I recently started doing yoga, and after only a week, my body feels the best it has ever felt. I felt that yoga would be great for me, and here’s why:
- The Mind/ Body Connection:
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In having been an athlete for years, I’ve always been hyper-focused on the body. In some ways, this was healthy, as it motivated me to work toward my goals. On the other hand, though, it was also unhealthy, as it pushed me into unsafe habits in trying to reach perfection. Within that, I lost the connection that my mind and body had once had. Yoga has a focus on connecting the mind and body, and I feel that it can help me with this.
- Yoga is a practice
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In most things I’ve been involved in, such as dance, cross-country, swimming, etc., I have been taught to strive for perfection. Perfection clearly isn’t possible, so striving for it can make one feel defeated. Yoga, however, does not use the term “perfection,” instead favoring “practice” which acknowledges that perfection is not possible and that we should focus our energy on doing the best for ourselves. I’ve been working on getting to a headstand but I’m not quite there yet, and that’s okay.
- It reduces anxiety
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Both my mind and my body are constantly anxious, but doing yoga really helps me control that. In practicing yoga, I’ve been reminded to connect everything to my breath, which I’ve been starting to use whenever I can. My breath is really helpful in grounding myself to the moment, which I usually struggle with when it comes to my anxiety.
- It reminds that I’m okay just where I am
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This kind of ties back to yoga being a practice; perfection is not achievable so we should not stress about it. Just like I am not quite at a headstand, I am also not quite healed. I’ve been learning to accept where both my mind and my body are in my daily life. It puts me at peace with what I have not yet achieved. Just like yoga, is a lifelong practice!
- It is a healthy workout
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In having had an eating disorder, I have tendencies to push my body more than I should. In doing yoga, I’ve learned to accept my limits. In my obsession with exercise, yoga is a practice that I know will be HEALTHY to both my mind and body without hurting it.
I have learned so much after only a week of practicing yoga, and I cannot express how excited I am to continue my journey as a yogi, and to bring the beautiful practice into my daily life.