This morning I went to my weekly yoga class.  I am a huge fan of yoga and find I feel amazing after each class.  As soon as my body hits the mat, I feel my muscles relax.  My body and mind respond immediately to my intention to release all the places I am holding stress.

There are so many benefits to practicing yoga.  It’s more than just physical exercise.  It’s a way to calm the mind, stretch and strengthen the body and connect with Spirit.  I didn’t always feel this way about yoga.

I had tried several yoga classes over the years and never truly fell in love.  I even had a few instances where the teacher pushed me further into a pose than I was ready for and I hurt myself.  After the last class in which a teacher did this and I hurt my lower back, I went up to her after class to let her know.  She was very kind and did not let me leave without trying to make my back feel better.  But I still never returned to that yoga studio.

Then one winter day a few years ago, I was feeling out of sorts.  A friend of mine recommended I go to a yoga class with her.  I still vividly remember the feeling I had both during and after that class for days.  I had finally found my teacher.  Her philosophy about yoga is what yoga truly is.  It’s your own practice and you are to do only what feels available to you with each posture.  She provides options for each pose to take it further if you are able, but always talks about practicing at your own pace.  Her primary focus is your connection to your breath.  Deep breathing is your connection to the inner reservoir of silence and calm.

If you haven’t tried a yoga class and have always wanted to or you had similar experiences to mine, I encourage you to try again.  Find a studio that feels right to you and once you find a teacher that inspires you and has a philosophy you believe in, keep going.

I still can’t do a headstand, although truthfully I haven’t tried it!  But I was more than able to eat a gluten-free cookie they had available after class today.

Positive Quote of the Day:  “Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind.”  -Patanjali