A few years ago I used to be called what is known as a 'Yoga Procastinator'.
A person who had never done a yoga class but always would say to myself 'you must try yoga Nic, remember to book a yoga class' and alas I never did.
For years it was always on my to do list but for some crappy reason I never did. Life just always seemed to get in the way, which is a terrible excuse.
However just over 18 months ago I finally stopped being a 'yoga procrastinator' and booked my first class.
I started going to a weekly Hatha yoga class on a Tuesday evening. It was an hour and 30 minutes of gentle yoga and 20 minutes meditation. It was just what I needed at a time when my life felt a bit upside down and my negative thinking and fuzzy head was not at its healthiest. During those 90 minutes I was able to do the 'impossible' and switch off my brain and just be in the moment.
Personally I don't believe that Yoga is about who is the strongest or who can make their bodies bend into every positions. Yoga is individual to you and I have learned over the last 18 months that there are just certain things my body will and wont do. Seated forward folds are still elusive to me, (damn you tight calves), but on the flip side my body has become so much stronger in other ways. I can now pull my tummy in and lift my legs off the floor into a headstand, and use the growing arm muscles to do the side crow.
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| Tripod Headstand |
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| Side Crow Variation |
I now go to a weekly Vinyasa class with the lovely Hannah from Stretch and whilst I do need to work on practicing more Yoga outside of my classes, and not letting a hard day at work be an excuse for not attending class. Yoga still provides me with that time out from my weekly routine to steady my mind and be in the moment. I look forward to my classes so much and always leave feeling energised and awake. The time I spend on the mat I go into a different place where I concentrate purely on the moment.
Spending 5 days recently with my Yoga class in Sintra, Portugal was the perfect excuse to strengthen my yoga practice with twice daily classes and make new friends. Yoga on the beach at sunset with the sound of the sea was pure bliss.
Yoga has played a significant part in making me a stronger person. Both
physically and mentally. Some of the breathing and relaxation techniques have really helped me to keep my anxiety at bay.
I can still feel it there on bad days but then I try to focus on my breath and tell myself it will pass. Yoga has really helped me try to get past that. I now feel healthier and much more in control of things than I have in such a long time.
I can still feel it there on bad days but then I try to focus on my breath and tell myself it will pass. Yoga has really helped me try to get past that. I now feel healthier and much more in control of things than I have in such a long time.
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| Fallen Angel |
Yoga means union, and yoga and I are now firm friends.
If you like me keep putting off joining a class then do it, I promise you wont regret it.
Thanks for reading, Nic x
