the true purpose of yoga

This is my first post about self-care, and the topic is one of my favorite things to do for my physical and mental health: yoga! I took my first yoga class as a junior in high school, but I really go into it about 9 months ago. After having it be a part of my daily routine for quite awhile, I have really started to see the benefits it has had on every aspect of my health. While there are many different types of yoga classes - restorative, power and everything in between - I have found the temperature in which I practice yoga to be the most important variable to consider. Of course the idea of what makes a yoga class "the best" is unique to each yogi, but these are my thoughts.

Like goldilocks and the three bears, I find room-temperature classes to be a little too cold, hot classes to be similar to placing yourself into an oven, and warm classes to be just right. Not only is this my idea of a perfectly challenging workout, but I also find it to be a very comforting temperature for my well-being. In general, I thrive at temperatures in the 80's which is what warm classes are generally held in. I find it to be like a mental hug, like being wrapped in a warm blanket near a toasty fire. Nothing could be more soothing for me personally.

While yoga has become a popular activity for people seeking better physical health, and while this is a great reason to practice it, the true purpose of yoga's roots should not be looked over. I am not going to pretend I know a lot about it's history, but I do know that it's origins reveal yoga to be for the mind. It's purpose is to reach a state of meditation that allows one to be present, calm, and at peace with the current reality. In it's purest form, yoga seeks to strengthen the mind and soul. It is wonderful to use yoga as a means of physical strengthening, but also knowing and intentionally exploring the reason it first came about is sure to exponentially deepen the meaningfulness and success of one's practice.

Though I first began yoga with the hope of it impacting my flexibility and strength, I soon came to realize the meditation that it almost demands of you is more beneficial than the workout. I am actually horrible at incorporating meditation into my practice, and it is something that I am continually working on, but even after the least mindful of my practices, I leave with a sense of calmness and gratitude for myself and what my body did for me.

Yoga can undoubtedly be frustrating at first; I am still often discouraged by my abilities compared to those around me who have been practicing for years. But the moment you let go of the comparison and the physical goals you have is the very moment your practice becomes what it was always intended to be: the betterment of your well-being and the realization of what you are now, in this moment. By just being present on the mat with an open mind, you are already practicing yoga in its most meaningful form.

#yoga #health #wellness #meditation #mindfulness