In a recent conversation with Dr. Kitty Rathod, on how can Yoga help international students in maximising their output, we came up with this term called ’Study Abroad Yoga’. It can be overwhelming for international students to settle down in a new country and make new friends and adjust to a new culture and a new academic methodology at campus. The ancient science of Yoga can help the students in a big way to easily settle down and take challenges which can make their study abroad experience truly helpful for their growth and career success. Combing our decades of experience, I – Purvi Tantia (a study abroad and scholarship coach) and Dr. Kitty Rathod (a health counsellor and yoga coach) have come up with a 5-10 minutes yoga routine which can help international students to get maximum health results and give results in the areas where the international students feel most challenged. So, here are the 7 Poses which can constitute a 5-10 minute routine and help you scale up to bigger heights during your study abroad experience. Disclaimer – All the yoga poses and exercises should be done after consulting your doctor.
1. Pavan Mukta Asana
If you are feeling homesick, Pawan Mukta asana could help you relieve the stress that comes with homesickness. This is an asana which works to relieve any stress on mind, body or spirit. It also prepares your body to move with more ease and thus you can take more challenges in the area of sports or other activities that you are interested in.
2. Parvat Asana
If you are feeling low and do not want to attend the classes on regular basis, or are sticking to the idea of looking at lecture notes and viewing the recorded class lectures on the intranet or blackboard – gear up to do parvat asana every day and it can give you the power to move ahead and remove any mental roadblocks in your path towards getting best out of your university experience. Parvat Asana can help you avoid the herd mentality, which might give you the ideas like my friends are not going for classes – so I also skip classes.
3. Vakra Asana
Every international student needs to be adapt to new culture, new people and new education system. This requires a lot of flexibility and adaptability. Regular practice of Vakra Asana gives you that flexibility in your body, which further gives you that flexibility in the mind to continuously embrace change of any form that comes your way.
4. VirBhadr Asana
This asana is often called the Warrior pose. If you are on the top of your goals and moving steadily towards every goal that you write for your study abroad experience, then this asana can help you increase your speed and give you the strength to take even more difficult challenges and also achieve them. Warrior pose as the name suggests enlighten the inner warrior inside you and success comes easily through newly gained mental, physical and spiritual strength.
5. Bhujang Asana
If you are feeling low on confidence in any area of study abroad – be it talking in a new language, starting communication with strangers on campus or raising your hand when the teachers ask to volunteer for group leadership roles – Bhujanga asana can help you increase your confidence level multiple folds. The asana prepares you to look up and raise your head with confidence every time.
6. Anulom Vilom
The alternative breathing in this asana helps you align your left brain and right brain better. Thus, if you are looking forward to use both your logic and creative side while you study abroad, include anulom vilom in your daily practice.
7. Shav Asana
This is the relaxing pose that helps you live those few moments when you can re-connect to yourself and consciously relax yourself. Always remember, you need to give relaxation time to yourself. It becomes even more important when you are studying abroad and you do not have family around to remind you to slow down for a bit so that you can prepare your self for the next bigger challenge. So, whenever you end your yoga practice – end it with shav asana – connect with yourself and enjoy your ‘me time’ in that pose.