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Yoga and INFPS

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infps
6K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  Sybyll 
#1 ·
I was just wondering how many of you practise yoga and how you find it.

It seems very suited to our preferences due to focusing on your inner self and being very peaceful - however, there is also a lot of focus on being present in the moment, which I personally find very difficult and think is more an S ability.

I wonder whether practising yoga will enable me to develop my ability to be more present in the moment and not always be thinking about what-ifs and things that may or may not happen, or whether my preferences just mean that in quiet times I will naturally be drawn to musings like this!

What do you think?
 
#2 ·
I tried medidating (not yoga) once, just because I wanted to try it out and because of the points you made. I already read some stuff on meditation and Buddhism. Well, I put on a audio cd with a guy telling me how to meditate. I sat on my bed and I was like, what am I doing? Haha, so my attention span can be pretty short if something doesn't grab me. I immediately went back to what I was doing. I can be very patient, but at times I prefer doing the things I really want to do. I might try it another time though, when I'm a bit more concentrated.
 
#4 ·
If anything, yoga feels fantastic. It hurts so good. After a nice stretch of body parts you didn't know existed, it feels like you just had a massage.

There's something nice about the focus too. It probably won't be practical to help you focus in day to day life unless you commit, but it is good for the time you are tuned in to every tiniest muscle in your body. Actually, if you want something that can be used when you are feeling overwhelmed by overthinking, I recommend meditation. Personal preference anyway, meditation is a bit more practical.

I don't know which direction to point you. I'd say just find a cheap class somewhere or check out some guides online. The important thing to remember is yoga is about engaging every muscle in your body, not just about performing the poses. Pay attention to your fingers and toes as much as your arms, legs, and torso.
 
#5 ·
I prefer meditation. Broad term, but it's just sitting down and reflecting. On the day, on yourself, whatever needs to be reflected on. I try to do some everyday, at least to just reflect on the day and on what happened.

Then there's always the methods to help you be in the moment. Focus on the letter A and watch how quickly your mind goes to work. Try to stop it, try to think of nothing and after enough practice you'll be able to catch yourself when you think things and you'll be able to realize what you're doing, stop your mind from thinking and you'll be more aware of what's going on around you, every second of the day because your in the moment and not letting your mind take you away into fantasy land. You'll be focused. :)
 
#6 ·
Ive done "hot yoga" or Birkam yoga I think its called, I really enjoyed it! I didn't find it hard to focus, I found that I slip into the zone so to speak, in fact that's part of what I like about it, it sort of helps one connect emotionally physically mentally etc, and in that connection, that sense of oneness in your being, you release so much tension! Its amazing, like psilo said you are aware of so much... Anyway, I think its great! Worth trying out! :)
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#8 ·
I've known INFJs who were into it, but have never tried it because I'm totally undisciplined and impatient.
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#9 ·
I've been to a couple of yoga classes before, one was excellent and one was very strange and featured lots of panting (I only went there once!).

In the past I have done classes from "Yoga Download" which are very good, but INFP-ly I have tended to get very excited about it, do it for about 3 days and then give up because I can't get my mind to be still. I am giving it another try though and I am going to do my best to keep it up, because for several weeks I have been unable to sleep and then I did Lunar Flow yoga for the last 2 nights and slept amazingly well!

When I am doing yoga I try to focus on the breathing and postures but my mind will insist on going off on weird tangents, I just keep trying to bring it back to what it's meant to be doing!
 
#10 ·
I've wanted to try meditation before, but I've just never got round to being bothered to try. My INFJ friend seems to enjoy it, I tried meditating with him once, but clearing my mind of thoughts is near impossible. :p
 
#12 ·
I really like that comment that it just takes practice! Thanks!

I have started to notice that my daydreaming is really impacting on my life - for example, at work (I teach) I have been criticised for not being constantly aware of everything that goes on in the room. I have on occasion been talking to one of the children and not noticed if another child has been chatting or throwing a rubber or walking around the room, etc! At the time when this was going on I didn't know what was causing it but since I have been learning more about the MBTI it really seems that it is because I am not predisposed to "sensing" and get carried away in my theoretical chats with the kids so that I lose track of what is happening in the present moment! I actually had to train myself to remember to look up and scan the room every ten seconds so that I kept a better track on everything.

This is just one example, there are lots more times when I miss out on things because I am too busy introspecting and daydreaming. I'm quite hopeful now that if I practise yoga and meditation then it will help me be more mindful and present in life!
 
#13 ·
Okay, so I'm not an infp, but I have done som yoga (and I've signed up for some classes, so I'm going to, again). I think it must be the most comfortable way of excersising. After a session I feel like I'm floating on a cloud.

I think the part about "being in the moment" might make me a more balanced person, since I'm not exactly good at that sort of thing (isn't that Se?). I have a pretty strong preference for N, I think. This is a good thing in some contexts, not so great in others.

Meditating is great, too, but I tend to detach completely from the world outside my head when I do it, and I'm not sure if being even more detached would exactly be healthy. Still, I meditate for half an hour every morning (partly because I have to do this "morning activity"-thing that the school insists on, but mostly because it's a good way to start the day).

When I say meditate, I mean the sort where you sit (or lie) still focusing on your breathing and clearing your mind (or walk around doing the same thing), not that I sit down and think every morning. That's sort of what I do the rest of the day... ;)
 
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