In the past couple of years, yoga has gotten very popular. It is seen as cool, artsy, and even trendy. With that being said, yoga finds people in various stages of their lives. For example, after my grandma died, my mother turned to yoga as an outlet for her pain. She used yoga as a way to rediscover herself and reestablish peace within her world. Because my mother is now a certified yoga instructor, yoga has always had a different, yet important, place in my life.

As a relatively anxious person, I use yoga as a way to appreciate myself more and stay balanced. I typically find myself worrying about too many things I cannot control, so yoga helps me to let go of all the irrelevant things I hold onto. Yoga helps me to honor my body and be thankful for everything it can do. To me, yoga is about finding a connection between your mind and your body. During a yoga class, strength flows between the two, deepening the connection and welcoming personal growth.

Personally, I feel like there is nothing quite like yoga. Yoga is unique in the way that it is an exercise that expands the mind at the same time as the body. At the same time, yoga is even more special because each person can be working towards something completely different than the person next to them. Even though they might be doing the same poses, each yoga student's journey is different in the way that their personal goal and focus is different. Yoga means something different to everyone.

I am thankful for yoga and everything it has done, and continues to do, for my mother and me. I enjoy the challenge and the comfort of it. I love the way my body and my mind feels after I practice. I feel a strength that does not come from lifting weights and running on the treadmill. The light within me honors the light within you, yoga. Namaste.