Yoga is More Than a Fitness Class

Have you ever had that feeling that you’re just going through the motions?  Completing tasks while your mind is off doing something else entirely.  I have found that a regular yoga practice can brush away the mental cobwebs and help you reconnect your mind, body & spirit.  It is more than a fitness class it is a journey within the self.

It starts with awareness of the breath.  Pranayama is the Sanskrit word for breath work. The literal translation is to extend life force. To breathe is to be alive.  The rhythm of your breath reflects your emotions. When you get anxious your breath can become short and halted.  When you are calm your breath may find an even and smooth cadence.

Then you put breath to movement.  The poses are the physical practice of yoga, the Asanas.  As you take the time to align the body in a pose/asana, you are bringing your mind’s awareness to the body:  to the way the knee is bent, to the way your arm is outstretched.  The act of movement with intention is awakening the mind to the body.

As you continue to move with the breath, your mind becomes present in this moment.  Each pose teaches you something about yourself. These tidbits of knowledge forming connections between mind, body and spirit.  Those mental cobwebs that were blocking you from seeing yourself are being cleared away.  Building an environment of acceptance without judgement, the practice of yoga connects you with who you are at your very core.

Katie Carp ~ Serenity Sounds Yoga