Yoga and Meditation

Working Together in Harmony

Some things just go together, like peanut butter and jelly, Queensland and sunshine - and yoga and meditation. But why are yoga and meditation inextricably linked?

Both involve being present with your body, being in the moment, letting go of all judgement while tuning in to your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual needs. In fact, yoga is a form of meditation when performed correctly.

These wellbeing and mindfulness practices focus on blocking out the white noise in your head, and listening to what your emotions, mind, body, and spirit are conveying to you.

There is no denying that the physical movement of yoga feeds into the mindfulness focus of meditation. The eight limbs (or aspects) of yoga are all deeply connected to meditation. Samadhi refers to the ultimate level of meditation; total self-collectedness.

The Benefits of Yoga and Meditation

Numerous studies have shown that the regular practice of yoga and meditation boosts mental and physical wellbeing, for example:

Reducing anxiety levels and enabling you to let go of those worries. By learning and practising to focus on your breath and current emotional state in a session, you develop these skills so that when anxiety threatens in your daily life, you already have the coping tools to draw on.
Yoga and meditation helps you be more self-aware, as both practices focus on becoming more aware of our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual states.
Research has found that those who engage in yoga for just 90 minutes a week had better body image and higher self-esteem.
Physically, regular yoga and meditation reduces blood pressure and chronic pain.
Other shared benefits include an improved quality of sleep, and better mental health.