Yoga is a journey.
Yoga is the destination.
Yoga is transformative.
10 Ways Yoga Is Changing Me
1. I’ve learned that it’s ok to go slow. I allow myself the time to examine my movement, posture, breath, and placement in space.
2. I no longer have to work out in front of a mirror. My awareness of my body has grown to allow me to feel when I’m doing something correctly instead of having to see it.
3. It’s taught me to view my body as a valuable tool instead of a showpiece. While yoga is great for building muscle tone and losing weight, the goal of yoga is enlightenment, peace, and union of mind, body, and breath. Viewing my physical body as a tool in reaching those goals cultivates reverence and appreciation, no matter what it looks like.
4. I’m nicer. I’m more compassionate. I’m more patient… for myself ad others.
5. I have a greater awareness of how my existence affects everything. Just as one pose prepares you for another, one intention influences another, one word inspires another, one action impacts another. Everything affects everything.
6. I’ve learned to let go. Yoga teaches you that every breath is a cycle of life and death and that this shouldn’t be resisted. To hold onto any part of life keeps you stuck in that place in time. I’ve accepted that change is inevitable.
7. I feel better. My yoga practice challenges me, but it never hurts me. I respect my body more than I did when I was exclusively weight-training, so I acknowledge when to back-off and not push to the point of injury. The act of building muscle through weight-training is in and of itself an injurious activity. I’m not saying it’s bad, but I think it needs to be balanced with healing activity.
8. I breathe better. My inhales are deeper and more invigorating and my exhales are more complete and relaxed. The breathing techniques I’ve learned through practicing yoga have even made me a better runner. I almost never get out of breath before my muscles get tired.
9. I’m less fearful. I’m able to separate the irrational fears of my ego from the real dangers of the moment. I can finally do a headstand without totally freaking out. Next – handstands!
10. My life is richer… with knowledge, ideas, love for self, love for others, a sense of adventure, a deeper connection to “god” and the Universe, an appreciation for what’s ancient, an excited anticipation for the possibilites of the future, and a greater belief that “I can do it.”
… oh, and there’s a bonus one…
I meditate!
Who would have thought I would EVER do that?!