Lumen

Yoga
7 Tools for Yoga Motivation

Alice Husain
Inspire your practice with
Lumen Yoga

Hello,

and thank you for downloading this

ebook! I am excited to share with you some of
my tried-and-tested tools to help your yoga
practice stay fresh and to help you quickly and
easily motivate yourself to practise yoga every
day.

First, I take you through some of the benefits of

yoga to help you remember why you want to
practise.
Next, we get into action with Emotional
Freedom Technique (EFT), some short 5 minute
yoga practices and tips on how to plan your
longer sessions.
Finally, I outline how planning and reflection can
help you to get and stay motivated with your
yoga practice.
May your yoga be a source of joy in your life!
Alice Husain

Disclaimer: The contents of this ebook are provided for information only and do not provide medical or psychological advice, diagnosis,
therapy or treatment. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique or tapping) is not intended to diagnose or treat any particular individual or
condition. Do not use any information whatsoever from this ebook without first consulting your licensed medical and mental health
professional. The techniques and suggestions presented in this ebook are not intended to substitute for proper medical and/or
psychological advice. Do not start any new exercise program, such as yoga, without the permission of your physician. If you have any
medical conditions, health problems, or mental health issues, including but not limited to pregnancy, high blood pressure, heart disease,
depression, etc., seek your physicians advice before acting on any of the information in this ebook. Do not discontinue or change the
dosage of any medication without the express permission of your physician or mental health professional.

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Contents
Tool #1
The physical benefits of yoga
Tool #2
The emotional and mental benefits
of yoga
Tool #3
Emotional Freedom Technique
(EFT)
Tool #4
Five 5 minute practices to use
throughout your day
Tool #5
How to structure your yoga session
Tool #6
Practice schedule template
Tool #7
Journaling template

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Tool #1 The physical benefits of yoga

One of the best ways I know to motivate myself to practise yoga is to remind myself of
all the good it is going to do me. As you read through this list, dont you want to start
receiving all these benefits today?!

Physical Benefits

Increase flexibility (range of motion)

Increase strength
Improve balance
Increase endurance
Lower high blood pressure and pulse rate
Reduce chronic pain (e.g. low-back pain)
Increase bone density
Increase lung capacity and breathing efficiency
Improve posture
Improve co-ordination
Improve digestion
Improve sleep
Normalize body weight
Improve immune system function
Improve a wide range of biochemical factors
Improve energy levels
Which of these 16 physical benefits are
you most excited by? Choose 3 or 5 and
write them down, stick them on your
fridge, use them as your computer
desktop background anything to keep
reminding yourself of them!

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Tool #2 The emotional &

and
mental
mental
benefits o
benefits of yoga
Even a yoga practice that is based around physical poses (asana) can bring significant
emotional and mental benefits. This is due to the integration of breath practices and
mindful awareness into the practice, and is the main difference between yoga and other
exercise programs.

Emotional and Mental Benefits

Decrease anxiety and stress responses

Decrease depression

Improve memory, concentration and attention

Improve mind-body connection

Improve patience and an optimistic attitude

Increase calm contentment

Slow the onset of dementia

Increase sense of well-being

Improve ability to relax at will and fall asleep

Help reduce addictions, e.g. smoking

Which of these 16 emotional and
mental benefits are most
applicable to your life? Remind
yourself by adding another sticky
note to your fridge!

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Tool #3 Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

What is EFT?
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a method of accessing and altering our subconscious
through tapping on some acupressure points while talking about our problem.
While still in the experimental stages, many people report that it has helped them transform
their lives through getting rid of their unwanted negative emotions.
How does it work?
In EFT we use some of the traditional Chinese acupuncture or acupressure points and through
tapping on them with our fingers we stimulate all of the main meridians (energy channels) in the
body. When we simultaneously tune into an emotional problem or negative thought, the bodys
energy seems to re-align into its natural calm harmony.
How can EFT help me with motivation?
EFT can help you solve motivational issues such as a feeling of not having enough time for yoga,
not being able to get up in the morning to do it, feeling bored with your practice, and many
more.
The idea is to identify what thoughts are getting in the way of your desire to practise yoga, and
remove these blocks so that you can do what you really want to do. The beauty of EFT is that
it is entirely tailored to each person just identify your obstacles and apply the process to the
words and thoughts that come into your head.
The basic process of EFT takes only a couple of minutes. For best results, take a full half hour
to one hour to explore your particular issue about motivation, or if you are short of time, you
can spend five or ten minutes each day, perhaps twice or three times a day, and after a week or
two you may be surprised how much progress you have made!
How do I do it?
See my website for a full explanation of the basic method of EFT. Meanwhile, on the next page
is a summary to get you started right away!
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How to do EFT

Identify your problem for

example, I can never get up early
enough for yoga.

Tap on the Karate Chop point

while saying, Even though [I can
never get up early enough for yoga], I
deeply and completely love and
accept myself. Say it three times
while tapping, substituting your own
problem in the sentence.

