introducing yoga

Practicing yoga changed my life: it helped me be okay with who I am, to like my body and care about it more, to say how I really feel, have better relationships, to stop a lot of unhealthy habits and to just deal with life better, for only a few examples. I hope that what you find here will help spark some of the same for you and lead you to however yoga can best support your life.

You can get started with yoga anyway you want. Whatever you are drawn to, start there.Anything that connects you with yourself and helps you be in the present moment is yoga. Enjoy exploring...

• What is yoga? Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years as a way of living in India. Yoga gives tools for learning about yourself and being present, so all your attention is focused on whatever you're doing at any one moment. It also means to achieve something that you couldn't before- you start where you are and you work towards positive change- any true effort and even tiny change is yoga.  Yoga means 'to unite'- to connect with your true self and feel the connection you have with everything else in the world.  

• Why practice yoga? The goal of yoga is to release all those patterns of our minds that hold us back and control our lives, because it confuses us about who we really are...The idea is that everyone gets covered with doubt and insecurity because of past negative experiences and it causes bad feelings, dissatisfaction, separation and affects the body. We try to get rid of the bad feelings by escaping into our minds, comparing self to others, focusing on things we don't have, or numbing ourselves through unhealthy habits, but it never lasts in helping us feel better. Practicing yoga helps stop that cycle. All the poses, breathing, meditation and other practices help you learn to connect with your body and be okay with who you are. When you clear your mind and are totally present, you learn to accept reality, you can see what's really important and you can act from what you know inside, instead of clouding your mind with others' opinions and fear of judgment. 

• Everyone can practice yoga and incorporate in into their lives.  You don't have to follow a certain religion or believe in any kind of god.