Yoga was always something that I’d always wanted to do
however my initial reason for trying it out over 10 years ago at the infamous
Pineapple Studios are very different to the reasons why I love it today.
Despite the relaxing effect it had on me and my friend
in that studio all those years ago (we fell asleep!), I never quite cottoned on
to the power and empowerment of yoga, I just saw it as something that was good
for me to do during my days as a dancer to help keep me limber and strong, which
is probably why I never kept it up as I completely missed the point of what
yoga is really about.
However over the past few years I have found myself
questioning so many different aspects of life and paying a lot more attention
to the way I respond to life. So as a way of exploring this and finding balance
and inner peace, in January 2014 as one of my new year’s resolutions I vowed to
start my yoga journey and it all began with a £5 class which I had no idea would eventually
play such a huge role of support in my life.
Sadly only after a few weeks the class was cancelled and for
a while I tried out a few other classes but I never quite connected the way
that I did with my first instructor.
By the summer I felt like I had started to fall apart as my
tank was on empty and I needed to slow down and as a result of overworking and
neglecting myself in more ways than one I began to experience a lot of anxiety. I knew that what I was experiencing was simply a mind
over matter situation and I was determined to restore myself in a holistic way.
So I contacted my instructor and gave her the rundown on what was happening and
booked myself in for a private session, but before diving straight in for a
yoga session we agreed that I we would have a Reiki session that would
help to understand where my issues were coming from and what areas we needed to
focus on. This was and still is the most powerful spiritual healing experience I have ever had. It was the first time in what had felt like months that my
mind found peace, even if it was only for a few seconds at a time because let me
tell you, those few seconds felt like heaven (or at least what I imagine heaven would feel like.)
These sessions were the start of gaining back my control,
managing and understanding my mind and emotions at a deeper level. Since then I
have continued with my yoga and meditation practice and have had some really
great experiences. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been to some yoga classes where
I’ve left and at the end said to myself “what the fuck was that all about”, and
I’ve been to some where my body has had a better work out than my mind and
spirit, but I’ve also been to classes that have left me in tears, or have
unblocked whatever may have been preventing me from feeling grateful, happy,
loved or free. My latest experience involved being turned on during a session!! Which I assure you, was as much as a surprise to me
as I think may be to you! The instructor
did have on some insanely little tight shorts and he did also had a beautiful
voice, but after having a quick chat with my instructor back home she assured
me that it was completely normal and that he (the instructor) clearly acted as
catalyst for whatever was going on in my body. (Horny hormones! HA!! Can’t
believe I just wrote that!) Lol, no seriously yoga has all kinds of ways of
awakening your subconscious feelings, energies and emotions. Especially at
times when you least expect it, you can experience all kinds of emotions.
Yoga isn’t for everyone but for me it one of my top wellbeing
activities that keeps me centred and grounded in this crazy western world. Since
moving to Lisbon I’ve been exploring different classes to find my right match
while I’m here which I think may have finally found. What makes it even sweeter is that it’s outdoors and it's free!
If you’re in Lisbon and would love to do some yoga check out
the video below!
Or if you’re at home and don’t have the time to get to a
class but really want to have some kickass guided practice, check out Yoga with Adrienne! She
is amazing and I regularly do her sessions via YouTube. She’s fun as has a
great way of making you feel at ease with whatever level of yoga you’re at. She
also has a great 30 Daysof Yoga programme which I’ve found as great way to start the day.
Enjoy and feel free to share any yoga stories or tips!
Love Sara. xx
No comments:
Post a Comment