In yoga, we focus on the intertwined physical, mental, and emotional bodies. Yoga classes targeting your core address all three. When you become truly strong and stable in your core, you’ll have self-confidence, efficient digestion and assimilation, a healthy spine, and toned abdominals.
1. Stoke Your Self-Confidence:
Your core houses the Manipura or navel chakra, which is considered the source of your identity and the center of your ego and personal power. Self-confidence, willpower, self-discipline, and fire are all qualities associated with the third chakra or energy center.
Sometimes we fall into patterns of questioning ourselves and settling into a pattern of insecurity. Balancing your center will help you overcome insecurity and prevent excessive ego. Through targeted asana, pranayama, and guided meditation, you can stoke the fire in your belly and burn through layers of self-doubt.
2. Create Healthy Digestion and Assimilation:
More than seventy percent of your immune system resides in your gut, so it’s vital to keep it healthy. When we focus on core strength, we’re creating a support system for our internal organs which helps us to digest, assimilate, and eliminate our food efficiently. Yoga and pranayama techniques can literally stimulate your internal organs, which helps your digestive system operate at ideal capacity. In the Heart of Yoga, T.K.V. Desikachar says to operate at our optimum levels we need to burn up “the rubbish.” Through focused attention to the core, our prana or life force energy can flow freely.
3. Strengthen and Tone Your Muscles:
The benefits of focusing on your core run deeper than simple aesthetics and muscular strength. Your core is comprised of not just your abdominals but also your back and glutes. When you create a toned powerhouse, you’re building a girdle of strong supple muscles to support your spine and prevent back pain. Working your core is important because it impacts every movement you take from walking, yoga, sports, and daily activities.
Check out this week’s specialized offerings to awaken and strengthen your center––and reap the benefits to your self-confidence, your digestion, and your strong muscles!
Somatics for Strong Abs & Healthy Back - Shy Sayar
Fusion Flow: Core Focus - Annie Coyle
Awaken the Core Vinyasa - Dylan Zukowski
Quick Core - Challenging Gravity - Jack Cuneo