Your Yoga Practice Will Never Be the Same

Powerful habits change your perspective.

In the past, I was convinced that only a good sweat at the gym can guarantee desirable results. Do not get me wrong, with yoga you can still achieve a great amount of juices flowing. However, it is a different kind. A much better kind.

I have been practicing yoga for more than a year now. Previously, I have been working out at the gym or home doing Pilates, core exercises, cardio training. Most of the time I dreaded it. I found no motivation behind working out other than toning my body or losing weight. After all, it was not the body that required fixing, but my mind. The more I pushed myself at the gym, the more stressed and frustrated my body would become. There was no love or affection there. Where there is no care and understanding, nothing can thrive.

I have attended my first yoga classes by accident, a cute coincidence. Now I know this was exactly what I needed. The Universe winked at me.

Here are core understandings that I can translate from the mat onto real life:

Always start with the basics.

Work on the foundation first. Whether it is your physical practice or a project, start small and build your way up. In yoga, when you keep in check your core muscles, grounding through your feet, intentional breathing, it gradually becomes your daily checklist. Once you establish the core, it is so much easier to learn new things as you go.

Less is more.

Yoga strengthened those muscles I had no idea existed in my body. Sometimes one simple (so it may seem) posture held by a sufficient amount of time became a real challenge. Instead of sweating profusely during my cardio exercises, I have burned the heat on the mat while enjoying it, smiling, cherishing every second. It challenged my mind by proving that I do not have to convince my body into something I do not want to do and still derive extreme satisfaction from a workout. Slow sequences of stretches, mindful movements leave me lighter and energetic than any training before.

We made our minds to follow the pattern that only hard work can bring about rewards. However, is your mind eager to cooperate after a long, gruesome day of keeping your nose to the grindstone? Does pushing yourself to the limit always seem the best answer?

Being in the present

As I focus my energy and mind on one movement, straining my muscles when switching positions, I feel the peace flooding over me. The world goes quiet as it is just me and the mat. Since I incorporated meditation into my daily yoga practice, I have also gained more clarity on many aspects of my life. Life became simple, you know?

Fewer distractions. Less drama. More intuition. More love towards my body and every creation. Life became about pleasure. Only you can discover for yourself what brings happiness into your life.

Helps me to see the bigger picture.

When I step onto the mat, I leave troubles behind. I become an observer. Any issues I may have pondered over are kept at a distance. By analysing them with peace in my mind, I can see the bigger picture: where did it stem from, and whatever the problem may be, it does not feel overwhelming. I have the clarity in my mind to make peace with it. No rush. No fear. Pure acceptance.

While many sports disciplines tend to have firmly stated rules, in yoga you are meant to discover those rules for yourself. After all, as B.K.S. Iyengar lovely portrayed:

“Yoga allows you to rediscover a sense of wholeness in your life, where you do not feel like you are constantly trying to fit broken pieces together.”

Appreciating the journey.

I am no longer focused solely on getting the perfect body, toning specific muscles. I become energized at the thought alone of starting yoga, no longer waiting for the practice to be over, so I can move on with my day. I am fully, completely immersed in the process while enjoying it simultaneously.

Just like in life, it is no longer about reaching the destination but cultivating growth along the way. Not all journeys need to be physical. Sometimes the most precious ones are the explorations in deep realms of your soul. The adventure is supposed to be fun. Cut out the seriousness. Yoga is not about perfection, perfect poses, ideal attire. Yoga presents you with mindfulness while practicing any endeavor in your life. The more fun you embrace on a daily basis, the more flexible your energy becomes.

The journey is not always enjoyable. Nonetheless, I accept the beauty and the ugly, the perfection as well as imperfections by finding the beacon of light in any scenery that life presents me with.

I am working with the body, not on the body.

I love my body and accept it just the way it is. I do not demand it to change. Furthermore, I do not punish my body as I used to. Of course, there are days when I give in to frustration, letting the bad temper of somebody else affect my attitude. But once I come back on the mat, just for a few minutes, the world gets quiet. It aids in changing my perception of any situation that may arise.

Punishing my body for not living up to imaginary expectations of society will bring me nowhere near happiness. Once you cherish your mental and emotional state and establish it as a priority, your body will follow the suit.

My body is my vessel, a friend to help me navigate throughout the astonishing journey I participate in. Punishing my body for not living up to imaginary expectations of society will bring me nowhere near happiness. It will not change who I am on the inside. It may bring temporary satisfaction and pride while parading in crop tops, but it will not contribute to the long-term solution of any self-worth issues that may linger.

Now, I am not campaigning for deserting any movements or body care, for that matter. I am promoting tendering to core issues of any discomfort caused by your external looks. Once you cherish your mental and emotional state and establish it as a priority, your body will follow the suit. Then, exercising, moving your body will become a natural and loving part of your daily routine.

Opening up to new ideas serves our growth.

If you consider yourself as an “adrenaline junkie”, yoga, or any mindful workout for that matter, can shift your perspective. I believe trying different things is a perfect approach to growth. You become bolder in expressing yourself, finding your voice and questioning the world. If you are too quick to diminish the benefits of yoga, you may reconsider trying it as a supplement to your routine. It may help you discover new mental strength, discipline or remind you of the importance of being in your frame, slowing down and facing your thoughts.

All work is in the mind.

Whenever I feel the impulse to give up, I remind myself that I have already done it before, and I am strong enough to persevere. This mental practice has proved that the mind comes first. Whether you are at your lowest point, your power lies in talking your mind into seeing it through. When you feel like giving up, that is exactly when you should be holding on, even just 15 seconds longer with that plank.

Take it slow

Do not rush whatever phase of your life you are going through right now. Do not rush your emotions. Do not rush your poses. Everything in your life is valid. No matter whether frustration, anger or sadness may arise from the circumstances, give yourself permission to fully be immersed in it. You will not be able to cultivate understanding until you become one with the process. Everything in life is here to serve you. No matter how good or bad it may seem, make sure you squeeze all the juices to fill your cup.

How you do one thing reflects upon other areas of your life.

• Are you being sloppy with your food?
• Are you being sloppy with your thoughts?
• Are you holding back your opinions?
• Are you stifling your passion?

You might be holding back in life.

By becoming aware of unconscious patterns running your life, you can change them. Let’s make everything you do in life an art. Not according to the standards of others, but your own. Let your life be an expression of yourself. The way you prepare your food, the way you choose your music, the way you brew your coffee.

Such inconspicuous habit blossomed into the source of attitude towards every aspect of my life. I am not advocating switching the gym all together for classes on the yoga mat. I simply suggest incorporating yoga for either 10 minutes to start your day or several days a week to unwind after a long day.

Yoga practice does not end once I step off the mat. Yoga is a lifestyle, and its grounding force is ever-present with me throughout the day. Due to regular practice, I have learnt that not everything that is happening in my life requires my reaction. And that is well.