Four Reasons Yoga Benefits My Life

1. I practice yoga for the physical, mental, and emotional results. I love how my body, mind, and spirit feel during my practice (most of the time) and after my practice (all of the time.)  Not only do I feel calmer, I feel stronger, leaner, in better alignment.  Even if I enter the class or practice with a busy mind, within 15 minutes or less, I notice a remarkable difference in how I am thinking and feeling.

There is a sense of peace that I met for the first time on my yoga mat.  Since that first encounter, I have enjoyed similar feelings in the rest of my life at times.  Most consistently though it is on my mat that I most frequently rediscover that deep inner knowingness that everything really is and will be ok.

2. I practice yoga for inspiration. My yoga teachers have spoken directly to my soul through their readings, class themes, and stories.  I am continually reminded of the person I most want to be when yoga is a central theme in my life, and a daily practice.  I find that when I give myself this gift, I tend to make better choices in the rest of my life regarding what I eat, how I spend my time, how I handle crises, and how I communicate with others.

3. I practice yoga for the sense of community. I have met some of my closest friends through yoga.   Yoga appeals to people from all walks of life who are caring, creative, passionate, vibrant, fun, and wise.  Practicing yoga in a group, even if we are each doing our own thing, increases my ability to stay  focused longer and brings more consistency to my poses.

4.  I practice yoga on my mat as a training ground for my “real life.” As I learn to be at peace in incredibly uncomfortable physical positions, then I can translate that into other challenging situations in my life.  Taking a yogic perspective on life, I am able to rise above reaction, and take time to breathe while I choose an appropriate response.   The temporary discomforts I sometimes experience on my mat serve as great metaphors reminding me of the resiliency and strength that is always present inside of me.  The more I practice living from that place of inner peace, the more naturally peaceful I become.