Yoga

These days I have a bit of a mix of physical activities, each which I enjoy in different ways. Today I’m going to tell you a bit about my experience of yoga.

My wife is a yoga teacher. She came to yoga around the time our youngest child was born, and found it beneficial enough that within a few years she was training to become a teacher. The training was long and hard, but she chose her teachers very carefully and the overall experience was positive.

My experience with yoga started during this time, and really took off once she started teaching. Since she started running public classes, I have been to at least one, and more normally two, of her classes per week. And that must be something like eight years or so at this stage, I’d guess. This includes that awkward time over the pandemic where she moved to Zoom. So while I have been to classes with other teachers over those years, mostly it’s hers I’ve participated in.

As far as I can tell, yoga is a kind of “Trojan horse” activity. When practising in a class, you feel like you’re doing stretching, movement and balance - and it is true that you are doing all these things, and your capabilities continue to improve over time. The stealth aspect, though, is that the focus you need to apply to the movement gives your mind a break from the otherwise continual “inner chatter” we so often experience. You are forced to live in the moment, rather than being distracted by memories and plans.

The physical aspect is important, for sure; it balances nicely against some of the other physical activities I enjoy but which probably increase stiffness (like weight training and running) - and yoga can also be very strong. But the mental benefits are also really appealing. I have come to appreciate that hour of inner peace and quiet, which isn’t readily available from elsewhere. So overall I am now more flexible than I’ve ever been at any point in my life, and at least working towards being calmer and more mindful generally.

Finally, yoga seems to be something where it is worthwhile to just plug away at. Sometimes it feels easier, sometimes harder, but if you just keep doing it week after week then the consistency pays off and you make progress. This is certainly a lesson that can be applied to many aspects of life.

If you’ve never tried it, I’d recommend finding a local teacher and giving it a go. It’s healthy, challenging and fun!

Photo by Christophe Hautier on Unsplash