Balance is not something you find; it is something you create -Jana Kingsford
We’ve all heard of work-life balance, and for many of us, we are still working to find that balance. Here’s the thing….we keep waiting for something outside of ourselves to make this balance happen magically. We feel like we don’t have control, but we have to power/ability to CREATE the balance we are looking for in our lives. We can begin to set boundaries by saying “no” to working late. We can leave our work at the “office.” We can say yea to those activities you’ve wanted to try but have been putting off.
Now let’s translate this thought process onto our mats. Finding balance in our body is not only crucial for our physical but also our mental as well.
Yoga balance postures help strengthen and lengthen muscles needed not only for balance in sport but also for everyday activities such as walking up and downstairs. These balancing postures also help to enhance the body’s equilibrium receptors located on the inner ear.
Mental benefits include improved focus and can help reduce stress. Being able to remain calm and balanced in these balance postures can help you find calm in situations off the mat.
Now let's get to the good stuff:
7 Tips to improve balance
Start from the bottom
Your roots or contact points on the floor are key to feeling safe and steady in balance postures. Ensure that the feet, hands, forearms, etc., are correctly aligned and rooted into the ground. In standing balance postures, you can widen your base by separating to feet to feel more stable.
Fix your gaze
In balance poses, it always helps to look at a non-moving point to steady the body and mind. In yoga, we call your focal point Drishti. If the eyes are moving back and forth, the body will likely shift as well.
Bring awareness to your core
Bringing attention to the core will also help to stabilize the body. In most balance postures, you want to draw your energy into the body’s midline (center).
Get some support
I am a lover of using all the props in my yoga practice. Balance poses are a great time to use props. My favorite support is (Paul) wall. You could also use a chair, table countertop, etc. Get creative with it.
Be patient
You won’t have ballerina-level balance immediately. Like most things, balance takes time to improve. You will probably weeble, wobble, or even fall out of the pose a few times. I have a rule in my classes: If you fall out of a pose, you have to smile, laugh, and try again.
Breathe
You won’t have ballerina-level balance immediately. Like most things, balance takes time to improve. You will probably weeble, wobble, or even fall out of the pose a few times. I have a rule in my classes: If you fall out of a pose, you have to smile, laugh, and try again.
Chill Out
Last but not least, Stay Calm. Try to find that steadiness of the breath and the mind. Don’t take the poses so seriously and enjoy the journey of creating balance.
Here is a quick video showing a few beginner and more advanced balance postures. Make sure to try the poses on both sides. I only demoed each pose on one leg. Also, remember to use some support if you need to. And as always, honor your body.