“A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it. It just blooms.”
– Zen Shin
Ok, maybe hand-stands are pushing it a little, but...we could start slow?
At home, or in safe spaces, when I need a break or an energiser, I find myself tending to doing playful yoga moves; crow's, handstands, chair pose etc. Acrobatics that help me ‘state change’ and pick up the energy in the room. A yogi is like a DJ spinning energy into the party! I guess there's an assana for every moment. But lately, I've been loving my hand-stand practice.
That's what I love about yoga. Aside from the philosophy and yogi mindset, which is a supremely focused, collaborative and a uniquely inter-connected mindset, still fierce and competitive, but with grace. The ultimate growth mindset, curious, adaptive, willing to 'learn to unlearn to relearn’ and experimenting with a view to achieving 'perfectly imperfect’ states where progress and learning is valued above perfection. Guided by profound values of humanity, love, boldness and kindness, to oneself and others. Yoga as philosophy is more a state than a practice, for me at least. It provides a sound basis for winning relational dialogue.
My experiences have led me on a path where I've come to believe that this is what the world needs more of right now. Ubuntu magic, meaning, 'I am, because of we'. Longitudinal studies conducted at Harvard Medical School have shown that the single biggest predictor of happiness, wellbeing and success in life (and for longevity) is ecosystem or tribe. 'We rise by lifting others'. Our ability to survive and thrive depends on how we co-exist and work together. More hive learning, growing and thriving together. Kindness and collaboration to lift the game for everyone willing one another on to become the best versions of themselves, each and every day; more power to teams & tribes, communities, and the infinitely more adaptable warrior bee's, looking out for one another and the precious ecosystems we live in. But back to the hand-stands.
If you're into playing and having childlike fun, inversions are the ultimate way to do this whilst also prepare your body for life’s chaos and stress! By performing these, and of course other inverted poses, you’re literally viewing the world upside down, and it creates magnificent perspective. Chaos and order take on a whole new twist. Suddenly, ambiguity looks and feels like a friend.
Even for the humble warrior, a yoga pose - aligned to good breathing systems - is more a cloak of armour or mindset; you adopt a stance that grounds you in the present moment, primed for any challenge; where you're able to focus and perform at your best. Once you’re in flow or in the ‘the zone’, your body switches off its prefrontal cortex, your brain's own ‘inner critic'. Creativity (inventive problem solving) and focus spikes by up to 500% for several days after a flow state. We become selfless, moving with effortlessness through stress and the unknown. This in turn heightens the richness of the experience, oblivious to time. The moving meditation enables us to shift our states becoming more energised, focused and fearless.
Doing this tends to help 'practice' the body's nervous systems to deal with stress and anxiety. Heat shock therapy is an added benefit for fighting inflammation and cell repair.
These conditions trip the bodies natural 'fight or flight' pathways, sending cortisol coursing through our veins, emulating situations that trigger 'alert states'; the bodies autonomic nervous system. Kinda like cold showers in the snow.
Maybe this could be a fun way to energise workshops? I might start priming my workshop attendees to expect a slightly different kind of ice-breaker in the future!
For more on how yoga and mindfulness can be applied in the workplace to develop growth mindsets, vitality and inventive problem-solving, please reach out for a confidential chat.
About the author:
Andrew is an adviser to some of the most admired FTSE500 & F100 companies and start-ups, with a passion for growth and innovation, keynote speaker on building world-class scaling & advanced revenue growth playbooks & ways of working, fmr Co-Founder/ Managing Partner at a London based boutique strategy consultancy, Founder of 'Hustle & Flow Ventures' and co-founder in customer data/ analytics and artificial intelligence scaleups.
A curious adventurer who's loathe to speak about himself in the third person, he can however be persuaded to try new uncomfortable things, daily. Andrew is also former captain of the Springbok Underwater Hockey squad, a qualified transformational yoga & meditation teacher, keen student of neuroscience and aspiring author on 'The Founder's Mindset', flow theory and cultivating head, heart and gut health to optimise wellbeing and create thriving ecosystems.
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