I’ll never forget my first yoga class. I was a junior in high school. I was sitting next to my mom in a 95-degree room with a $15 synthetic yoga mat from Target. The sweat had already begun to drip down my back after merely walking to the back of the room. I distinctly remember downward facing dog being the most uncomfortable position my body had ever been in. My hands were shaking, and I was desperately trying not to slip as the sweat was dripping down my arms onto my mat. My heels were no where near the floor and my internal monologue was not zen in the slightest. But regardless of how foreign the poses felt to me at that time, those final moments I had in my first class are what keep me coming back every day. Shavasana, also known as corpse pose, made me feel more at peace than I ever had and I couldn’t put my finger on why. The decision to go to that class that day changed my life.
Everyone goes to yoga for different reasons, but the motivation to get on your mat for the first few classes usually sounds something similar to this: To get fit, to lose weight, to burn calories, to get flexible, to get a “yoga body,” maybe even to master the cool poses and post them on Instagram.
But what if I told you yoga isn’t about the pose? What if I told you the only thing you needed to do to acquire that infamous yoga body was to just show up on your mat exactly as you are in this very moment and breathe?
We, as a society, have become so obsessed with chasing aesthetic perfection, we have lost sight of what is already perfect within us. When you’re drenched in sweat during your practice holding a pose for longer than your legs would like and the instructor softly tells you to focus on your breath, you suddenly begin to notice. You begin to notice your beating heart, the sweat dripping down your back, the strength you feel that you are physically capable of creating such a beautiful shape that makes you feel so powerful. That awareness, appreciation and gratitude – that will change your life. After practicing yoga throughout the past three years and making it a part of my daily life, I have redirected my way of thinking, and in turn, it has changed my reality.
Yoga is not new. It has been around for more than 5,000 years. Yoga is not a “fitness trend,” and it is not a new workout. Yoga is a practice. It is imperfectly perfect; it is a connection of mind, body and soul. I’ve heard many people say, “Why can’t I do crow yet?” and “how many classes will it take for me to be able to get into headstand?” I can assure you, if you are asking those questions, you are missing the point. The journey to mastering the poses teaches you something way more than being able to just do a pose ever will. After practicing for years, there will be a day you show up to your mat and a simple pose just isn’t happening for you. And instead of letting your ego take over and your thoughts race in, you will smile and breathe. That is the true mastery. When that philosophy translates into your day to day life, I can assure you, you will notice positive changes.
So, if you’re afraid of trying yoga because you don’t feel good enough, flexible enough or strong enough, I encourage you to let go of that mindset and give it a shot. Yoga doesn’t discriminate; there is no judgement. Just breathe, keep an open heart and show up. That’s all you need to do to have a yoga body. It’s just that simple.
