If you are reading this and are a complete beginner you might be wondering why you should start yoga.
After all, isn’t yoga just a bit of stretching and breathing?
You are of course right. Yoga does involve a lot of stretching and breathing.
However, yoga is so much more than this and I would love to share how it has changed my life over the years.
I am hoping that my experience will inspire you to start your own practice.
Why Start Yoga 1 – to Treat Yourself Better.
Yoga has changed the way I treat myself. I used to be a very anxious and overly self–critical person. I was so bad that in my primary school teaching days, I was in constant fear that a member of management would come into my classroom and tell me that I was no good at my job.
My yoga practice helped me to overcome it. Don’t get me wrong; I still get anxious a lot, but my practice helps me move through it and come out to the other side in one piece. In truth, I am just a lot kinder to myself.
Why Start Yoga 2 – to help you treat others better.
Life is all about relationships and whether they are personal or otherwise it can get tough at times. Yoga has helped the quality of my relationships – even the difficult ones.
You may not realise the change at first, but one day it will hit you that you handled a situation in a much better and kindlier fashion. That is the subtle power of yoga and I have to say I certainly feel pretty chuffed with myself afterwards (when it happens)!
Why Start Yoga 3 – it is a Full Body Movement Practice
I experienced the full healing and transformative benefits of yoga whilst training to be a yoga teacher.
My body went from wrecked and annoying to amazingly strong, balanced and beautifully mobile.
I can do anything I want with my body and am not limited by annoying aches and pains and/or injuries. Yoga has given me the freedom to go out there and enjoy life the way I want to in a body and mind that can accommodate me.
Yoga enables me to do all the things I want to do in a body that is able to do so.
To be honest I never in a million days would have thought that yoga would have made my body as strong and balanced as it is today. I am 50 years ‘young’ at the writing of this and I feel 30.
What is more, I don’t need the gym. No more sitting in traffic just to get to the gym. No more wasting time. I just roll out my mat and get on with it.
Why Start Yoga 4 – for a Happier, Healthier Spine
The health of your body, mind and soul is reflected in the health of your spine.
Poor ongoing postural habits have been proven to (over time) cause significant health problems.
After my 3 pregnancies, my posture suffered. I ended up with hyperlordosis and hyperkyphosis; excessive curvature in the lower and upper spine. This was accentuated by forward head posture.
All of the above led to chronic lower back, shoulder and neck pain.
On top of that, I suffered from constant sciatica.
Yoga helped me to rebalance the curves in my spine and in doing so alleviated my back pain, shoulder issues and sciatica. It didn’t happen overnight but evolved over time with patience and consistency.
Practise yoga and it will keep your spine young and vibrant. Who doesn’t want that?
Why Start Yoga 5 – you can Change the Practice According to What You Need.
There are so many elements to a yoga practice. It can support you through anything life throws at you.
I have already mentioned how it can help you through tough mental and physical challenges.
Yoga has been a friend through some pretty tough times and I know it will be there for me in the future. I have overcome injuries with the help of yoga and built a stronger more resilient body.
I have seen it transform people’s lives and many turn to it when they are facing a big change.
For example, many women find yoga for the first time when they become pregnant. Something ‘in the air’ draws them to it.
Going through pregnancy and any significant change (whether that be an injury or chronic pain condition) is challenging both physically, mentally and emotionally. Yoga is a natural friend to these changes providing tools to help pregnant women cope.
As I have said many a time yoga is the ultimate MOT for your mind body and soul.
Why Start yoga 6 – to Improve Your Other ‘loves’ in Life.
I love practising yoga but I also enjoy walking and doing weights.
In the past, I have loved jogging too.
Before I practised yoga regularly I used to suffer from annoying aches and pains from these activities. Now, I don’t.
Yoga is great at helping your body rebalance. I don’t know of many other movement practices that achieve this in quite the same way.
Yoga is multi–dimensional. What I mean by that is yoga helps you move your body in different directions.
Running, walking and other similar activities move you in one direction only.
Yoga on the other hand gets you moving sideways, up and down and rotationally. Multi-dimensional movements are essential in helping your spine and joints stay fit and healthy.
Why Start Yoga – Final Thoughts
There you have it – all the ways yoga has changed my life over the years.
It is also why someone asks me if they should start yoga I simply say YES!
Ready to start your journey?
I have two ways you can start your journey today
- Sign up for 3 short mini-yoga classes for FREE to get a taste of how yoga can help you get moving and feel better.
- Join me for a beginner’s workshop – click here for details
