A post to commemorate International Yoga Day

The journey to myself started with yoga.

Like so many others I started attending yoga classes more than 6 years ago primarily for exercise and to improve my flexibility. With so many different types of classes available like bikram, ashtanga, vinyasa, aerial, SUP yoga etc etc I quickly got hooked.

Going for classes every week became a way for me to focus on myself and on many occasions; to escape from the stresses of life. Everyone always leaves a yoga class feeling better than when they started.

As expected the rigorous practice sessions brought lots of physical benefits but what took me by surprise was how it quietly taught me to be aware of my body. I noticed how both major and minor muscle groups got stronger with each session. I noticed the limitations of my movements and the imbalances in my body. The practice made me reflect on the ways which I have and have not taken care of myself these past years. 

Through this new found body awareness I also started to notice how my mind and emotions reacted when faced with challenging poses (and there were many). I would become frustrated when my body could not conform to a shape, or I would start comparing and feel envious of others who looked so graceful in their postures. I used to think it was a yoga cliche, but you do start to realise a lot of things about yourself when you are on the mat. 

With little fanfare and fireworks, the physical yoga practice lit that first candle on my path to self awareness. There are many ways to self awareness, but finding that connection to my body was the path that took me there. Over time I’ve realized how the body tries to communicate with us. It holds truths that could help us if only we paid attention. Our body is always speaking to us, often not in loud volumes but in soft whispers. Its our choice whether to listen to those whispers or ignore them. 

My yoga practice has changed quite significantly since I first started. I no longer strive to get the perfect pose in every session but instead prefer to focus on what my body needs at that time. Just as I have evolved as a person, my practice has evolved to suit where I am in life right now. 

Since today is International Yoga Day, I’m taking this moment to reflect on how this ancient tradition has the versatility to touch millions of people from all walks of life and at different stages of their lives. 

Physical yoga may not be everyone’s cup of tea but I do invite all my coaching clients to pay attention to what our bodies are telling us and start to experience what it feels like to be “in our bodies”. Our bodies are the only source of inner wisdom that is unique and true to ourselves. While the mind tends to create thoughts and anxieties, the body always provide us with a sense of grounding and knowing. 

The journey to one’s self, starts when we consciously move ourselves away from the mind and into the body.