It has been a month since I entered the world of Yoga. My practice has been consistent: 40 to 60 minutes everyday at midday for the last four weeks. Following a beginners 30 day Yoga challenge series, I have had a broad exposure to the various types of Yoga in the wild, and my conclusion is I love all of it.
Yoga makes me feel so calm. Provided I commit all-in to the practice – physically and emotionally – then it is guaranteed to do so. The emotional commitment was difficult in the beginning. Given how “slow” Yoga is, I found my mind racing to other things e.g. what I was to do next, notifications on my phone, checking how much longer the guided session was. When they told me to focus on my breathe, I focussed more on my thoughts and the mind wandered. With time, I was able to commit, and boy did it make a world of difference. At the end of each session in shavasana, I am always in a state of absolute bliss, especially when during some more heated practices. I have lain there upwards of 20 minutes just letting my body soak in all the fruits of the practice. I leave the practice refreshed and rested for whatever the day has ahead.
I see Yoga as being in the category of things that are difficult to explain or express the value of without actually practicing it. I would also put meditation and journalling, among other things, in this same bucket. Whenever I do try to express my joy in discovering Yoga and the value I have gotten from its regular practice, I sound like a shill for the world of the spiritual arts. While there’s nothing wrong with that, even I recognise that I would be put off by me. So as a result, I haven’t shared my enthusiasm too widely, only mentioning it in passing if it all.
