As I lay on my back concluding my yoga practice I am completely lost in the moment. Few thoughts or worries dance in my mind, the only things that entertain my mind are the things that matter. I absolutely love how yoga grounds me and balances out all of the day to day stresses. I must admit that I had no idea a year ago just how beneficial practicing yoga would be for me mentally as well as physically. I would encourage anyone and everyone to give it a try. However to truly benefit from your practice you must leave out all judgement and focus within yourself.
At its core yoga is simple poses created by children, however our minds play tricks on our bodies making us think that certain poses are difficult or we believe that we will never be able to do certain poses. Personally I have a belief that I can do any pose, but I must guard against pride and take each practice day by day. As I build upon the blocks placed before me I have seen a great difference in my body and mental capabilities. My instructor Claudia has brought a sense of personal awareness to me. She teaches us to look within and take care of ourselves, believing in the old adage, “how can we help other if we are not a peace with ourselves.”
When we are comfortable in our own skin then we can enjoy life more fully! Everything around us becomes alive, we see people for who they are, we appreciate the things that we do have, we learn to focus our energy to worth while pursuits. I challenge everyone to try and take out the clutter in our day to day lives. Take time to love the day! Take time to listen to your breathing. Live in the present, as you do this you will find that things are not as complicated as they seem. If something is bothering you, you have the ability to resolve it, however it may not be easy. But I guarantee you that as you make a conscious effort to rid yourself of the things that bring doubt, negativity, and worry from your life that you will not regret the countless reclaimed hours of happiness that follows.
With the newfound happiness and positivity we can accomplish more than we ever dreamed of. If you can learn to be happy with what you have and not focus on what you do not have then life becomes a wonderful journey. Don’t compare yourself with others! Simply challenge yourself to become the best person you can be. I am a firm believer that we will not be able to take material possessions with us after this life; however we can take all of our experiences, friendships, and the knowledge that we acquire while we are here in this life. As we strive to gain all of the knowledge and cultivate meaningful relationships with others we will enjoy the time we have while preparing ourselves for what lies beyond our reach.
I believe that Piglet and Winnie the Pooh summed it up the best.
“What day is it?”asked Pooh
“It’s today!” squeaked Piglet
“My favorite day!” answered Pooh
Nunc Coepi 