Why Practice Yoga?

It was my second year in NYC, and I had just begun to stop eating dollar pizza. I had a number of other bad habits, mind you, when an ex-boyfriend introduced me to Bikram Yoga.

At first, it started as a good way to work out— I left every class sweaty. After a few weeks, I started seeing abs and had more endurance. I initially just wanted to challenge myself- I didn’t realize the benefits of yoga would spill out into other areas of my life.

After a month, I became stronger in places I didn’t know I was weak. I started appreciating my natural flexibility and even ate better to go to classes without feeling bloated. Unbeknownst to me, I was training myself how to live optimally and deal with stress.

Through the steady cultivated breath, I would learn how to be patient in taking baby steps towards a goal. I saw how to work smarter, to accept what was nourishing and reject what was toxic— which lead me to a deeper understanding of myself and others. The happiness in discovering a sense of purpose allowed me more time to give to others, ending the cycle of negative karma and ushering in peace of mind.

By the time true crisis hit— I was prepared.

I had done the work needed to feel centered in the midst of a storm.

The yogis believe that suffering is a integral part of life, but you don’t have to suffer through it. Through the body, we can free our mind and become more connected than ever before. We begin to see how we are all the same instead of different, which leads us away from negative thinking that plays a part in dysfunction or dis-ease. We learn to love ourselves, judge less and find community— the building blocks for a content mind.

So, whether you go for the work out or to heal yourself, you’ll end up getting both. We all want fruitful, long, (youthful) meaningful lives. And with yoga, you’ll get just that.