I LOVE yoga!

I’ve been practicing yoga since 1989, went through teacher training for the fun of it in 1995 and can’t imagine my life without yoga!

Yoga has slowly infused it’s benefits on both my body and mind over the years. When I really think about how much I’ve learned about life from time spent on my yoga mat, I’m amazed. Here are some of those lessons:

1. Breathe 

It’s simple but has huge impact! Take some deep breaths during the day & see how quickly you can regain some focus and energy or even calmness. We usually take small, shallow breaths. When we take deeper, slower breaths, there’s a change in our bodies on a deep, cellular level. We can help to change our moods anytime with breathing.

2. Be True To Yourself

In yoga you could be practicing next to a ballet dancer who can get into every pose without even trying. But the truth is, she isn’t challenging herself, either.  Do what’s right for you and try to learn and grow.  Be okay with where you are but have goals about where you want to go.

3. From Pain Comes Strength

One of my favorite yoga teachers always says this when we are holding a really challenging pose. She helps us focus on the fact that when the muscle is burning, we’re getting stronger. So true in life as well. We all face situations outside of our comfort zone and those seem to be the situations that we learn the most from and gain inner strength when challenged.

4. Get Rid Of What’s Not Serving You

Another yoga teacher has frequently said this in class as part of the meditation at the end of a challenging practice. With breathing exercises you can let go of stress that you’ve been holding onto. Clear out the toxins in your mind and body so that you can move on and be clear in your mind & light on your feet.  Allow yourself to let go of negative thoughts.  It really is a choice. And you can make better decisions when you have that type of clarity.

5. Listen To Your Body

In yoga if your shoulder is hurting, you don’t want to go into a handstand and put lots of pressure on your shoulder and risk further injury. You have to listen to your body and respect how you feel. In life, I try to listen to my gut and be instinctual. If something feels wrong, even if I’m not sure why, I listen to my inner voice…it’s usually right. If I feel exhausted or burned out, I try to give myself some extra rest and rejuvenate. Be aware of what your body is telling you.

This is just scratching the surface but I felt so energized when I left yoga this morning, I just wanted to share this with you.  Do you do yoga? What do you love about it?

Namaste~