Why Yoga?
People come to the mat for a variety of reasons … to stretch tight muscles … to reduce stress and anxiety … to improve posture … to quiet the mind … or simply because it’s “trendy.” Yet regardless of the initial reason, a regular practice begins to reveal countless benefits and a new perspective on life.
The Movement
For just about every ailment you can think of, there is a yoga pose for its healing. Some poses can appear similar to traditional gym stretches while others can appear pretzel-like and painful. So what exactly defines a yoga pose?
Yoga poses were originally practiced to ease the body and quiet the mind for meditation. More than just the physical shape, poses incorporate breath work that can transform energy in the body.
Yoga goes beyond simply “doing” the pose to “being” the pose. During a yoga practice you bathe yourself in the sensations of a pose and explore your reactions to them. The process deepens your connection with the body and re-establishing a connection with your inner guidance.
This is why no one yoga pose is ever mastered. With yoga, there is always something further to inwardly explore.
The Stillness
Meditation – a vital component to yoga – is the practice of bringing the mind to a single point of focus. The focal point can be an object, sound, mantra, or sensation. It is a personal practice that varies for each student.
Beginners often struggle with the “monkey mind” of thoughts bouncing around. While the thoughts don’t turn off like a light switch, a meditation practice helps find the moments of stillness between the thoughts. The more you practice the more frequent those moments of stillness become and the longer they will last.
The exploration of a yoga practice opens you up to greater possibilities both on and off the mat. Yoga enables you to adapt with greater ease to the inevitable change in life, and feel more fulfilled knowing that you’re moving forward with the direction of your inner guidance.
So let’s get started! Check out the events section to attend a yoga class.
