Ok, so I'm definitely not at yogi level quite yet. But, my growth as a yoga student has been abundant and enlightened. It all really started my freshman year of college. They are not lying about that freshman 15, kiddos. Who would possibly eat healthy when you have the option of chicken tenders... EVERYDAY! Not me, that's who. I was feeling sluggish, stressed, and lost, like many of my peers. Lucky for me, my school offered free group fitness classes. So, one morning I said screw it and trudged from my dorm to the fitness center on a chilly 6:30 a.m. morning.
Boy, did I regret it that first day. I kept repeating in my head, "I don't want to be here, I don't want to be here, I really don't want to be here." Your first day of yoga you feel straight up like a fool. Your balance is shaky, you can't stay in downward dog for more than 0.2 seconds without feeling like crying, and the whole meditation and vinyasa breathing thing? Yeah, not happening. You basically just wait for the instructor to tell you to go into corpse pose so you can pretend you're back in bed.
Yet, the next morning I felt compelled to go again. So, off I went. And then I went the day after that, then the one after that. Soon enough I was getting stronger and feeling calmer. It's like yoga wasn't just helping me learn balance in my body, I was learning balance in my life, too. As someone who seeks safe places in my life to deal with stress, my yoga mat felt like the ultimate safe haven. Soon enough I became a regular, with the instructor recognizing my progress. Just the smallest praise like, "great form, Tosha" or "beautiful lines!" made me feel like I had accomplished something grand. I started to appreciate my body and what it was capable of.
Now, three years later I'm happy to say I still practice yoga regularly, and even teach small groups from time to time. This past summer I even did a month long yoga cleanse where I participated in at least one yoga class a day for a whole month. It was one of the more fun months of the summer that I remember. Being surrounded daily with positive vibes and words of encouragement and acceptance was exhilarating.
So, for anyone who is wondering about yoga, but thinks they aren't capable of doing it, you are absolutely capable. I'm not going to lie to you, that first couple of classes are a hot mess, but with consistency and motivation you, too, will see how beautiful your body is capable of being. Go to that 6:30 a.m. class you've been dreading and appreciate what a wonderful life this is by breathing and relieving. Namaste, my future yogis.
