What is Yoga?
To be Calm
Stress in today’s world is an inevitable part of life, however yoga teaches us to be aware of our breath and with introspection can change the outcome of any situation. Ideally stress will begin to subside with the tools discovered in yoga.
Finding Strength & Flexibility In Body & Mind
Over time the body will become stronger and yoga poses will feel much more accessible. Feeling stiffness and tension in downward facing dog and other poses begin to disappear. However, every body is different and so is every day, and it is important for us to have each pose “feel good” within ourselves, some days we may feel “tighter” than the next, it is important to not judge ourselves and do our best in every class.
The more strength and flexibility you gain with your mind, the more you will feel it in your body!
Weight Loss & “Diet”
Yoga brings about an awareness of life choices, and although many people do not initially turn to yoga for weight loss, it is a surprising bonus. The pure and detoxifying feeling the body experiences after practice sends people in a healthier direction. The body begins to crave nutritious foods and denies heavy meals.
There are teachers that promote non-harming and compassion to living beings with emphasis on a plant based diet. Some bodies can handle not having meat while other bodies need it. The best advice is to do what fits for the individual. What works for one, may not work for all. Ask a doctor if uncertainty arises with diet.
Happiness & Positivity
Yoga teaches that everything in life is impermanent (constantly changing), when we let this resonate we manage to let go of anything that no longer serves us – situations, negative people & negative thinking. Surrounding ourselves with people who reflect who you want to be and how you want to feel our energies are contagious, and you will be an inspiration to others. Living in awareness of change makes us more accepting of our circumstances, realizing that life may sometimes not go our way, there will always be difficulties along the way, and we can choose how to react or relate to any circumstance.
If you cant be happy about a situation in life – you can choose to be peaceful.
Posture
Many of the poses in yoga strengthen the spine and the muscles surrounding the spine. The majority of the work is to maintain a tall spine in each pose. Most of our days we are hunched over our desks, cellphones, sitting in cars or on chairs that do not serve our spine well. Yoga poses (i.e. backbends) counteract this. When we stand taller we feel more confident and self-assured….
Confidence
One of the most gratifying feelings is when accomplishing a posture that seemed so difficult in the past. Noticing changes in the body and advancement in the practice gives a person that confidence they may have been searching for. Whether it is an inversion/arm balance or holding plank pose for an extended period of time, these small achievements ignite a positive sense of self.
Mindfulness
Bringing attention to areas of a person’s life that may have gone unnoticed in the past is the first step toward mindfulness. Maybe its deciding to give up fried foods and sugar, or forgoing the pain medication for small aches and pains, or possibly holding back on negative thinking. Shedding light on these little moments that are overlooked so often can change how life is lived in a positive way.
Body Awareness & Self Inquiry
Learning about the body is an incredible discovery. How often does a person cross their legs every time they sit, with the same leg over, which side does a person favour and may be slightly more flexible on one side opposed to the other? How is ones breath on one day of practice, opposed to how they were breathing the day before? Did something stressful/exciting/relaxing happen that day? Understanding how body patterns and daily routine can affect well-being is tremendous.
You will learn about belief systems, truth, what is real and unreal in this beautiful thing called life.
Clarity
The physical yoga practice is helpful with clearing the mind, however the meditative aspects of yoga can change thoughts drastically. A daily meditation practice is known to clear the mind and bring clarity to situations in which we feel limited.
Love
“I have found that if you love life, life will love you right back.”- Arthur Rubinstein. Learning to move through life from a place of love is one of the best feelings in the world. Whether it is love for one’s own body, other people, or the love of life in itself, positive outcomes normally result in this way of thinking.
Yoga is one of India’s greatest gifts to the world, allowing us to experience practice in order to gain wisdom, peace, and physical strength. This is the Union of BODY MIND & SOUL
Create yourself….