I felt inspired to right this blog for many reasons. I am so passionate about yoga and that is for a reason..many reasons in fact. Sometimes I hear people say that yoga is ‘just stretching’ and I used to think the same, in fact when I first tried yoga as a teen I admit that I found it pointless - it wasn’t the right time in life for me to start my yoga journey perhaps..but years later, after stumbling upon the right teacher, I soon realised the amazing benefits of yoga and that it was not ‘pointless’ or a waste of time. Firstly, yes you absolutely do get a good stretch in yoga, which is good for general well-being especially now as many of us work from home. In fact, as a full time marketing manager from home now (I teach part time), I am starting to really need my practice more on a very physical level. My Friday practice has gone from optional enjoyment, to being essential as my way to ease aches and pains from sitting for long periods at a desk all week! It relaxes and relieves muscle pains and tension. Aside from this though, is the way that yoga helps people to tune into their body and to switch off the mind. This is highly beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety and by focusing the mind on the mat, we start to learn how to focus more and gain clarity off the mat too, which we can then look to take into our daily lives. Yoga is also a great way to tap into and understand our thoughts and emotions. Before I got into yoga, I struggled to understand how I felt, I was completely unaware of where I stored tension in my body and what I was feeling emotionally. Through tapping into my breath and my body, yoga taught me to regularly tune in to the present moment and to notice what I was feeling (rather than stuff it down sometimes with food or drink, or run away from it)..I learnt to nurture my feelings and my body. This is also a reason why yoga can be very beneficial to those who have battled eating disorders. Yoga also acts like a mirror; because as you start to focus on your breath and to switch off the mind, you can start to observe your own thought patterns and learn more about how you think. From there you can start to let go of thoughts that do not serve you such as self criticism, worrying about things you cannot change etc etc..which is one reason (as well as the physical aspects of exercise and the postures on your wellness) why yoga can also help with or even eradicate depression. Not such a waste of time then. And then there is the fun side- yoga can be very fun, connecting with others, sometimes with music thrown in..it's not all seeeerious..but it is also so much more than just stretching. I hope you enjoy this post. If you are interested in yoga classes, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Much love, Lorraine @mudraomyoga Xxx
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