According to the Yoga Alliance, 36 million Americans practiced yoga in 2016. This number is twice what it was in the previous four years. As yoga’s popularity increases, so do the reasons why people implement it in their lives. People are constantly looking for new ways to practice yoga, which is why kava yoga has emerged.
A few of the top reasons people engage in yoga is to better their health, reduce stress and because they enjoy it. Others start to lose weight, develop better habits and because they want to find ways to practice mindfulness to calm their minds.
Yoga offers all these benefits and more, and the popularity of kava yoga helps people to benefit more from yoga.
Benefits of Yoga
Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years. It is meant to join or become a union. The union is between you and the spirituality side of your life. It is a practice that can connect you with something greater.
There are branches of yoga that aid in this connection. These include hatha, mantra, karma, bhakti, raja and jnana.
In ancient times, kava was consumed by the Chiefs and Leaders of a village to help them connect with the Gods. Kava was, and still is, revered due to its ability to overcome daily stressors.
The Chopra Center reports there are seven spiritual laws of yoga. These surround positive laws such as giving and receiving, intentions, desires and even karma. You can experience these through the physical and mental movements you make during yoga.
Yoga is comprised of stretching and breathing exercises, warmup positions, physical poses to exercise your body, and relaxation periods to allow the body to cool down.
There are both physical and mental benefits of yoga. It can teach you how to relax your body so that you can have better flexibility and balance. Yoga can also teach you to be aware of what your body needs, to pay attention to every part of the body.
Yoga is also a tool to build self-confidence, encouraging you to do more for yourself, whether socially or by yourself. It can even improve your confidence in how you practice and progress with yoga.
Many people surveyed reported they didn’t try yoga due to feeling like they were inadequate or not flexible enough to participate. Others thought yoga was for a certain type of people and they are "outside" that group.
What they should know, however, is that yoga is a practice that teaches you to be non-judgmental and welcoming to all. There are plenty of positive attributes of yoga.
Yoga’s Positive Teachings
Yoga is not only for the super flexible. Instead, it is to be used at any level of physical capabilities. You can simply do the poses based on how your body can move and bend right now in the moment. Your abilities will change over time. They may even change from day to day.
Everyone who practices yoga had a starting point where they were learning and not considered professional. Some stay in this beginning stage for lengthy periods. This is what makes yoga effective, no one must to move to various levels when they are not ready.
Yoga, according to the National Institute on Health, teaches you the power of the mind and how important it is to be healing the whole body. It teaches you that you are perfectly capable of healing yourself from the inside out. And when you do, it is empowering.
While yoga on its own is beneficial, when combined with kava it can produce even greater effects.
Why Engage In Kava Yoga
Kava is an herb that has been used for centuries. Kava is extracted from the root of the piper methysticum plant that grows in the Pacific Islands. The root is pounded into a powder and mixed with water. It is then strained.
The liquid that is strained is then consumed and the effects begin to appear almost immediately. Some report a tingling feeling on the tongue before they experience an overall relaxed manner.
Soon after, a person drinking kava can feel calm, in good spirits and with complete mental clarity. These qualities can enhance your yoga practices.
How to Take Kava with Yoga
Before you begin your yoga exercises, you want to make sure you are in the right physical and mental state. Kava can help you reach this state of mind and body.
Plan to drink kava about one half hour before your yoga exercises. There are many ways to consume kava but the easiest is to purchase ready-mix kava or instant kava powder. With this form, you can simply mix the powder with a drink of your choice and enjoy.
When you start to feel the effects of the kava, such as relaxed muscles, happy mood and an overall feeling of goodwill, begin yoga.
Kava Will Enhance the Benefits of Yoga
Kavalactones contribute to the effects kava has on a person. It can help to learn which combinations are best for you.
Stretching and warm up exercises are key to getting ready for yoga. Because kava relaxes your muscles, you will find warming up to be easier. You will be more flexible and can stretch your body further than without kava.
Kava helps you remain clear headed. This means you can focus on both your breathing and the needs of your body during yoga.
Kava helps to reduce mental worries. Yoga meets the same goals. When used together during kava yoga, you can reach this relaxed state even faster.
Building confidence and internal peace can lead to better relationships with friends and family. Combining kava and yoga can aid in this process.
Research has shown our thoughts and behaviors affect the chemicals and structuring of your brain. This is good news because if you learn to think, feel and act in a positive way, your brain will be positively rewired.
Both kava and yoga helps you to have positive thoughts, actions and feelings. When combined in kava yoga, training your brain to be positive is more easily accomplished.
You will then notice your outlook on life, the way you handle daily struggles and your relationships with others will begin to improve. Yoga is so much more than just a way to exercise. It can change your life for the better.
When yoga is combined with kava, the positivity within yourself and outwardly will increase and you will be able to enjoy the great life you deserve.