Radically embracing change can sometimes feel like a daunting task. Change isn’t always the most fun. However, change is inevitable, and if we don’t assume it, imbalances can manifest. This can cause a misalignment in our body, mind, or spirit. Practicing yoga for change is all about building your self-confidence to help you emerge as the spiritual warrior you indeed are!
The following yoga for change practice incorporates pranayama, affirmations, crystal therapy, and self-love exercises to build ojas and increase your sense of self. By doing so, your vitality will be more substantial, and you’ll be able to take on change and adjust to it more manageable.
Yoga for Change Pranayama
Pranayama can help you build confidence and embrace change through its ability to deepen your connection to yourself.
A few essential pranayama exercises to incorporate into your yoga for change practice are Kapalabhati (breath of fire), Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), and Simhasana (lion’s breath). Kapalabhati is heating, cleansing, and removes toxins. Nadi Shodhana is a balancing technique that calms the nervous system. Simhasana is powerful in its ability to remove obstacles and build confidence. Practicing these pranayama techniques will put you deeper in touch with your breath and vital life force energy, and offers you a stronger connection to self. These practices will also allow you to accept and welcome change.
Learn more about pranayama benefits and why you should practice everyday.
Yoga for Change Sequence
The following yoga for change sequence will build self-confidence and ground, establish a sense of wellbeing within, so you can be of service to others, and create change. The following poses are powerful, which will help establish a stronger sense of self and increase your vitality or ojas. You can practice these poses individually or as a sequence.
- Mountain
- Chair
- Sun Salutation A
- Downward dog
- One-leg down dog
- Wild thing
- Down dog
- Warrior 1
- Reverse warrior
- Warrior 3
- Warrior 2
- Plank
- Side plank
- Locust
- Bow pose
- Child’s pose
- Camel pose
- Hero pose
- Supine easy twist
- Savasana
Affirmations to Change Your Mindset
To embrace change and build confidence, it’s essential to shine a light on the negative talk and then replace it with positive language. Shame cannot live in the light. By exposing negative self-talk, imposter syndrome, doubt, fear, jealousy, or envy, we can then make a conscious decision to change it for the better. Every time you catch yourself feeling one of these emotions, or engaging in negative self-talk, call it out! Say to that feeling: “Hello, I see you. Thank you for showing up, protecting me in the past, but I’m choosing a new direction and voice right now.” Try these affirmations to change your mindset, build confidence, and emerge into your best self! Practice while gazing at yourself in the mirror for an extra powerful effect.
- I am grateful for __X__ emotion. It has inspired me and shown me I want more for myself.
- Shame and guilt cannot live in the light. I see you, and I love you.
- I love and embrace change.
- Radical acceptance of self is my regular.
- I accept all that I am in every moment.
- I absolutely love, believe, and trust in myself.
Crystals to Embrace Change
In Ayurvedic tradition, crystals and gems possess different vibrations. Thus, carrying a specific stone focused on its particular vibrational frequency can help balance specific conditions. Crystals to embrace change focus on grounding stones to build vitality and heart-opening stones on encouraging divine alignment for unconditional love and abundance. The crystals below are known to support you during times of change.
Chrysocolla
This stone allows us to accept change with calmness and serenity. It helps smooth transitional periods, as well as reenergizing all the chakras. Chrysocolla is a powerful stone to build self-awareness and inner balance, which helps build self-confidence to adapt to change.
Rose quartz
A significant heart opening stone. Rose quartz activates unconditional love, building self-confidence, and increases your ability to accept necessary change.
Bloodstone
A grounding stone, Bloodstone, gives us the ability to adapt to change more quickly. It is stabilizing and most effective on the root and heart chakra, which beautifully combines into providing you with more vigor to withstand change, but a softness that keeps your heart open for the abundance ahead.
Self Love Practices to Build Self-Confidence
Abhyanga
Abhyanga is a beautiful and soothing Ayurvedic practice that may help increase your ojas, as well as blessing you with a hefty dose of self-love. This practice is administered by apply warm oil onto your body, head-to-toe. By spending quality time with conscious movements, daily abhyanga can offer you an empowering way to build confidence.
Eye gazing
Our eyes are a powerful representation of our emotions. Eye gazing can create the opportunity for emotional connection, even with yourself. A 2017 study of university students determined that direct eye gaze is associated with what is known as self-other merging. Meaning it reduces the boundaries between “self” and “others”. It works much the same with eye gazing with self. It can deepen your “oneness” and connection with your true spirit. This connection to self builds confidence and strengthens your vitality to be able to handle change better.
Accept compliments
How would it feel to radically accept a compliment from someone else without following it up with a “yes, but”..? Accepting compliments may seem like a simple feat. Still, it can be very challenging for many. Challenge yourself to accept compliments from others radically, give thanks, and then bask in all of those fantastic feels! You are worthy, and you are enough in every single moment.
Chyawanprash to Build Vitality
Chyawanprash is a potent Ayurvedic herbal formula specifically designed to increase your ojas and vitality. When your ojas is healthy, you’re better able to handle life stressors and adapt to change more swiftly. Taking 1 tsp of PIOR Living Chyawanprash every morning with warm milk or water will enhance your vitality while sharpening focus and clarity.
Clare Michalik, Ayurvedic Practitioner
References
“Direct Gaze Blurs Self-Other Boundaries”. 2020, p. ., https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00221309.2018.1469465. Accessed 24 Dec 2020.
