I used to be a boot camp gal until I realized that it was causing me more harm than good. I was extremely competitive and would push myself beyond where I was, and it was strongly encouraged. This isn’t a great environment for someone who’s belief system is set up that I have to earn my way to love.
This is where yoga enters the chat.
Yoga came to me as a newer mother with my oldest in kindergarten at the time and a toddler at home. I wasn’t sleeping. My type A personality that was wired for success wasn’t allowing me to rest in peace or even be awake in peace. I was going out of my way to try to replicate Martha Stewart in the streets and being a rage-a-holic behind closed doors. I didn’t like myself at all.
I knew I had to get some sleep so that’s where I went looking and found yoga and it did exactly what I was asking it to do. I didn’t understand how it was doing this magic but I knew I liked it.
So many of us find yoga for the physical benefits and end up falling in love with it for infinite other reasons.
Here’s what yoga has taught me about life, and continues to teach me:
Discomfort is necessary. Yuck. I don’t like this but it’s true. Nothing changes when we’re comfortable and to be honest, most of us need things to get really, really, really uncomfortable before we’ll do anything about it. Discomfort signals growth. It echos that there is change needing to be made. It pushes us to do something different and to master our internal response to discomfort. On the way to mastery, you’ll experience so many profound moments of growth that are nearly as scary as when you were constantly in fear of discomfort.
Emotions are fleeting. Just like going deeper into a pose for the first time can feel scary, like a lot of pressure and sensation under your skin, going deeper into your emotions and thoughts can bring this up, too. And, as you practice, you learn that it’s ok. It’s ok and that this moment will pass. That this experience is an experience that is worthy of your attention and your time. Once we stop running from discomfort, the world seems like a less scary place to be.
Having a rigid body leads to a rigid mind. When I’m stagnant and not moving my body and own energy field, I dig my heels in a lot more. I plant myself where I am and refuse to see other viewpoints. I get stuck in my own shit a whole lot more than when I free my body by moving it.
In order to build trust with myself I have to do something that shows me that I am trustworthy. Maybe this looks like entering a pose a different way or trying something new. Trust that I will always catch myself when I fall and that I won’t always fall. Building a deep sense of trust with myself has been a lifelong mission that I wasn’t aware I was assigned until I began practicing yoga and turned my attention inward. When I wasn’t being pushed externally, I could dig in and find it internally, and that’s really where it matters.
Empathy. There have been days on my mat where my body will not be “willed”. It won’t go where I want it to and it won’t do what it is “supposed to”. These are the days where I learned to love myself and love my body anyways. Without a practice that is so individualistic, yet unified, I don’t think I would have ever found this type of grace - I haven’t found it anywhere else yet. I’ve also come to see that our body is not something to fight against or to transcend but to use as a tool for growth both spiritually and physically.
I could go on and on about yoga, but if you are thinking about picking up a mat and putting your feet on it, I hope this helps. There are so many different forms and all of them have a valid and worthy place if they fit with you.
Reconnecting with my physical yoga practice has also helped me to see where I needed to grow my consciousness training - The Portal. This round will be inclusive of a physical practice. I don’t think we can get where we’re going without it.
If you’ve been wanting to reconnect with your body and understand who you are as a human, this intensive training will rock your world and you’ll never see yourself the same again.
Already taken this training? Reach out to me, I’ve got an auditors price if you’d like to take it again.
xx Mel
