Recently, I have started practicing yoga and it’s changing my life. A few weeks ago, my sister dragged me with her to the gym to take yoga early Sunday morning. I had never tried yoga and did not know what to expect. Let me tell you, I definitely didn’t expect what happened in my power yoga class that morning. First of all, it’s hot as hell. More specifically, I think around 94-98 degrees. Second, it was insanely fast paced and incredibly difficult. Having never really practicing yoga, I knew it would be hard but this was way harder than I imagined. I had tried yoga once before and it was actually a vinyasa (flow) class which differs from the power classes I take now. Vinyasa flow yoga consists of more yoga poses which you move through more quickly while power yoga has fewer poses which you hold longer. Additionally, vinyasa flow really focuses on your breath while power yoga is more body focused. Because of this, it makes sense that power yoga delivers strength and balance while vinyasa flow tends toward flexibility. However, each yoga style is beneficial and I recommend trying at least one!
Like any college student, I have a hard time dealing with my stress and anxiety and it has taken me a long time to find efficient ways to cope with this during the semester. Before yoga, I tried writing, using my planner to help manage my time and talking to my friends but none of these things really helped me in the long run. Since I started practicing yoga, I finally have the ability to clear my head and focus on myself when needed. I never thought that I would be able to stop thinking about all the things I have going on in my life (I’m a Gemini, my mind goes at a million miles per minute) but yoga has helped me learn to meditate and to be comfortable with silence. Yoga has many benefits, depending on what style you practice. Some people may believe that yoga is not a sufficient form of exercise, but those people are wrong. I sweat more in my yoga classes than I do regularly at the gym sometimes. The trainers at the gym always say: anyone can pick up a weight but not everyone has the ability to stop and focus on themselves and their body for a few minutes. Sometimes, it’s difficult for people to just stop. I’m one of those people and that’s why I think yoga has helped me gain a new perspective. For those 75 minutes in class, I’m not thinking about anything; all of my problems fade away and I can focus on my body and spirit.
So, grab a mat and just try it out! Namasté.