and grounded balance.

Our breathing patterns are intimately tied to our emotions.

Influence one, and you also impact the other.

Our emotions, thoughts, and moods influence our breathing patterns.

Next time you’re in a mood pay attention to your breathing pattern. You’ll probably notice it’s short, shallow, erratic and/or quick.

Then notice your breathing next time you feel calm, safe, deep in concentration, or at ease. Notice it’ll probably be slower, longer, even-paced, and/or deeper.

2- Our breathing patterns can influence our mood.

If you were to start breathing rapidly taking short and shallow breaths you’ll likely start feeling either awake and alert, or anxious and on guard.

And so, if you begin breathing slowly and deeply you will most probably begin to feel less uneasy and more relaxed.

Paying attention to our breathing patterns can tell us a lot about our mood.

Often times we’re not even aware we’re in a mood until something or someone on the outside reflects it back to us and it’s only then that we realize.

We can become more still and present by consciously controlling our inhales and exhales, and that’s how awareness is born.

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And this is also yoga.

You don’t need to use your body or a mat to practice yoga.