The true purpose of yoga is to discover that aspect of your being that can never be lost – Deepak Chopra
Yoga is more than crazy pretzel positions and the physical practice. It encompasses you as an entire being – body, mind, and soul. Here are five reasons I love yoga.
- Yoga is non-judgmental
Yoga allows you to just be
Have you ever wondered why you come back to your mat again and again? I have practiced for twenty years and recently I wondered what it was about yoga that kept me coming back to the mat.
I realized that yoga was my haven, my safe place. The mat is a place where you can go and there is no judgement from anyone, and that includes yourself. It’s a space to be free and be true to who you are. Yoga is not about being the best or better than someone. It’s not a competition. There is no judgment or shame in being on the mat and appreciating what our bodies can do.
- Yoga relieves stress and tension through mindful practice
Yoga allows you time for yourself
No matter where you are at in your busy day, you can get on the mat for however long you have and get into the zone. This is the place to let go and just be. Practice yoga in whatever fashion works for you for that day.
Sometimes it might be a more powerful Vinyasa flow and other times it’s a Yin or restorative sequence that helps to alleviate stress or help you to relax and chill. This is the time to focus on the poses, the alignment, or whatever it is you need from the practice. Do the practice that is right for your body.
- Yoga quiets the internal chatter and negative self-talk
Yoga allows you to let go and embrace the quiet
This is the time you get to let go not worry about what else is going on. It’s my self-care time. With both a physical practice and meditation, you can focus on what is going on inside and not worry about what is going on around you. It gives you space to be free.
The internal noise starts to recede as you move through a practice because your focus is on the movements and what is going on within you. The negativity of the day starts to fade away. Meditation is a fantastic way to sit in quiet contemplation and start to learn to quiet the internal chatter, the monkey mind if you will. As I continue my journey, I have come to enjoy these quiet moments and I find when I don’t spend time on my mat, I am more negative and stressed.
- Yoga helps you find your higher purpose – your Dharma
Yoga allows you to become your most authentic self
Your Dharma is your purpose, your reason for being here and with yoga, you can find it. I have spent a lot of years trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up and I have finally found it. And I found it through yoga by spending time discovering who I am and what it is that really matters to me.
We have seven Chakras, or energy centers within our bodies. Spending time working on our Chakras gives us an opportunity to look deep into ourselves and visualize what it is we want. Self-discovery happens when we take the time to start understanding who we are and what we value. This internal contemplation is what will lead us to our purpose.
- Yoga helps you to manifest and achieve your Dharma
Yoga is the way to live your dream
My journey with yoga began many years ago and throughout that journey I have continued to learn and grow. My biggest growth happened when I started working with the Chakras. They are these amazing energy centers within our bodies that are like a wonderful road map that helps us to overcome blocks and move towards becoming our best self.
We all have dreams, big ones and little ones. Manifesting your dreams by using the Chakra system will lead you on a journey of self-discovery and down the path to finding your true and authentic self.
The path of yoga is the path of self-discovery – Amrit Desai
Need some time to relax and reflect on your mat? Here are a couple of yoga practices to try.
15 minute Legs up the Wall, the perfect way to let go
30 minute Slow Flow to Reduce Stress and Anxiety
https://youtu.be/As46GoW7Ie8
Looking for more ways to de-stress and incorporate self-care into your daily life? Click here for a free workbook on developing and implementing a self-care plan.