Do you really need a reason to love yoga? In case you do, I've got you covered. In fact, I've got five reasons to love yoga.
I love yoga. You probably guessed that already. I got into yoga first in college and then later through free classes offered by my work. After I quit the corporate world, I dived deep into yoga to help me heal from anxiety and stress. And now, I don't think I can ever put yoga back in the box.
Buy why should you love it? There are manly reasons to love yoga, and you'll find that every practitioner has their own opinions. Here are my 5 reasons to love yoga.
Yoga Increases Flexibility
When you think of yoga, you think of flexibility, right? Your mind goes to the yogis who can get themselves into pretzel shapes with their legs behind their heads?
Although that is incredible, that's not necessarily what you want to go for with your flexibility. Improving your flexibility with yoga can be as simple as stretching out the tight muscles you use in weightlifting, or opening up your hips so you have more movement when you bend down to grab that pen you dropped.
If you're really looking for a reason to love yoga, note that it is amazing because it can be used to help loosen your muscles so you have more movement to do everyday tasks, increase elasticity in your ligaments to prevent injury, and, of course, help you do some cool poses.
Yoga Improves Balance
Yoga is full of balance: Leg balancing poses, hand or headstand balancing poses, arm balancing poses like Crow or Flying pigeon, and balancing movements that help you transition between poses.
What I truly love about practicing balancing in yoga is the challenge as you transition between poses. For example, you can simply work on balance as you go from Crescent Lunge to Mountain pose—it requires a little balance in the front leg to move the back leg gracefully to the front of the mat.
Lately, I've been challenging my balance going from Crescent Lunge to either Airplane or Warrior III to Figure 4 to Staff to Warrior II. That's a good challenge. Try it.
As you continually work on balance in your creative movement practice, you'll be keep it up in the everyday tasks as you age beautifully and gracefully. AND... as you have children, if that's in your future plans. After you get pregnant, your balance changes. After you have the baby, your balance changes. As you work on your balance, you'll adapt to those changes with more ease.
Balance, one of the best reasons to love yoga.
Yoga Creates Strength
There is so much strength in yoga in both holding poses for a long period of time to work on the muscles (like Warrior II or Crescent Lunge) or arm strengthening poses like Crow, Flying Pigeon, or Plank. Downward Dog also strengthens the arms as well as the shoulders and abs. And Poses like Locust strengthen the stomach while Wheel and Camel strengthen the back.
You may not get giant muscles from yoga like you would in weightlifting, but one reason to love yoga is that it can definitely tone and strengthen your muscles.
Yoga Is a Moving Meditation
One of my favorite reasons to love yoga is how it quiets the monkey mind. When I practice yoga, I work to stay in the moment, focusing on the poses and my breath, getting in the right shape, and flowing to the next pose.
After a good yoga session, I feel renewed with a clear mind. This allows me to be more creative, better problem solve, and destress.
Yoga Teaches to Let Go of the Ego
Another favorite reason to love yoga is what it teaches about the ego. When I first started practicing yoga, I wanted to be as good as everyone else in the class. I was embarrassed when I fell out of poses or couldn't hold the shape the same as my yogi neighbor.
But I didn't let that stop me. I learned to let go of the ego (or I should say I'm learning, because it always seems to come back), so that I can progress at my own rate, pay attention to my body's needs, and get where I need to be at the right time.
I still fall out of poses, sometimes even when I'm teaching live. 😬 But I like that it humanizes me. And it reminds me that it's okay not to be perfect, and it's good that I have more to improve on. 😊
More Reasons to Love Yoga
I could go on about all the reasons I love yoga. I love the community in a good class. I love the challenge. I love the exercise. I love the Savasana part that allows me to relax and listen to my body. I just love yoga!
If you'd like to try out one of my classes, check out Divine Yoga. You can see all the streaming classes I offer and check out the subscription plan that is right for you.
See you on the mat.