Tap on each of the other

points in turn, about 8 times each. At
each point, say your problem, I can
never get up early enough for yoga.

Repeat three times round all

the points.

There are many subtleties as you progress further with EFT techniques, but even this
basic procedure can bring shifts in your understanding or relief from your negative
feelings. You can repeat it often throughout the day for deeper results.

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Tool #4 Five 5 minute practices to use

throughout your day
Sometimes a full-length yoga practice seems daunting, or we simply cant fit it into a busy day.
Even five minutes of yoga can start to bring you some of the benefits, and you may find that
over time you effortlessly make time for a longer practice. There are several yoga practices that
you can do any time and any place, whether or not you are able to do a full yoga asana
(posture) session. For example, if you are ill, have just eaten a large meal, are very tired, are in a
public place, you can keep your yoga going with a simple five minute session.
Try practising one of these every day, or choose two or three and sprinkle them throughout
your day during a work break, while waiting to pick up your kids from school, while waiting
for the kettle to boil, when you get up in the morning, on returning home from work, or
before you sleep at night. Fit them in wherever you can!
Over the following pages I will show you how to use each one of these to form the basis of
your five minute practice.

Mudra

Pranayama

Shavasana

Meditation

Pick a
Pose

Practising in 5 minute segments can help your motivation by:

Keeping yoga at the forefront of your mind

Building a habit of daily yoga

You experience the benefits so you want to continue

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1. Mudra
Yogic hand positions called Mudras are a quick and easy way to benefit our mind and body.
They are believed to work by balancing the bodys subtle energies and nervous system, thereby
promoting physical health and mental balance.
Practise the classic Gyan Mudra:

Sit in a comfortable, upright position. Set a timer for 5 minutes.

Bring the tips of your thumbs and index fingers together on each hand, while letting
the other fingers extend gently outward from the palm. Rest your hands palms
upwards on your legs so that your arms and shoulders are completely relaxed and
comfortable.
Close your eyes. Focus on your breath and allow it to gradually become deep, even
and a little slower, but make sure you are not forcing it.
Continue like this for five minutes, being aware of your breath and the place where
your fingers and thumb join on each hand.
As an alternative, place your palms face down while maintaining the same finger
position.

This mudra is thought to stimulate the brain through the nervous and glandular systems,
improving memory, concentration and clarity of thought. It is said to be good for
procrastination, laziness and indecisiveness (perfect for motivation issues!). It also works on the
emotions, calming anxiety and depression. Practising it in bed can help prevent insomnia.

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2. Pranayama (Breath Practice)

Sit in a comfortable, upright position. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Close your eyes.
Focus on your breath and allow it to gradually become deep, even and a little
slower, but make sure you are not forcing it.
After several natural breaths like this, begin to breathe slowly and deeply into your
belly, filling it and expanding it, then into your ribcage, feeling it open outwards, and
finally right up to the space under your collarbones.
Fill up all the space in your torso and then exhale fully and slowly, emptying
everything completely.
Continue like this for 5 minutes.

Filling your brain and body with oxygen clears your mind and bring alertness. When the breath
slows down, so does the heart rate, promoting feelings of calmness and peace.

You can choose any pranayama

technique you may have learned
this is just a simple example.
Try Nadi Shodhana (Alternate
Nostril Breathing) for a calming
and balancing effect, or Bhastrika
(Bellows Breath) for a burst of
energy
and
improved
concentration.

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3. Meditation

Sit in a comfortable, upright position. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Close your eyes.
Focus on your breath and allow it to gradually become deep, even and a little slower,
but make sure you are not forcing it.
After several breaths, bring your attention to your heart centre not the physical
heart, but the place in the centre of the breast bone.
Feel as if you are breathing in and out of this spot.
When you notice your attention wandering, gently lead it back to your heart centre.
Continue for 5 minutes.

Mudra, pranayama and meditation

can all be practised easily pretty
much anywhere at your desk,
on the bus, or in a waiting room.
You have 5 minutes of calm
available to you at any time!
Notice how alert and refreshed
you feel afterwards.

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4. Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

Never underestimate the subtle benefits of this important pose! Lying down on your back in
Shavasana for five minutes can be extremely refreshing for your mind and body.
Although a 5 minute nap can also be a good thing, the point of Shavasana is not to sleep but to
remain alert.

Completely relax all the muscles of your body and allow the mind to focus gently on the
body:

on each body part in turn,

where the body touches the floor,
the movements of the breath in the torso,
or any other technique you may have learned in yoga class.

Regular practice of Shavasana can help you to get motivated for a longer yoga session by:

Reminding you how good it feels physically and mentally to practise yoga
Calming your mind so that you are better able to make clear-headed decisions about
what is of value to you in your life
Making you aware of all the tension that builds up daily in your body and beginning to
release it
Forming a habit of a mini-session so that you can easily slip into adding one or two more
poses

When could you add this pose into your day?

