7 lessons I’ve learned from practicing yoga
Yoga is still regarded as a hippie practice in France. I had tried one course of a very still meditation class that was labeled “Yoga” and discarded it as I found it boring.
Fast-forward 2 years later. When I moved to Australia, I felt like trying it out again. Down under, it’s actually really trendy. I was lucky enough to come upon an amazing studio and got hooked on hot Vinyasa.
One year later, here’s what I learned from it. I find each of the lessons have been relevant for me on and off my mat. They are all insisted upon by every single professor I’ve come across, however different they might be.
1. Set your intention for your practice
However hard and strong classes might be, they always start slowly. Teachers are mindful to transition us smoothly into the practice to help avoid injuries. But before even warming up the body, we warm up the mind. We are asked to set an intention for our practice—do we want to be gentle to ourselves, kind to ourselves, do we want this specific session to be relaxing or rather challenging. It can be whatever we want it to be.
I often set the same intention: Be acceptant and be persistent.
- Acceptant of the fact that my body has limits that I should respect rather than fight.
- Persistent to not give up and push myself to those limits and expand them in the best of my ability
Often, I’ll add in a focus on self-love.
The reason I love this is because my intentions are exactly what I need to practice in my everyday life as well.
2. Be present
One of my favorite professors in Sydney would often say: if you want to lie down in Savasana during the whole hour, as long as you are breathing, it’s yoga.
Throughout the course, the teacher reminds us to keep our focus our breath to help stay in the now, rather than letting the mind wandering off to thinking about the next meeting we have, the assignment we need to finish, and what not. If it does, it’s okay—we are asked to pay attention to it and simply bring back the focus to what we are doing.
I have found that as heated Vinyasa can be quite a strong practice (I sweat like no where else!), it helps with focusing. The hotter and harder it is, the easier it gets to keep my focus on my mat.
So, what matters is today. Now. When I manage to focus on that, rather than worrying about what happened yesterday, or what will happen tomorrow, I’m much calmer and able to move forward. One of my mentors once told me:
If you’re focused on the now, if you’re fully present, it’s impossible to be unhappy.
3. Listen to your body
This one is particularly important to me. A few years ago, I had two herniated discs in the lower back. This happened as I carried heavy boxes and did not pay attention to the pain signals my body was sending. After 2 months in bed and 9 very painful ones, I thought I would spend the rest of my life with the mobility of a 90 year-old.
So since I was eventually lucky enough to heal, I promised myself I would make everything I can to not harm myself again and this time, listen to whatever message my body is sending me.
Yoga couldn’t be more in tune with this. A consistent cue from the teachers that I have never heard in any other physical practice, yet that I find so important, is:
This is how the pose goes. If you’re feeling pain, don’t do it. It’s okay. If you are usually able to do the pose, but you’re body is telling you no today, don’t go there. It’s perfectly fine.
4. There’s always room for progress
And that’s what keeps it interesting. It’s an amazing feeling to notice the changes in your body. A year later, I can put my legs in places I wouldn’t have suspected possible. I remember looking eyes and mouth wide open to crazy poses a teacher would show, thinking I’d never be able to do that. But in fact, slowly, I’ve been noticing the changes, however tiny, until I myself was able to master those specific poses.
The best part is there are always harder poses and variations that you can challenge yourself with. It never stops.
Just like life! I take this lesson to remind myself that I’ll never be done growing. I will always be able to become a little better. It never ends.
5. Practice regularly
I have created a habit of practicing early in the morning before breakfast. I used not to be able to workout early in the day, especially on an empty stomach, but after a few sessions, simply got used to it.
I tried to go to classes everyday, but realized it was too much on my body, and would often feel sore in my back. So, I tuned it down to 3–4 classes a week during the whole year. I was as consistent as I could. I got off the wagon a couple of times, during which I wouldn’t go for a month or so. But I’d go back on track.
And that’s the only reason I’ve been able to notice change. It reinforces the idea that practice and hard work—not some innate talent— will get me to master any skill I want.
6. Be kind to yourself
This follows up on my intention of being acceptant. Sometimes, I can get frustrated not to be able to reach a pose. Sometimes I’ll compare myself to others and tell myself I suck.
That’s why reminding myself of being kind above anything else is so important. The very reason I get on the mat is to take care of myself, both mind and body. So I try to fight that negative self-talk by acknowledging the fact that it’s okay. I’m not perfect. I don’t need to be the best. It’s all good.
Which I try to remind myself every day in my own life.
7. Don’t compare yourself to others
I tend to compare myself to others a LOT. A lot more than I’d like. So training my mind not doing it on the mat helps with not doing it off the mat.
But even while practicing, it’s not easy. Beginner or not, there will always be a yogi in the room that is “better” than you, i.e. will do incredible poses you’re still very far from reaching. That’s when our ego kicks in to remind us how much we suck compared to that person.
Look at her, she’s more flexible, her yoga pants are so much nicer, she’s so much fitter than me!
So, the teachers always remind us to look at what’s happening on our mat. A harder variation doesn’t mean better or worse.
And I try to practice to acknowledge those thoughts, and let them go away by bringing the awareness back to what I’m doing.
Just like I do when I’m studying, blogging or playing piano.
We’re all on our own journey and we are exactly where we need to be today.
These lessons all intertwine and come together to help me be on my journey of self-awareness. Yoga helps me so much I’ve decided to take a yoga teacher training at the end of my academic year. And I’m so excited!
So, if you’ve tried yoga once and didn’t like it, maybe give it a try again with a different type, studio or professor—you might end up getting hooked just like me ! :)
