Why Practice Yoga?

          My overall experience with yoga this semester was positive. The development of my own practice has led me into more parts of life than just yoga. They say yoga is the journey of the self through the self to the self. This is true in my case.

          As a physical practice, yoga has had intended improvements on my body and overall health. The toning of muscles and increased flexibility is an obvious benefactor to this practice, but my body has more patience. I am more willing, physically, to try. I crave an active lifestyle outside of the gym. I want to explore yoga in environments that are taken for granted, such as mountains, forests, and beaches. I think these environments are constantly being cleansed by the wind, the plants, or the ocean, so they provide not only a sense of harmony but also productive workspace for the practice.

          Mentally, I am more “yoga.” I would like to attribute to yoga :
My body as a mind is more patient and so am I, or trying so to be. I am more aware of my body when I am tired or hungry or restless. I am more keen on nourishing my body as well. I am extremely inspired to feed and hydrate my body properly before, during, and after practice. I tend to be very introverted and pessimistic; however, I have recently been trying to be more positive and outgoing.

          I think the influence of yoga has also inspired me to realize that life is short and it is what we make of it. I had believed I had an understanding of that in my personal goals as I am not someone who wants to have the “ideal” lifestyle of having kids, working for 40 years, having a mortgage and things of that nature that this society glorifies. I instead prefer to travel and meet interesting people and see everything, so everyday positivity is bringing me closer to those goals. I don’t think achieving my goals would be at all a success if I am not the best person I can be during my journey to them.

          Spirituality is hard for me to summarize or reach in words, but I know I experience it everyday and have a strong faith. Spirituality can be best defined in my case as a connection to the earth and universe. I am aware of my place in the universe and on the earth, and that the ecosystem is connected. Yoga has helped me solidify this connection by the direct lines of energy we experience within our bodies during poses. This energy is directly transferred from x to and through me and passed onto x. “x” in this case being the earth and universe.

          Vinyasa as a yoga practice has been difficult for me. I think I had been on/off with my home practice for years because I lacked the strict regulation of my breathing, which is done through vinyasa. I actually really enjoyed vinyasa because it put pressure on me to work at a fast pace, although this pace is itself created by me as it is my own breath. The irony of this is that I struggled at times, but had complete control of my struggle through breathing, which I seemed to forget.

          Yoga, to me, is a journey that I have just started. I think if you really indulge yourself in the activity physically, mentally, and spiritually, then you will benefit immensely from it and better yourself as a person. The construction of a “better you” further contributes positivity and energy into the world, so yoga is a gift that continues to give. Namaste.

--Julissa Perkins