Connect your toning workout with simple affirmations to build a more positive outlook along with strong muscles.
By Elizabeth Turner & Linda Shelton
Photography By Ericka Mcconnell
EVERY TIME you exercise, you're building a stronger body. Why not build emotional fitness and a more positive attitude while you're at it?
According to fitness expert and Taoist minister Tammy Wise, creator of the video BodyLogos: The Tao of Strength Training (bodylogosfitness.com), even a basic strength routine offers an opportunity to cultivate intuition, fearlessness, and other positive inner qualities.
Every major muscle group in your body is connected to an element of inner strength, explains Wise, who designed this empowering workout for Natural Health. By repeating simple affirmations as you do your reps, you invite more of these positive qualities into your life.
Here's how it works: Two to three times a week, do two sets of each exercise. During the first set, focus on the mind-muscle connection: For example, as you work your abs, meditate on the gut-level quality of intuition. Then, as you take a minute to rest, focus on how intuition is working in your life right now. During the final set, repeat the affirmation--silently or aloud--to reinforce your belief in your own intuition.
As you move through the workout, observe your posture, as well as the thoughts and images that cross your mind. "You'll cultivate inner power as you build muscle," Wise promises, "and come away from the workout feeling pumped, inside and out."
This article appeared in Natural Health.
http://www.naturalhealthmag.com/health/exercises/13
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