“Vogue and Self are putting out the message of yoginis as buff and perfect.
If you start doing yoga for those reasons, fine.
Most people get beyond that and see that it’s much, much more.” – Patricia Walden
Yoga practice brings great benefits for your body, and it doesn’t just stop there. If you look strictly at how yoga improves the body, you merely scratch the surface of what yoga practice offers.
You might lose a few pounds, become more flexible, or find relief from a bad back. Yoga improves the condition of your body. Before you know it, you’ve improved your relationship with your body.
Then with time, you discover yoga has helped you improve your relationship with those you love. Then, with those you merely like. (And some day, maybe even with those who push your buttons).
You notice you are not as quick to react (or in my case, not as quick to over-react!). Ultimately, you are able to tune in to a deeper part of yourself.
The practice of yoga addresses every aspect of living.
- You squander less energy on the superfluous, so that you have plenty of energy to put toward the things you absolutely love.
- You learn techniques that help you connect to yourself on a deeper level.
- You realize that your body is not the full picture of who you are. Your income-level, social status is not who you are.
What a relief to know that you are not a skin-encapsulated ego walking around the neighborhood!
You are mindful. You are thoughtful. You are connected to others. It takes practice, self-reflection and the ability to focus. It takes time to quiet down the noise in order to be receptive to something deeper.
When you connect with yourself through yoga, you become aware of the depth of your being. Some people call this the soul.
