I believe that nature teaches us about humility. I believe that yoga also teaches us humility in various ways. It teaches us to accept our limitations and to strive to be better. However yoga also teaches us about self-care: about prioritizing our own health, wellbeing and happiness. It teaches us about the importance of balancing self-awareness with self-care; both of which are necessary for well-adjusted individuals.
What is self-care?
Think about this saying: you cannot pour from an empty cup; you must fill your cup first. This indicates that while being selfless and helpful to others are desirable and positive qualities, this is made possible only by looking after one’s own happiness and wellbeing as well. If we do not look after our own emotional, physical and spiritual health, we deplete our own abilities; our reserves of empathy. We have little to give others. Self-care is also important in order to maintain a healthy self-esteem, which in turn helps us maintain healthy relationships on an equal footing with others.
In practical terms, self-care is about making time for yourself and the things that are important for you instead of sacrificing yourself each time for the sake of others. For instance, a family is always going to have certain needs and demands; this doesn’t mean that a homemaker must give up professional and personal aspirations for that. Beyond a point, no individual can or should sublimate their own desires and ambitions. Caring for yourself is as important as caring for others. It is important to take time out for the things that are important to you: your hobbies, your friends, maybe even your yoga class!
How does yoga help us with self-care?
Yoga teaches us to listen to our bodies. It helps us understand what the body needs, signals warning signs in the forms of aches and pains. Yoga gives us time with ourselves and helps us forge a connection with our own inner selves. It is a time to look within, to examine not only what our body is telling us, but also to examine our feelings and emotions. This process helps put our problems into perspective and helps us realize that these problems may not be as insurmountable as they may seem.
Your practice of yoga itself is about self-care. This is where you are mentally and physically recharged each day. Yoga is something that makes you fitter, more alert and happier; something that you must prioritize for yourself each day. Yes there are a million other things that need to be done in the house, but you know that your yoga practice is vital and you make sure that you create time for this! Since yoga also reduces stress and promotes relaxation, it has a directly positive impact on our physical and mental health. This makes you more able to tackle problems and gives you renewed vigor for all that needs to be done!
Self-care isn’t easy. We are often made to feel guilty about prioritizing our own needs or doing things that we enjoy. It is important to overcome this misguided guilt and to keep that adage in mind… you cannot pour from an empty cup, you must fill your cup first.