I’ve been thinking a lot about my Daily Downward Dog posts. I seem to focus more on the physical aspects of yoga, but I don’t spend as much time on the spiritual aspects of my yoga practice. Over the past year I have become more flexible and my back feels great, but I’ve also grown spiritually from yoga as well and would like to share with you the ABCs of my blissful inward growth.

Acceptance—To me, yoga is all about accepting where you are today and feeling good about it, living in the moment not worrying about what has happened in the past or fretting about the future. Accepting what your body looks like, accepting how your body feels, accepting how far you can reach to your toes, and knowing where you are today is just fine. In time my practice of yoga will take me where I need to go both on and off the mat.

Balance—Practicing yoga has really brought balance into my life. Yeah, I do a much better job of keeping my balance in tree pose, but I’m talking about life balance. I now take the time almost daily to practice yoga or exercise and give my body what it needs instead of working and chasing my tail all the time. I still work really hard, but every day around 6:00 p.m., I turn off the computer, clear my head, and get my butt moving. I feel great and guess what? I now have this crazy thing called work-life balance. Pretty incredible!

Calm—Yoga and meditation have gotten me in the habit of taking time out during my day to breathe deep and de-stress. I try to remember that amazing feeling of lying in savasana, how calm and peaceful I feel, and conjure up that sensation whenever a stressful situation arises. I wish I would have recorded my blood pressure preyoga, and today I bet it has dropped substantially due to the calming effects of practicing yoga and meditation.

So, there you have it, my ABCs of yoga: acceptance, balance, and calm. You can have them too; just hop on a yoga mat and give it a try! Please leave a comment below and let me know what yoga has brought to your life.

 

Photo: Rohan Baumann