Beat the Burnout: How Regular Yoga Practice Can Help Create Balance in Daily Life
We’ve all been there: It’s another week and the to-do list seems never ending. Whether it’s projects at work, managing the household, or the regular ups and downs that life throws at us. As humans in this modern world, it can often feel like our plates are not only full, but overflowing! It takes a significant amount of energy to keep things moving and find both the physical and mental energy to keep up with the hustle and bustle of daily life.
In yoga philosophy, there are three energetic forces that are part of the life cycle called guanas: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. Sattva is the state where we aspire to be, where our energy is balanced. As you can imagine, this is almost impossible to maintain, however, one of the reasons to incorporate regular yoga practice into your schedule is to attempt to find this state of balance. The universe is always cycling out the energy to help you create that balance.
Rajas is energy characterized by ferocity and passion. It’s the “go, go, go” of life and that effort and hard work we put into making the most of life. However, we cannot maintain this state for long and feel healthy. If you take on too much and create too much rajas, you are going to face the dreaded “burnout” which often comes in the form of some physical ailment. This is the universe sending tamas energy to help you find that balance.
However, too much tamas can also be a problem. Tamas is characterized by density and earth and can attribute to that lethargic feeling we can sometimes feel stuck in, especially after a period of fiery, turbulent rajas energy. These energies will continue to ebb and flow in our life, but there is a way to help us find balance!
Yoga practice can help us with this by bringing self-awareness and helping us look inward. We can learn to recognize these energies and decide what we need to do in order to help us achieve that sense of balance that we strive for. Consistent practice allows you to take time out of your day to “tune out” external factors and give yourself time to heal, strengthen, and meet yourself where you are.
At Lift Easton, we offer a variety of classes for different levels and schedules so you can take time to honor your spiritual, mental, and physical health. Learn more about our class offerings and community at lifteaston.com.
