We all get into Yoga for different reasons. Sometimes we fall into it, other times we are seeking something that will make us feel better.
Sometimes we try it for one reason and can then end up feeling the benefits for different reasons.
Sometimes it's an "aha!" moment you get in a class or it's more slow burning and after a while you have a moment where you realise that things have gotten better for you and wonder how long you've actually been feeling that way before realising it.
So I thought I would share with you how I got into Yoga and what it has done for me.
I first started Yoga in 2003 in an attempt to keep my body toned and to feel more generally relaxed and find something that complemented my running, but didn't really have any more expectation than that.
But I slowly began to realise that it was helping me with the stress and anxiety I used to suffer from too.
I used to suffer terribly with anxiety from my teenage years right into early adulthood.
I used to feel anxious talking to people, sitting in meetings. Just being at work was a real struggle, and standing up in front of people was a big no!
My mind would build up all these fears in my mind of future happenings and how to prepare myself. Of course at the time it fealt very real and warranted.
But slowly over time practising Yoga regularly, things became easier and I realised that Yoga helped me to ease my anxiety among other things.
It helped me to live more in the present moment, not in the future moment of fear.
Fear doesn't exist in the present moment, only in your mind and the future your mind is creating for you through fear.
Yoga enables us to remain calmer in fearful or stressful situations and to stay in the present moment where fear doesn't exist.
It re-trains our brain.
This is how it helped me with my anxiety.
Of course now I practice Yoga for lots of different lovely reasons too. It helps me to stay healthy, strong, flexible and at ease in my body, calm in my mind among other things.
I would love to hear about why you first got into Yoga or what Yoga has done for you.
Or why you are thinking of getting into Yoga or getting back into it.
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