Yoga. When most hear the word they used think hippie dippie shit, some smoking sage, and everyone humming "Om" over and over again.
Some might actually do that, but most of us are here to do it as a form of exercise, pre-exercise stretch, and way to connect our body and our mind and feel just a little less stressed.
Right now, at-home-yoga is all the rave. Your Insta feed is flooded with pictures of young moms doing yoga in their living room and girls striking yoga poses in their backyard or in front of a beautiful landscape.
"But Yoga has been around for centuries, it's just a bunch of hipster bandwagoners now." - a real quote from my brother.
To that I say, Yes. You're right, it has been around and practiced for centuries and there is a reason why its so popular NOW.
As a society we are overall becoming more in tune with our bodies and following a more natural and healthy lifestyle. Yoga as a practice has always been exactly that.
The beautiful thing about yoga is that it is literally for everyone. Its for kids, babies, teens, adults, and your grandma too. While there are many different types of yoga being practiced all over the world now, it still all boils down to what the word yoga in sanskrit means.
"Giving guidance on how to gain mastery over the mind and emotions and advice on spiritual growth, the Yoga Sutra provides the framework upon which all yoga practiced today is based," says Mara Carrico in her article here on the history of yoga on yogajournal.com
Mara Carrico explains beautifully the meanings behind the sanskrit words used to describe this practice.
Everyone is doing yoga because it is literally the practice of being in control. Today it can seem like we don't have much control over things in our lives; we're living in a very stressful and crucial age.
It is so so so important to be taking care of ourselves in every way we can, and yeah, do some bad-ass poses like standing on my head.
Personally, having a yoga practice that I do on my own, on my own time has really helped me de-stress, gain self confidence, grow as a person, and learn how to be proud of myself. It's the type of journey that has a very unique experience to each individual.
So go ahead, hop on the bandwagon! This time, not for a b.s. reason but because it is solely for yourself!
Pro tip: Go to youtube before checking out a class. Find a class series of short practices for exactly what you're looking for, and get acquainted with some basic poses and mantras if you're nervous about just showing up to a class. Just showing up on your mat (or towel, or carpet, or floor) is what matters!
