Yoga is defined as ‘a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.’ However, it is so much more than that to those who practice it. I first began practicing yoga about a year ago. Although I don’t practice nearly as often as I’d like, I have rediscovered my passion for it and can once again feel the positivity and fullness it brings to my life.

With the recent events many people are feeling stressed, scared, and at unease. Many of us college students know stress levels are at an all time high. Daily life is a challenge and many of us don’t have an outlet for all of those negative feelings. Many people turn to substance abuse or succumb to their feelings of despair. Though it can be hard to break away from everything that’s going on, we need to start taking some time for ourselves to disconnect from technology and reconnect with our surroundings.

When I first began my practice I was intimidated, I’m not the most flexible person in the world nor am I the most athletic, but that’s okay. Through my practice I have learnt that yoga is about your own limits- it doesn’t matter how deep into the pose you go, just as long as you feel a good stretch. One of unexpected outcomes I have gained from yoga is a sense of confidence – I feel more comfortable in my body and it’s capabilities. People practice for different reasons, whether it’s purely physical or the mental aspects the benefits from practicing yoga are profound.

For me, yoga is all about what you’re looking to gain from your practice. I do yoga to center myself, to de-stress, for better posture, to disconnect from technology, and to bring myself back to my surroundings.

Yoga isn’t solely about getting into shape – though being healthier is a positive side effect – it’s not the primary reason people practice. What you gain in your practice flows into other areas of your life and can affect your life in many positive ways. My top reasons for practicing are;;

• Managing stress; I’m focused on myself, giving myself a physical outlet for my stress, addressing my state of mind and giving myself some credit
• Improving focus; Yoga is all about focusing on breath – which can be a challenging thing to do at times
• Improving flexibility; The more you stretch, the wider range of motion you will have. Practice makes perfect
• Overall increase of mood; Physical activity stimulates us, so does making the decision to do something physical – it can lead to more positive decisions in other areas of life
• Helps you sleep better; Yoga is all about relaxation – taking time out of our lives to slow down and take a break. Regulated breathing, stretching out muscles, and practicing meditation in yoga can lead to better, more restful sleep

These are only to name a few, the benefits are endless. Yoga is about relaxation and positivity, there is no judgment. When you start to make better, healthier decisions for yourself it naturally seeps into other areas of you life. Yoga is no different. The meditation aspect of yoga helps us to analyze our lives, to take a step back and fully understand what’s going on in our surroundings - or simply to act as an escape from our hectic lives.

Yoga has something for everyone. You can practice at any level. That’s the wonderful is, you don’t need to push yourself – you have to listen to your body and it will tell you what you’re capable of doing, you might even surprise yourself. I find that there is a real sense of body positivity that comes from doing yoga. At first it can seem extremely intimidating because there’s this misconception that you have to look a certain way, you have to already be super flexible, and be in great shape to practice. This is simply not true. Yoga is about becoming in tune with your body and mind, listening to how your body responds. It is meant to be a practice that does not judge.

Yoga can help you reconnect with yourself; it can help bring you back to your human core.