Yoga Zen

When you get out of touch with being physically fit, the first time you get back to the grind is always hard; especially after the holidays and excessive amounts of eating! I'll admit, I've noticed how the littlest things  - like running up and down the stairs - have slightly winded me as of late, and I HATE that feeling.

Yesterday I got back into the groove of physical maintenance by doing a 30 minutes Hatha Yoga sequence.  Hatha is nice because it really focuses on postures (asanas) and breathing (pranayama) and - if you desire - meditation. It's gentle and helps you get your body and mind really relaxed and focused.  Although Hatha is only one style of Yoga, it is the primary type with which people most commonly associate the practice. And Yoga is a practice.

I've been practicing Yoga for nearly a decade now, and it's truly a wonderful outlet and input - all at the same time.  Whether you practice alone or with a group,  there is always something to be taken away from a session.  Alone you can truly appreciate the way your body feels, the way it stretches and moves, the way your breath allows you to clear your mind and just "be."  With a group, the energy of the room creates a warmth that is hard to describe, unless you've ever practiced yoga with a group of people who are truly focused on the art of your body taking a pose, versus a group of people trying to out-pose and compete with others.  Now, this is not to say that I don't love competition, but I like to leave those moments for sports fields and arenas!  But what I love about Yoga is that you never feel like you're trying to be anything more than what you are, what you can do, and what you feel....at least that's what you should be trying to feel.

I've had friends who don't like the practice because they feel like they're not doing the poses correctly or perfectly. I've told them, the emphasis is not on "how perfectly you pose", it's on "how perfectly you pose."  I mean, what's "perfect" anyway?  According to Dictionary.com it is: "conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal type." Who is to tell you if you are perfect or not, except you?  Obviously each person's "ideal" is different.  Thus each person's Yoga practice is different.

But, I digress.  The point is, for me, Yoga is wonderful. My Monday was calm and relaxing because I filled my day with quiet, peaceful thoughts and a quiet, peaceful body, relaxed from Yoga.  I think I will extend Yoga to more than just one day a week. Perhaps the practice will lead me to enlightenment and my search for what to do...