Learning to Be a Yogi #sol20

I’ve always been a “you gotta sweat for it to be a good workout” kind of girl. Running, step aerobics, Tae Bo (remember Billy Blanks?!?), cardio classes, track sprint workouts, the list goes on. I equated pain with gain. I needed to be physically exhausted to feel my workout was beneficial.

Now my body and mind are aging. In that aging, one is becoming less active and the other becoming more active. I find challenge in exercise that pairs my body and mind. A complete workout now consists of my body feeling challenged but not in pain and in my mind feeling opened and free.

When I first started yoga practice over 5 years ago, I did not care for it. I found it slow and uncomfortable. My body struggled to slow down and be at peace with silence and breathing. I left yoga feeling like I needed to go run or do another type of workout, like the yoga wasn’t enough. But I continued to go back. As I practiced more and learned more about the poses, balances, and breathing, I found it to be one of the best types of exercise I can do. When I come to the mat, it’s time to work my mind, body, and soul. This practice has made me much more appreciate and reflective. Namaste!