What Yoga means to me
What drew me to the practice and why it is my superpower!
Yoga has been around a very long time
So I guess it must be doing something right, right?! It is a three thousand year old Indian philosophy which involves the practise of physical postures, breathing exercises and meditation. It is the earliest known mind-body system developed to promote mind/body health and aid healing. And the best thing about it is anyone can do it!
Myth: You have to be flexible to do Yoga
The media has done Yoga a disservice. It is thanks to the media you might associate yoga with being super skinny, young and able to bend yourself like a pretzel into a variety of what often seem impossible poses! But the discipline goes much deeper than this. And believe me when I say you don’t need to be any of these things to enjoy the benefits of a regular practice.
Fact: You will feel better for doing it
There are many reasons people come to Yoga. We all have different needs. Some of us choose Yoga to ease a busy over-active mind, de-stress, and to help us relax, or we may have been prescribed Yoga for injury prevention or rehabilitation, we might enjoy the social aspect of coming together, or perhaps it just feels good to move our body in a holistic way.
There is no shape fits all. We all have different physical capabilities, different bodies and different needs. This is why it's important to find a yoga practice and teacher that resonates with you and your body, and a teacher that will advise on postures and adjustments specific to your needs. And that can help you to develop a practice that is suited to your individual needs.
What does holistic health mean and how will a regular Yoga practice help you?
It is now well understood that mind and body are interconnected, and that each can affect the other. Holistic healthcare considers the person as a whole, understanding the connection between mind, body, spirit and emotions.
It recognises that that our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and attitudes can positively or negatively affect our biological functioning, or in other words, our minds can affect our physical health. And on the flip side, what we do to our bodies (how much we exercise, our posture, what we eat, how we move in our daily lives) can all impact our mental state positively or negatively. We can’t work on one without the other.
Yoga and Mindfulness
In society there is growing recognition of the importance of the mind-body connection and the relationship between the two.
Yoga uses mindfulness techniques including the practice of physical yoga postures, breathing, meditation and relaxation techniques, to work towards aligning mind/body/spirit and becoming a better version of ourselves. It does this by focusing our attention inward, observing our self, and noticing our experience.
Through the practice of introspection (or looking inwards) we increase body awareness, and develop more self awareness. We are able to observe our feelings, thoughts and actions and their impact on our behaviour. We notice our patterns of behaviour and can identify unhelpful or negative behaviour, in order to make informed, positive choices as we move outwardly into our lives.
Why Yoga is my superpower!
The practice of the physical postures is different to other forms of exercise due to its non-competitive nature. There are of course all the physical benefits from the practice (a stronger, more supple, agile, relaxed body) but also the mental benefits.
It is an inward practice which forces you to slow down, pay attention, and listen to the cues the body gives you. Our busy lives often result in a stressed out, overactive or anxious mind. And when we feel like this it can be difficult to sit still and meditate. The physical practice of the postures can be an easier way to begin to observe and train the thinking self (or monkey mind), the part of the mind which is always at work generating thoughts based on beliefs, judging, planning and thinking about the past or future. It helps to move through any stuck energy, focus the mind and relax you ready for a sitting breathing or meditation practice.
The practice
helps you to stay present in what you are experiencing in that moment, moment to moment, breath by breath, holding your attention and preventing the mind from wondering so easily.
Of course this is always work in progress! Some days this is easier than others, but with practice we can train our minds to observe, without getting caught up in the trappings of our thinking mind. And with this new found awareness we invite more calm, feel more at ease and confident in our skin, make better, healthier choices and are more sanguine when life gets a little messy. I invite you to join me in practice and awaken your superpower!
