Yoga to Help Find Clarity

Clarity is incredibly important. It's more than just clear thinking and confident decision-making.  Clarity brings you greater self-awareness and a clear understanding of your values, your desires and your true priorities as well as emotional resilience in the face of all challenges.  It helps you to see what is truly important and also allows you to see and let go of anything that does not nurture and support you on our journey.  Clarity is the solid foundation on which you can build a vibrant, purposeful and authentic life…one that brings you joy, peace and fulfillment.

Yoga is a beautiful practice to help you gain clarity.  Regular practice can enhance your focus, sharpen your thinking and calm your mind.  It’s especially useful if you practice with mindfulness, building present moment awareness through the exploration of each pose. Yoga poses offer you a chance to develop an awareness of mind, breath, and body. And a fresh lens with which to view the world.

As part of our Intention Based Yoga Practices, Jennifer Reaburn and I created a lovely practice called I AM CLARITY. 

Clarity requires the ability to see things differently, to see things from different angles.  It requires the ability to step back, let go, and trust. This yoga sequence has a combination of longer hold stretches and angled poses that get energy flowing in different areas of the body.  Taking the time to breathe and be in your body can help you access the deep inner wisdom within.  Throughout your practice today, trust that the body knows, your heart knows, and keep returning to centre. You might say ”Thank you, inner wisdom, for leading me to clarity.” 

This practice is approximately 15 minutes, but depends on how long you’d like to hold some of the poses.

Below is the sequence of 8 poses plus a seated meditation.  Click HERE for detailed explanations of each pose.

1. Easy Pose (Sukhasana)- Begin here, to arrive and get grounded.  If there’s something you need clarity on, this is the moment to acknowledge and set your intention.
   
2. Forehead to Knee Pose (Janusirsasana)- Stay for 10-20 breaths, breathing slowly and evenly, noticing the different sensations in your body. Slowly release and repeat on the other side.
   
3. Seated Wide-Legged Forward Bend (Upavistha Konasana) - Stay for 10-20 breaths. Stay responsive and mindful, present with the sensations you have in your body today, and let go of any ideas of where/how you “should” feel. 
4. Cat-Cow Poses (Marjariasana-Bitilasana)- Move fluidly from Cat to Cow 8 times.  Scan your awareness through your whole spine from your tailbone to the crown of your head on every breath, listening to every inch of your spine and allowing the sensations to lead you into understanding.
5. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) - Stay for 3-5 breaths. Keep rooting your awareness to your breath and the sensations in your body. Clarity comes not from thinking, but from feeling. Trust your body. 
   
6. Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana) - Step your right foot forward and move into Extended Side Angle, which is all about lengthening from the rooted outside edge of your back foot through to the fingertips and looking over your shoulder for a new perspective.  Stay for 5 breaths.
   
7. Revolved Side Angle Pose (Parivrtta Parsvakonasana)- Stay for 5 breaths. Then move back to Downward Facing Dog. Step the left foot forward and repeat BOTH Extended Side Angle and Revolved Side Angle Poses on the left side.
8. Savasana- Allow yourself to relax and receive the support of the floor beneath you. Rest here as long as you like, noticing your breath and the sensations in your body. 

Follow this sequence with a seated meditation practice incorporating Heart-Centred Breathing.  In your comfortable seated meditation position, place your hands over heart centre and Imagine your breath is flowing in and out of the heart area or the centre of your chest. Take slow, relaxed breaths, and continue to focus on the movement of your breath in and out of your heart. Breathe here for about five minutes (set a timer perhaps, or play a favourite, beautiful piece of music to meditate with.) 

When you’ve finished this I AM CLARITY practice, take a moment to check in with how you feel - and trust the clarity that arises from your heart. 

Here are a few more HUM resources to help you build you personal home yoga practice.

How to Create Your Personal Yoga Practice at Home
10 Tips to Start Your Home Yoga and Meditation Practice
Empower Your Practice With Yoga Props
How to Bring Mindfulness to Any Yoga Practice
Finding Your Yoga Foundation