Meditation – To Do It Before Yoga Or After A Yoga Session?

Yoga practice has proven so beneficial that millions of people have applied it to their morning routine.

Many experts believe it can even help you with weight loss. On the other hand, meditation is practised by almost everybody who has the discipline to do it.

Meditation and yoga go hand in hand, and it can be said that those who practice yogic meditation also do yoga. It is believed that it can calm the mind through breathing exercises. 

The goal of meditation is to reach a blissful state where the reason is free of anxieties and can control the stress hormones.

Experts believe that they both positively affect each other, and it would be a good idea to practice them together. But is there a right way to do this?

Should you do yoga first and the meditation after, or should you do the meditation first and then do yoga? What will have a better effect?

In this article, I'll explain the difference between meditation and yoga and when it's beneficial to practice one or the other.

Firstly, what is Yoga?

The word yoga can be translated as “union” or “oneness with the spirit of the universe.” Yoga is an ancient practice that is rooted in Hinduism. It involves physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation. 

It's hard to imagine yoga without meditation, but they are two separate things.

Yoga asanas have many benefits. First of all, your body becomes more flexible and more robust thanks to the physical poses. It helps you maintain a good posture and lose fat. 

Yoga also improves your overall health. As a result of the postures, you get a healthier heart, stronger bones, and enhanced flexibility.

Another reason why many people practise yoga postures is to relieve stress and anxiety, reduce pain or even cure diseases.

Yoga is beneficial in giving you better sleep and controlling your weight - it helps you lose weight if you practice it correctly. 

The best thing about yoga is that it might help improve your mental health.

What is Meditation?

It is considered very effective in improving your health and reaching a higher level of consciousness.

It helps you concentrate on your breath, the centre of your consciousness, so your mind remains busy and doesn't wander.

Meditation also improves your energy levels. By remaining concentrated on your breathing, you can increase your energy to a deeper level.

Many people believe meditation can help them achieve peace of mind and achieve happiness. It is believed that meditation enables the ability to concentrate on equally pleasurable things. 

In addition, it helps you develop deep compassion towards yourself and others around you.

Benefits of Doing Meditation Before Yoga

• Meditation helps you relax. It calms your body, allowing you to focus on the process of yoga.
• The energy you’ll get from meditation will be transferred to yoga. The goal is to reach a higher level of consciousness, so practising meditation before yoga will help you achieve that.
• If you’re an anxious person, yoga might not be the best thing for you because it could cause panic attacks. You should start with meditation first and then move to yoga after that.
• If you are a person who is easily distracted, meditation will give you focus. In addition, it will allow you to concentrate on your body movements during yoga.
• Some people have trouble enduring pain when practising yoga or doing any exercise in general. Meditation makes it easier to do so because it calms the mind and the body.

Benefits of Doing Meditation After Yoga

• If your problem is sleeplessness, meditation after yoga relaxes you and makes you feel better mentally. This way you’ll be able to sleep better.
• Meditation after yoga facilitates the process of mental healing. Yoga purifies your body and mind, but meditation heals your soul.
• Meditation after yoga also helps you deal with pain because it calms the mind and the body, so it’s less painful to practice yoga.
• It is believed that yoga before meditating will increase your stamina and endurance, which is essential if you want to continue meditating for a long time.

Conclusion

Both yoga and meditation have been used for centuries to achieve a state of calm and focus. While each has its unique benefits, combining the two can produce even more positive results.

There are no hard and fast rules for the order you should practice yoga and meditation. Determining whether you meditate before or after your yoga session depends on your goals. 

However, if you are new to the practice, I suggest starting with yoga first. By creating a gentle flow of postures, you will be more prepared for meditation challenges. 

Many yoga practices include meditation. For example, The Shavasana pose at the end of traditional yoga practices often consists of a brief guided meditation.

It depends on what your needs are and what you’re looking for. Experiment with different methods to find out which ones work best for you.

Which do you think is better- starting with yoga or meditation first? Do you have any tips on the order you should practice yoga and meditation? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

1. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-842-04978-1

2. http://www.yogitimes.