getting rid of compassion fatigue through yoga

Our life is so full of travesties that it makes us bounded in it and no matter how much we try to overcome it, we find ourselves immersed in it. Some people face what is known as compassion fatigue, which Michael J. Stoltzfus defines as self-critical and doubtful thoughts that lead to psychosomatic illness. It is a feeling of isolation, apathy, and hostility that are faced by care workers, nurses and all people who are healing the suffering of others. Figley (1995) also defines it as a “state of exhaustion and dysfunction (biologically, psychologically and socially) as a result of prolonged exposure to compassion stress.” The more people are emotionally drawn towards patients to heal them, the more they themselves face compassion fatigue. It is a state of physical, mental, spiritual and emotional setback, including lack of willingness to work, irritation, lack of motivation and enthusiasm. In one or more phases of our life, we all also become susceptible to experiencing compassion fatigue. A positive attitude towards life and exercising are the best remedies to motivate, energize, and relieve us from the symptoms of compassion fatigue. It is said that yoga is a deed and not an action. When yoga is for 24 hours a day and seven days a week of our life, then we see magic happening in our life. These deeds are not tough, but we must have commitment. Here are some of the yoga relaxation techniques that can surely help you overcome it. These techniques can be performed while sitting, standing or even when you are lying down. The pattern can easily be learned and repeated. Step 1 – Lie down straight with your eyes closed, and arms towards your sides, and start breathing in and out. Clench your fist. When you breathe out release your fist, wait for a while and then breathe in, this time tightening your fists. You can feel your arm muscles tighten. Repeat this exercise for a few minutes. Step 2 – Then, fold your hands together with only fingertips touching like a steeple. Close your eyes, and as you breathe in press the fingertips together, firmly and evenly. As you breathe out, allow the air to release and feel the pressure on the fingertips. Reciprocatively breathe in, take in the air. By the end, it feels as though your fingertips are hardly touching. Repeat this movement again for a few minutes. Relax for a while and move on to a third step. Step 3 – Now, keep your hand rested on your heart or your belly. When you take a breath in you will feel your hand is lifted, then take your breath out and allow it to sink down again. Press your thumb over the belly. When you find yourself too wrapped up in concern for others, take a moment to find balance. You can do yoga anywhere, wherever you are, whether working in a kitchen or a garden and even in an office. There are so many yoga practices out there. The important thing is to find out which yoga practice is best for you. It is not important how much time you devote to yoga, but how committed you are. If you are beginner, do yoga for as little as ten minutes, depending on your capacity, and then slowly increase the duration. Yoga is for everyone, and if you adopt yoga it becomes apart of you, and you will learn to feel relaxed and motivated in many emotionally taxing situations. You might also like this: adrenal fatigue yoga – 5 remedies to restore our adrenal glands