5 Benefits of Transition: In Yoga & In Life
In Yoga, a transition pose is one that creates ease and fluidity from one pose to the next. It allows the body and breath the space and time to move with ease and is helpful in preventing injury, pain, and discomfort.
Like many things in yoga, these key transitions can translate into everyday living. We all experience transition of one form or another, big and small, whether it’s: moving, changing careers, having children, getting married or divorced, the loss of a loved one, retirement, becoming ill… the list goes on. And with these transitions, there can be a range of emotions we experience, which can then carry into the mental or physical body as well. Change can be uncomfortable, unnerving, and downright inconvenient. The key in any transition is how we approach it, physically, mentally, emotionally, and how we cope with it.
Yogic postures for transition typically involve sitting with the pose for a few moments and allowing the body and breath to relax into the pose, calming the mind and the nervous system. Some of these poses include child’s pose, downward dog, mountain pose, forward fold, and, my personal favorite, savasana, or corpse pose. There’s something to be said about allowing the body a chance to process, breathe, and relax.
So how does this translate into everyday life transitions, you ask? Well, you’re always welcome to go into child’s pose or savasana at any time (because, why not?!), but these poses teach us the beauty of stillness, reminding us that whenever something becomes too much to process in that moment, turning to breath and stillness is always an acceptable answer.
But what are other ways to help create ease during transition?
Soothing and Warm Drink
Drinking a warm cup of chamomile or lavender tea not only promotes relaxation but can act as a form of grounding. Add lemon to create a more invigorating pick me up, or cinnamon to reduce inflammation and blood pressure.
Movement
If you’re someone who struggles with stillness, there are still other ways to approach transition and change with ease. If you’re someone who craves movement when in chaos, a walk outdoors, a juicy yoga class, or any other form of healthy movement can help the mind to slow down, focus on the task at hand, while also allowing gentleness in the body.
Breath Work
Take a few minutes out of the day to utilize breath work – whichever kind helps calm your mind. Here are a few I’ve found especially helpful:
Alternate nostril breathing: the practice of breathing in and out of one nostril at a time helps to calm the nervous system, create a feeling of internal peace and harmony, and scientifically demonstrates the harmonization of one side of the brain with the other. It is especially helpful after a fight or flight response from your nervous system – perfect during times of high stress.
Diaphragmatic breathing: This practice encourages awareness of breathing fully and completely into the belly, at a similar pace on the inhale as the exhale. This practice is effective for stress relief as it asks you to focus on just the breath and any feelings that may arise. It provides a chance for the mind to become quieter, which I think we can all agree is key during times of overwhelming change.
4-7-8 Breathing: This technique asks you to inhale for a count of four, hold the breath for a count of seven, and exhale for a count of eight. It is effective in activating the parasympathetic nervous system, promotes relaxation, and can even encourage sleep – which can also become disrupted during times of transition.
During any form of breathwork it is always helpful to bring awareness to your body – feelings, sensations, emotions, thoughts that may come to the surface. While action isn’t necessary, simply noticing can be a game changer for your overall mood, well-being, and action plan for later. Stillness can actually create insight – who knew?!
Seek Support
Times of transition can be a difficult time to seek out others for support. When we’re feeling down or stressed it can create a feeling of isolation and loneliness, making us less likely to seek the support of others. However, this can become a great opportunity to build community of like-minded people. And the power of perspective from others can create a great mindset shift that you’ve been looking for during times of stress – when our brains typically struggle to find any silver linings.
And speaking of silver linings, while transition can be challenging to navigate and cope with, there can be some beauty that comes from it all. Sometimes hindsight is 20/20, but beauty nonetheless!
Benefits from Transition
A chance for inner wisdom and knowledge.
Sometimes we can’t see who we are and what we want without the mess, the mistakes, the hiccups. And sometimes it takes becoming clear on what we don’t want in order to see what we do want. While transition can be difficult, it’s an opportunity for a newly developed sense of self, which only benefits you in the long run.
An opportunity for growth and learning.
As humans we’re constantly seeking growth and expansion. Unfortunately, and fortunately, sometimes growth can be uncomfortable and at times, feels unbearable. What’s comforting to know is that regardless of any decisions we make or any experiences we have, growth will always follow. It’s a one constant in situations that feel unpredictable.
Develops resiliency.
Along with growth, humans are wired to adapt. No matter what crosses our paths, we adapt in one way or another. That’s something to be proud of! Even through the difficult times, the stressful times, we know how to adapt to our environment and our surroundings. This just better prepares us for whatever the road brings ahead. Like adding armor to our already amazing suits!
Creates new experiences.
Some transitions can be terrifying but in the end, we have the awareness that this terrifying leap will bring better change in the future. So rather than give in to the fear, acknowledge the fear while also acknowledging it can all become one beautiful experience towards the future self you’re seeking.
Creating community.
As a society, we’ve seemed to revere independence and autonomy and the lack of reliance we need from others. But we forget how beautiful and supportive community can be! Community provides perspective and the knowledge that no one is truly alone – we’re all just trying the best we can at any given moment. So while it may be uncomfortable to seek community, the benefits far outweigh the fears in the long run.
At the end of it all, everyone experiences transition in life. I dare say, transitions are a key to life. I guess that’s just part of this human experience. And while it can be uncomfortable, stressful, upsetting, or heartbreaking, there are ways to approach processing and coping to create a bit more ease during that time. And there’s also some benefits on the other side of those transitions. Like in yoga, remember to take it slowly, breathe deeply, and seek support whenever it’s needed. There’s something beautiful on the other side.
