I feel like this topic has been done and re-done by so many people, but I still feel like I should write this. That I need to write it. A part of it is because I’m just starting this blog and a good portion will probably be about yoga, so I want people to know why. But I also think that some of this I just need to get out. So hear goes.
To be honest, one of the main reasons I do yoga is because I’m “good” at it. I’m fairly strong, and for a guy my size, I’m pretty flexible. A lot of yoga is about increasing strength and flexibility, so overall it’s fairly easy for me. But there’s more too it than that. If I already have the strength and flexibility, then why practice yoga? It’s to challenge myself, to see where I can go. You see, there’s always a next step in yoga. The first time a teacher encouraged me to go to a more advanced posture (lift one leg up while in a backbend) my response was, “Do what?!” The thought of being able to do it seemed so absurd that I fell to the floor laughing. It seemed that impossible. But it stuck in my head and few weeks later I tried it. And I did it. I was so excited and I got a little more hooked on yoga. Now when a teacher asks me to do something that is new and seems impossible, my first response is still, “Do what?!” but now that only lasts for a couple seconds. Then I think, “Can I do this?” A big part of yoga is self assessment. So sometimes I decide it’s a little beyond me, but other times I try it. I’ll tell ya, when you’re able to do something that you previously thought was impossible, it’s an amazing feeling.
Another reason I do yoga is that it’s good for my mind. I simply feel better mentally when I do it. There are times when there is so much going on in my head that my mind feels like a hamster running around inside a ball. In a pinball machine. It gets a little crazy in there. But yoga helps. To me yoga is like meditation in motion. It’s simply being present and staying as focused as possible for the duration of the class. One of the best thing a yoga teacher ever told me was, “For the next 90 minutes turn off your mind. As you go through the poses, listen to my cues and do what I say. My mind, your body.” That statement gave me the freedom to let go of what I was thinking about, to relax and simply be present for the duration of the class. And I kept that calmness with me as I left the yoga studio.
A third aspect is about spirituality. When I first started doing yoga it was strictly about getting in a good workout, and that was enough. Then, after hanging out in a yoga studio, learning more about yoga and making friends with other yogi’s, I realized I was getting another benefit, which was I felt better in my spirit. What I found is that being surrounded by like minded people (those who are trying to improve themselves and the world around them), really helps keep me inspired to do the same. It helps me take eyes off of myself and look more at the world around me. To me, that is what’s good for my soul and therefore, spiritual. Now, I also consider myself to be a Christian. While that’s not necessarily popular, that’s what I believe. And as I learned more about yoga, I found that many of the same principles are taught in both yoga and Christianity. In general, I simply try to stick with loving myself, loving others and hopefully making the world a better place to live in, for everyone. Then I try and leave the rest at the door.
In the end, yoga gives me peace of mind, and that peace of mind helps me deal with what’s going on in my life. Sometimes it’s from the rush of doing something new that I previously thought impossible. Other times it’s about doing something old but making that one small tweak and doing it better. Then there are times when it’s simply about doing something. To give myself a reason to get out the door, do something healthy for myself and be around positive people. For someone who tends to be introverted and deals with depression on a near daily basis, I often NEED a reason to get out the door.
There really are a ton of other benefits to yoga, but these are the main ones for me. They are the reasons that help get me out the door and back to the yoga studio time after time. And if I have to do yoga in a room full of fit, attractive women, I guess I’ll just have to suffer through…