Why Practice Yoga?

We can sit here all day and list the health benefits of a regular yoga practice, but in reality is that always the reason you come to your mat? Whether its your first class or your hundredth, what is it that truly brings us to our yoga practice day in and day out?

Stress

At the end of the day, no matter what we do or how hard we try to fight it, we all combat stress on a regular basis. Whether its because we are going to a job we dislike, someone cutting us off in traffic, someone saying something in that tone (you know what I'm talking about!), we all get stressed and frustrated, rational or not. As someone who gets stressed out if dinner is taking too long, I can honestly say that this is one of the main reasons I take to my mat. When I started practicing yoga, I found something that had the most significant effect on me for managing my stress. I still experience stress, but at the end of the day - these things can be managed and yoga gets me to the calm that I need.

Exercise

Yoga is a full body workout. Practicing yoga on a regular basis, whether that is once or twice a week or everyday, will make you stronger in your body. Your muscles will be strong and you will notice a physical change.

Escape

Yoga, or any exercise or hobby, can be an escape for the practitioner.Whether we get to our mat to get out of the house for an hour, help us prepare for the day ahead, or wind down from the day, yoga is our personal escape. Maybe it also helps you escape yourself. By coming to the mat and focusing on the breath or the movement, we are not able to focus on the other things sprinting through our mind. It is an escape to the quiet.

Peace

I know as we move down this list, the reasons become less concrete but after years of practice, peace and calm is definitely a reason to come to your mat. When you practice yoga, you focus on quieting the mind; working out to work inside. For me, the days I don't make it to my mat, I can feel that; in my attitude, in my response, in my body. When I make it a priority to get to my mat every single day (or however frequently you practice) I feel peace and calm over me for the entire day. I sleep better, I feel better, I am better.

What brings you to your mat?