I’ve been practicing yoga for a little over two years. When I began, my practice was inconsistent, and it still is. After a day of classes, work, and studying, I don’t always have time to devote to the mat, though routinely it calls to me from its place in the corner of my room. I don’t consider myself a master of any asana (pose), nor do I believe (at this point in my practice) I ever will be. It remains that I have mountains to learn from this 5,000 year old practice, but for now at least I can impart some honest impressions about the practice of a beginner yogi to other beginners, seasoned counterparts, or those interested in embarking on the yogic journey.

1. Yoga is not easy…

My yoga practice began in a double-occupancy dorm room. I received my Gaiam yoga mat during the winter of my sophomore year at college, immediately sliced the packaging, unrolled the holy slip of PVC, and admired its dark gray floral pattern against the stone base color. I began YouTube-ing instructional videos for beginners and inflexible bodies- a ritual I still perform to this day, though I’ve moved forward from level one to at least level two yoga flows.

The first time I practiced a flow, downward dog was not a resting pose. Years of cheerleading in middle school might have kept me limber throughout high school, but I found out these past experiences were worthless in the face of an emerging yoga practice. My hamstrings blazed. My shoulders shook. My abdominal muscles actually cramped. However, I anticipated the physical aspect of the practice.

I was not expecting to spend five minutes crying in Pigeon Pose.

…because one must face oneself.

You heard me correctly: I spent five minutes crying in Pigeon. I’ve cried in Child’s Pose. There are asanas that have made me angry. The feelings experienced during a yoga practice are inexplicable. Yoga requires the practitioner to center him or herself, to pay close attention to what is going on in the body at every moment in the practice during every pose and every transition.

I paid attention to the way my skin rolled and bulged when I performed a spinal twist, the fact that I couldn’t hold Downward Dog for five full breaths and the fact that I was not as strong as some of the women I follow in Instagram (who’ve been practicing religiously for more than five years, some ten or more). I became infuriated and didn’t want to practice anymore, but I pressed on, making little progress with asanas. One day I finally realized that I was not unhappy with the practice, but that I was unhappy with myself.

I came to understand that I was overanalyzing my appearance, placing too much value on physical beauty (whatever that meant to me at the time), and not enough on cultivating the inner elegance inherent in all humans. I think we have an especially difficult time accepting the fact that each body differs from the “norm” or “ideal” type that media often portrays. Body positivity is gaining momentum in our country, but not quickly enough. Personal acceptance through a yoga practice leads to the acceptance and support of others, spreading unconditional, honest love facilitated by a deeply rooted care for one’s own wellbeing.

2. Limits exist.

I look forward to the day when I can fold my legs into Lotus while holding a handstand, but I know that I absolutely do not possess the ability to do so at the moment. The girl next to me in yoga class balances her body on her forearms and arches her back into a shape reminiscent of a scorpion. On my mat, I work on holding Crow Pose for more than three seconds, breathing smoothly, and coming out of the pose with integrity. I know what I can do, and I know what I can’t do. Both of these facts are entirely and wonderfully okay.

Yoga quickly shows a person what he or she is unable to do, and the yogi is forced to listen to the advice of his or her practice. Not only is it paramount that one only attempt asanas that the body can physically handle for fear of injury, whether minor or serious, but it is also important for the practitioner to listen, spiritually and physically, to the response of the body during each pose. To me, this is one of the most meaningful lessons of yoga. It is essential for the yogi to listen to him or herself at every stage of the journey- no matter if this involves attempting a new pose or deciding on what to eat or what to do in an uncomfortable situation. Modern society, especially Western society, teaches us to turn off our intuition, but there is a multitude of things it is able to tell us. If only we would relearn to tune into it! Yoga sharpens this intuitive ability, and one can observe it in action even off the mat.

3. I am deeply connected to all things, both living and nonliving.

One thing is certain, my practice always picks up during the spring and summer months and not only because I have more time since my college is on break. Whenever the urge to practice comes over me, I move my mat outdoors, onto the grass, the sidewalk, or if it’s raining, the porch. I feel the wind against the bare spots of my skin, the sun on my scalp and the soles of my feet. The Alabama humidity works as hard as gravity on my body, and I sweat. Beneath my palms, the earth vibrates. The colors of the world buzz and ebb as I twist, fold, and turn beneath them. In Savasana (Corpse Pose), the clouds chug overhead or don’t, and the endless blue above envelops me in an elevated state of comfort.

In addition to my heightened connection to the natural world, I see animals and other individuals differently now. In high school, I was disgusted with the world, the way things were run, and the people who constantly fed negative energy into my life. Now, I do not have the patience to be bothered by such negativity. I wish all beings well and make a solid attempt to treat all beings well. Although sometimes my negativity can get the best of me, I never allow it to get out of hand. There’s nothing a little mindfulness of others’ struggles can’t fix.

4. What I put into my body is as important as how I use it.

Nutrition had never been at the forefront of my mind until I started practicing. Throughout middle and high school, I was supremely active, participating on a competitive cheerleading team and playing volleyball. As a result, I never really worried about the quality of the foods nor the drinks I was pouring into my machinery.

The changes in eating appeared slowly for me. First went sodas. I picked up a reusable, plastic water bottle and never looked back. Then came fresh ingredients, recipes with less heavy calories and more vegetables. At home on break, I cooked for myself and my family. At school, I began paying more attention to portion sizes, how those portions were constructed, and how I was snacking between meals. Vegetarianism, though definitely not required to take part in a yoga practice, was a natural transition for me.

5. A yoga practice might tone muscles, but yoga is not about tightening your glutes nor your core.

It is entirely true that, in order to perform some of the more advanced asanas correctly and without the danger of injury, one must have a strong core, but if a person is looking to yoga as a one-stop workout routine, said person might want to look elsewhere or strongly consider supplemental cardio, strength training, and other forms of exercise in addition to a yoga practice.

The physical benefits of yoga are nearly boundless. I don’t have to list them here to convince you; this information is readily available and only one Google search away. Less studied but equally as important in to the practice are the benefits beyond the mat, such as those I’ve listed here. The meditative focus and self-care facilitated by a yoga practice persist after one steps away from practicing, radiating into all aspects of the yogi’s life. One begins to care about the wellbeing of other humans and animals. Mindfulness inhabits every decision and many moments of daily life. Routines are shaken loose, opening the world of opportunity available to the radiant, enlightened soul who just happened to turn the handle on yoga.

For current future yogis as well as current practitioners who would like to follow the journeys of empowering and incandescent individuals, check out the following: Morgan, Brittany Danielle, Alex Fox, Ros Prado, Dana Falsetti, Irene Pappas, Kino MacGregor, Kerri Verna, and Holly Fiske.