Why I practice yoga daily
After a 20+ year consistent yoga practice, I can honestly say I’m just scratching the surface of benefits the practice beholds. Nevertheless, the riches are there….
My physical health. Generally, I feel pretty great. If an ache comes up in my body, I’m usually able to work it out in yoga practice. This alone is worth keeping up the practice. I speak of this all the time, but let me tell you something of what happened lately. My family’s DNA has had its fair share of neck issues. Low thyroid, tumors on cervical discs, to name a few things. My sister has had 3 surgeries, removing tumors from the neck area, with the last surgery being quite painful and difficult to heal from. They were benign thankfully, but still needed to be removed. Six months ago, I noticed a sizeable lump on the back on my neck. I watched it come and go, and noticed that it was bigger on day’s I was feeling “off, angry, and a host of other emotions”. I buckled down in my yoga practice, and consistently did a practice revolving around the neck and shoulders. I made sure that when those emotions came, I had coping mechanisms in place, such as breath, getting out in nature, and meditation, and doing some things that filled me up from the inside. It’s been a couple of months now, and I feel no lumps back there, but I know I still have more work to do. Right now, I’m content with the fact that it looks like I’ve healed myself from a potentially, painful expensive surgery.
This is exactly how yoga works to heal us. Underneath everywhere, trapped in fascia, organs, breath are “unfelt” emotions. We hide our emotions, because we are taught as children to not cry, to not throw temper tantrums, or even discuss our feelings. At least not in our family. All of those emotions are buried in the body, but can be accessed, felt, and let go through the practices of yoga and meditation.
My mental health. Yoga practice has made a huge impact on my mental outlook. Before yoga, I can remember crying over the drop of a bucket, or a harsh word from someone. I am so much more steadfast, and less reactive than I ever was. This makes me enjoy life to its fullest degree.
I know I have work to do yet. I feel strong, capable, balanced and able to focus on the task ahead. A journey, I’m so thankful to be able to take.
Thank you all, friends, clients, and teachers of Anahata to walk on this journey together. May we all lift each other up, and feel good together!
See you on the mat,
Paula
