WHY I LOVE YOGA

The other day, the yoga instructor and owner of my yoga studio, asked me why I love yoga. My first thought, of course, was “I assume you want this in 1-2 sentences rather than an entire blog post.” We both laughed in a knowing way. I told her that I might have to write an entire blog post to come up with just 1 sentence but that I’d get on it.

She asked the question again, only slightly different, ”Well, what do you love about yoga?” I sighed and said, “I love how it makes me feel alive, and how it isn’t just about the physical. Yoga touches the physical, spiritual, and mental. Different than running, which I still love, yoga doesn’t take it all out of me.” These days, I seem to need an outlet for my stress, worry, grieving, and such. And I simply cannot run that much. My body just won’t do it.

I went on to describe how fascinated I was with her Basic Yoga classes when I first came to the studio a year ago. Each and every class enthralled me, and I was blown away by the parallels to everyday life.

I believe that it is because of the way yoga parallels everyday life that my response to the question is different. Just like waking up each day, I come to the mat in a different space each and every time. Similarly, I roll up my mat in similar fashion. It’s awesome!

What’s more awesome is how it doesn’t stop when the mat is rolled up. Since I’ve begun my practice, I’ve noticed a change in how I am out in the world. I’m more at ease with people and situations; I am able to access tolerance and patience more readily when needed. I am more open, more flexible, and more in balance (physically, mentally, and spiritually). Most certainly, I love that about yoga.

I also love the sweet sound of “Om,” sung at the end of class, and the way singing it makes me feel so joyful.