At the physical level, the practice of yoga liberates endorphins, hormones that trigger sensations of happiness. You stretch and touch parts of your body that are not frequently used in our modern everyday lives. Areas that are dying to be remembered, to receive a little bit of attention and remove any kind of stagnation, tension and therefore promote health and wellbeing. That’s why after a yoga class you often feel lighter, longer – and hopefully – instead of walking out of class, you’ll fly.
But what differs yoga from any other physical practice is its focus on the breath. The breath has powerful influence on our state of mind. Some modern scientists believe that as many as 88% of the diseases we are caused or influenced by stress. So, being able to breathe freely and keep our thoughts in a sweet vibe is not only mentally healthy, but also physically healthy in a long run.
Observe yourself when you cry, or when a child or adult is frustrated, we breathe faster and not so efficiently. Learning how to observe and control your breathing as you move creates a deeper sense of being present and being focused. This is a process that doesn’t matter what “kind of yoga” you do, pretty much like everything else, it takes time and practice.
On a yoga mat, you can get free from yourself – take a break of your daily concerns and annoyances. Most importantly, a yoga practice is much more about how it feels like than how it looks. That’s why it’s so PERSONAL. In yoga there is no competition, no need to get anywhere or achieve anything. ALL YOU’LL EVER NEED, YOU ALREADY HAVE!
Yoga is for EVERYONE with any body type, at any age, man and woman, babies to those over 100-years old. It doesn’t matter if you have an injury or handicap, you can adapt or modify any pose with a teacher’s guidance.
It’s a celebration of LIFE! But don’t think you won’t sweat or that the journey will be easy. Yoga uses hundreds of muscles – including the ones you forgot that you have. Imaginary muscles like: patience holding a pose, humility honoring that you are not ready just yet for that extra stretch, sweet kindness and loving acceptance of who you are, where and when you are. If you don’t know where your feet are, how can you know how to take the next step? That’s why for so many of us, YOGA FEELS SO DAMN GOOD! It’s a path of FREEDOM! And let’s be honest… freedom of those extra pounds, extra judgments, cigarettes, drama, bitterness and self-destructive patterns.
See you on the mat! 🙂
