What Yoga has Taught me about Life by Melissa, a lifelong Siren Yoga student
Breathe. Yoga is movement with breath - it is a moving meditation. If someone isn’t breathing while moving, they aren’t practicing yoga. Yoga has taught me to consciously breathe both during practice and in my everyday life. Consciously breathing allows me to take a moment to relax before reacting to stressful situations. Breathing in that moment between stimulus and response, allows me to choose how to react so I can respond more kindly and wisely.
Begin. Improvement in yoga happens over time. Few people will be able to do every pose well without practice. Every single yogi, even the very best yoga teacher, started as a beginner. And every single beginner improves with practice. Yoga is a working towards. It is not perfection. So whether starting with private yoga for beginners or taking beginner yoga lessons with a group, the important thing is to begin. Yoga has taught me that any skill I want can be had with practice. I may be awkward at first and I may never be as good at that skill as others. But through practice, I will improve. But before I can practice, I must begin.
Stretch. Practicing yoga regularly increases flexibility both in your body and your mind. And that stretching increases flexibility in everyday life. Squatting, bending, twisting all become easier and more natural when practicing yoga. Likewise yoga has allowed me to move beyond some of my self imposed limits in my every day life. Trying new sports has become easier but so has trying other new skills like gardening and traveling the world solo.
Balance. Yoga balances both sides of your body as well as your brain. Better balance makes movement in every day life safer and easier. It makes reaching for things on a high shelf, going up and down stairs and walking quickly easier. It also helps to prevent falls which becomes increasingly important with age. Likewise yoga balances the mind, so stressful situations generate less anxiety and my mind can stay more calm. Yoga has taught me to be more comfortable with the uncomfortable. And, because my brain is more comfortable with challenges, I can tackle uncomfortable situations with both the analytical and creative sides of my brain which leads to better outcomes.
Modify. Yoga instructors often encourage their students to listen to their bodies and to modify poses to avoid injury. There is no shame in having a stiff body, or difficulty balancing. Modification allows everyone to participate and move toward the full expression of a pose. This acceptance has made me more comfortable modifying in other areas of my life as well. I am more adaptable and more respectful to myself and others knowing that everyone has limits and that everyone will be better off if those limits are respected.
Whether doing Yin, Vinyasa or Nidra, I have never walked away from a yoga class and not been happy that I practiced. And because of my yoga practice, my life is constantly getting better.
