Yoga. By definition, a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures.

For years, I never really understood the true meaning of this practice because I didn't understand how it worked. Yoga is widely known to be practiced for health and relaxation, but I never understood why. I took it upon myself to attempt yoga poses to see if it would help relieve my current stresses. Basically, I wanted to see what all the hype was about and man, I am so grateful that I did.

Throughout the years, I’ve noticed that yoga coined a collection of terms such as wellness, health, focus, meditation, Namaste...the list goes on. Each time I see a picture or post about yoga, there is a fair chance that one of these words is hash tagged or included in the description. For a while, I believed that I knew why people liked yoga; it's a quiet time where you get to listen to soft, calming music, and just sit in one position with no distractions. However, as I began attempting these poses, the meaning of yoga could not have been clearer to me.

I began scrolling through my Instagram and I saw a picture of a girl in a headstand. I told myself "okay, I have literally never done this but let's give it a try". I put down a mat for some extra cushion and went for it. The first 15 or so attempts I was just trying to find a comfortable spot for my head to rest. After I figured that out, I tried balancing my knees on my elbows like I've seen online. It was failed attempte after failed attempt. I took a quick break and collected myself again. I then found the comfortable position for my head, stabilized my arms, and kicked my legs up into the headstand position.

With utter shock on my face I gracelessly crumbled to the floor. I could not believe that I actually did it. And it even felt easy. In that moment I truly understood the secret behind yoga. The main trick to my success was my focus. I focused on tightening my core, stabilizing my forearms, tightening my back, and relaxing. A term that I always associated with yoga, but never understood what it really meant. Focusing on the pose forced me to worry solely about my stability to get into it or remain in it. I gave it another try and felt peace as I remained in the headstand for as long as I could. My focus, distracted me from my stress. I focused on my present moment. My head, my core, my arms, my legs, even my toes. Not for one second did I think about anything but my posture and balance. This distraction allowed me to forget about all of my problems and focus finding tranquility in my pose. In that moment, I was in full meditation.

After that, I decided my yoga lesson for the day was over, my night ended very calmly. I was tranquil, balanced, and happy. Little did I know that just attempting to teach myself these poses would truly impact the wellness of my life. That day I felt enlightened by the secret behind yoga. Through self-practice I was able to find an inner peace that would truly change the way I forever handle life’s anxieties.

Now, this doesn’t mean I am going to become a full blown “yogi” and practice every day. However, I definitely know that I will incorporate yoga into my weekly routine to release my unwanted tension. I highly recommend you do the same.

Try it out judgment-free in the comfort of your own home. You just have to focus.