Cultivate Self-Acceptance and Positive Change Through Yoga and Sankalpas

Welcome to MindfulMornings! This week, we released two new blog posts:

• Oprah's Morning Routine - A Peaceful Start to the Day

• Embrace Your Body: How Yoga Cultivates Self-Acceptance

In today’s email, you’ll learn about

• Yoga Poses for Self-Love: Embracing Your Body as It Is

• Using Sankalpas to Transform Your Habits

Here are 2 quotes, 2 tips, and 1 question to help you build healthy habits this week.

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2 Quotes

1. "Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change." - Bob Kerrey

    

2. "Kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle." - Charles Glassman

2 Tips

1) Yoga Poses for Self-Love: Embracing Your Body as It Is

Why It’s Important:

Yoga offers a powerful way to counter negative self-talk. By accepting our bodies during yoga practice, we cultivate self-love and appreciation. This helps ease self-criticism and promotes inner peace, leading to a healthier relationship with yourself.

Here are some steps to incorporate self-acceptance into your yoga practice:

1. Start by setting the intention of self-acceptance. Your practice is a space to love your body, just as it is - “Today, I choose to honor my body with love and respect.”
   

2. Opt for nurturing poses like Child's Pose, Cat-Cow, or Seated Forward Bend. These encourage introspection and self-kindness. You may like to try a restorative yoga class on YouTube.
   

3. As you settle into each pose, let your breath guide you. Imagine inhaling acceptance and exhaling judgment. Focus on how your breath feels in your body.
   

4. Pay attention to how each movement feels. Don't push beyond your comfort zone. Your body will guide you to what feels right today.
   

5. After your practice, take time to journal your experiences. Note any feelings that arose and how you responded to them. This reinforces self-acceptance beyond the mat.

For more insight, consider reading our blog post which dives deeper into this topic: Embrace Your Body: How Yoga Cultivates Self-Acceptance

2) Use Sankalpas to Transform Your Habits

Why:

Creating a positive life often starts with building healthy habits. One powerful way to do this is using Sankalpas - intentional affirmations that help shift your habits and mindset.

Sankalpas are more than just simple affirmations. They're deeply set intentions that connect with your purpose and higher self. When you repeat a Sankalpa like, "I eat in a way that nourishes me," it guides your actions toward your long-term goals. Over time, these affirmations can rewire your brain for more positive habits. This helps break automatic behaviors and replace them with mindful ones, leading to a healthier, happier life.

How to Practice Sankalpas:

1. Find a quiet space and think about a goal you want to achieve. What is a small habit you could create that brings you closer to that goal? For example, your goal might be to lose weight and your habit is to take the stairs whenever the opportunity presents itself.

2. Create a simple, meaningful affirmation that reflects the habit. For example: "I choose to move in a way that nourishes me."

3. Close your eyes and picture yourself living out this affirmation. Use all your senses to make it feel real.
   

4. Say your Sankalpa silently or out loud at least three times. Put emotion and belief into it.
   

5. Remember your Sankalpa when making decisions or facing challenges related to your habit. For example, if you have to choose between the stairs or the elevator, use your Sankalpa to help make the decision - "I choose to move in a way that nourishes me."
   

6. Be patient and consistent. Changing habits takes time. Be kind to yourself and keep at it.

To learn more about Sankalpas, check out books like The Miracle of Mindfulness* by Thich Nhat Hanh or The Power of Intention* by Wayne Dyer. These books offer great insights into using intention and mindfulness to create a balanced life.

1 Question

How can you incorporate the mantra, "May all beings everywhere be happy, healthy, and free." into your daily life?

Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoy your week.

With gratitude,

MindfulMornings

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