Why I Choose to Practice Yoga
Choosing to practice yoga in the beginning had little to do with moving my body and everything to do with arriving at a calm state of mind, and being blissfully aware of everything in and around me.
It’s been six months and 22 days since I began to practice yoga, and like some people who simply fall into a career, in love or out of love, or a certain path in life, I simply fell into this journey.
I deem it a journey purely because like in most voyages, this particular one includes having the right intention, moving across boundaries and escapades, and arriving at a serene and blissful place each time, in mind, body and spirit. The journey can tend to vary each day, and in all honesty, can sometimes be rough, tedious, challenging but also in return be so rewarding at the end.
I believe it is capable to nurture such a practice in the comfort of my home, although there may be some of you who shake their heads at this possibility. An at-home practice allows me to nourish and grow my practice in my own time, in my own space and at my level of ease. There is no rush to move from one vinyasa to the other, there are no judgements on my mat and in my space for how I choose to move either. I could even be holding a few postures differently but what I’ve come to accept and learn in my time of practicing yoga is that one should always mind sensation over shape.
Our bodies are different, we are of different ages and live diverse lifestyles. Why is it that our practice, and the way we move need to align? They don’t have to and they necessarily won’t either. It’s okay if my downward dog is a bit narrower compared to yours, and your tree pose is nothing like my variation of it; as long as we’re feeling the same sensations of our bodily and mindful movements, we sync, we move and we nourish a wholesome practice that benefits us all in a multitude of ways.
There’s plentiful variations and modifications that you can adopt along the way — whether you’re struggling as a beginner, feel chronic pain, feel sore, have joint issues, or even aren’t a flexible person by nature — it’s all okay. Yoga invites you to arrive on the mat as you are, with and without all the imperfections. There are no strict guidelines, no idealistic instructions to follow but the guidance of the breath and it’s natural flow. Whenever I have felt unsteady, I have tumbled to the ground, have perhaps stretched a bit too much and felt strain or some sort of pain — I remember to return to the breath. Pause, and focus on the breath. Once I feel steady and ready to move, I do so with a loving and kind intention.
This too may feel and be different to your practice, and that’s okay too. Why I continue to journey this way is because I have come to acknowledge and accept that it is more a means to finding purpose in life, than simply a physical or mindful act.
I don’t need to tell you that yoga transcends all the physical, mental, psychological and even spiritual gains. There’s too many articles on the internet to support those claims. What I can tell you is that our journeys on this path will differ, but we will together nurture and intend towards a practice that reaps benefits every single day.
One of the questions I asked myself during certain practices on the mat is, ‘what am I afraid of?’… ‘what do I fear?’… it took some time to get comfortable on my mat, to find my footing, to be able to shut my eyes and let sensations take over my mind. It took a great deal of trust to believe this is where I needed to be, and this path is the one for me. Should you choose to head along a more spiritual path, I ask of you to simply trust the process. Trust in your practice. And also, trust in yourself.
Like I’ve said before, some days can be hard. The mood can be offset, the setting somewhat sending off signals to the mind, and perhaps even a difficult day with having to deal with plenty of difficult things. It’s okay. Your mat does not judge you. Your practice will not leave you. They both will be there for you, when you do decide to return to it. Whether it’s an hour later than usual, a day or two, or a week or even a month after, I know my mat and my practice will be there for me. And when I arrive, I will be stronger, braver and courageous.
These are a few things I have learned throughout the last six months of practicing yoga. There’s more to learn. There’s further to go. And as I venture into the unknown, I am not afraid or fearful of what to expect, but instead I am hopeful and I trust what comes my way is what is meant for me. I’ve hurt my knee by practicing a balancing pose, and I’ve stretched my back a bit too much by bending forward, I’ve created tension in my neck that rendered me almost helpless the next day with the feeling of dizziness and nausea, but…. I still trust in my practice to also make me feel better.
No journey we take on in life is easy. Perhaps there are sacrifices to be made and compromises when it comes to finding some time to get on the mat. Maybe you’ve got a house full of chaos or maybe you’re by yourself feeling lost and lonely. Find the balance off the mat, as well as on the mat. Find what feels right and good for you. I know that this was what initially drew me towards yoga. I was going through a difficult time personally and one day found some time at hand, where I thought I could practice a sun salutation. That was all it took to making a decision, and committing towards my first 30-day journey. Whether its isolation, heartbreak, shame, disappointment, anger, self doubt, fear and every other negative emotion and notion, there’s some light to find on the mat.
Trust it. Believe it. Relish it.
I know I do.