Remember, you dont have to wear special clothes or
wait a long time after a meal to practise this simple
pose.

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5. Practise one pose a day

A great way to begin to nurture a habit of daily practice is to choose just one pose and spend
five minutes a day with it.

Pick a pose that you like or that you want to develop.

Stick with the same pose for a week or a month, practising it while watching TV or at
any other regular time.
Or, pick 5 poses and cycle through them doing one each day for 5 minutes.
In the case of asymmetrical poses, do each side for 2 minutes.

Some ideas to get you started:

Tree Pose (Vrkshasana)

Warrior Pose
(Virabhadrasana)
Boat Pose (Navasana)
Seated Wide-legged
Forward
Fold (Upavista
Konasana)

Remember, its easy to be over-ambitious and try to squeeze in three or more poses into your
five minutes resist! If you really take the time to relax into your pose and give it your full time
and attention, you will see the benefits.
Yoga isnt about adding more things to your frenetic to-do list; its about making space to
pause, breathe, and re-set body and mind.

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Tool #5 How to structure your yoga

session
The poses you learn in a yoga class can be combined in different ways to suit your home
practice. A well-planned session leaves you feeling balanced and calm. Having the confidence to
plan a well-rounded, complete practice, however short, means that each yoga session feels so
good you want to do it again!
Always include the following in your
session:

Warm up stretches (e.g. Cat

Pose/Marjariasana)
A backbend (e.g. Locust
Pose/Shalabhasana)
A forward fold (e.g. Childs
Pose/Balasana)
A twist (e.g. Matsyendrasana)
Shavasana/Corpse Pose (at least 5
minutes at the end of your
practice)

Optionally include these types of poses

too:

An inversion (e.g. Downward

Facing Dog Pose/Adho Mukh
Svanasana)
A standing pose (e.g. Triangle
Pose/Trikonasana)
A side bend (e.g. Half Moon
Pose/Ardha Chandrasana)
A balancing pose (e.g. Eagle
Pose/Garudasana)

A counterpose is a pose which moves your body in the opposite direction, to balance the
body.
For example, an intense backbend such as Bow Pose/Dhanurasana needs to be followed by a
mild forward fold such as Childs Pose/Balasana.
Right and left sides need to be balanced too hold an asymmetrical pose like Triangle
Pose/Trikonasana for an equal length of time on each side.

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Tool #6 Practice schedule template

Now that you have a lot of ideas to help you practise, its time to plan what you will do.
Planning a schedule helps you carve out time for what is important to you (your yoga practice!)
and if you make an appointment with yourself for it, you are more likely to keep it, rather than
just doing it tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes!
You could make a weekly plan and do the same thing every week. If you are aiming for five
minutes a day, you could plan for the same practice every day for a month. Or, you could plan
for the week ahead and aim to change it each week.
It can be helpful to also plan which days you will have a rest from your yoga practice.
Whatever your personal plan, make sure you build in a time to re-evaluate your practice and
change it according to your changing needs and time available. That way your practice will stay
fresh and your plan do-able.

Make your plan realistic. It is

better to plan for a little yoga
and actually do it than make an
over-ambitious plan that you are
truly unable to stick to.

On the next page is an example practice schedule for you to fill out.
I have filled out a few example days make sure you customize it to your own needs and
practice.
The final column is for you to mark with a check when you have completed the practice. (This
is also a great motivator as you can see what you have achieved.)

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Date

Time

Yoga Practice Schedule

What to practise

Tues 2nd Jan

2017

6 am 6:15 am

2 x Sun Salutations, Pranayama

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Done

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Tool #7 Journaling Template

Planning and reflection comprise a two-pronged strategy to build your motivation. Now that
you have made a do-able plan of action, and hopefully begun to complete your practice
schedule, it is very helpful to reflect on your practice. One way to do this is to keep a record of
your thoughts and observations in a journal.
You can keep a physical journal, writing by hand in a notebook, or a digital journal on your
computer or other device. Different people prefer different methods.
It need not take a long time to jot down your thoughts each time you practise. But, it is helpful
to do it immediately afterwards so that your practice is fresh in your mind and your journaling
doesnt become yet another item on your to-do list. Make it a part of your practice!

Journaling serves three main purposes:

to assess what is and what isnt working for you (timing,

postures, etc) so that you can make any changes and
continue having a fulfilling practice
to express how the practice has benefited you
(emotionally, physically, etc) to reinforce your
commitment to the practice
to record what you have done and how you have
benefited so that you can look back over the weeks and
months and strengthen your desire to keep on with the
practice

On the next page is an example of a journaling process you could follow to start off.

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Yoga Practice Journal

Date:
What did I practise today?

How did I feel before the practice (physically, mentally, emotionally, etc)?

How did I feel after the practice (physically, mentally, emotionally)?

What stood out for me about the practice?

What do I want to change or remember to do for next time?

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Thank you for getting motivated with me!

Dont forget to follow me on Facebook and sign up for Lumen Yogas
blog posts.

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