Can I be a yogi?

I was nervous to share my passion. Sharing meant expectations. Did I have to perform acrobatic back-bends and pretzel perfect postures to be a yogi?

 What would people think? What would they say? Am I good enough?

I was anxious and thoughts of perfection weighed me down. "Are my legs at the right angle, is my spine straight, am I breathing correctly, why can't I twist like that?" I'm not yogi enough to share my practice.

Guess what, the only thing you need to think about is adoring yourself and adoring your practice.

We are all different, we have beautifully different bodies and backgrounds. You are not required to be in perfect physical condition nor are you expected to be able to completely fold in half to practice yoga. The art is vastly adaptable. You must begin where you are, honoring your body in the stage it resides in. You will learn to feel and focus on what is going on in your body and be mindful of your own practice as it grows.

You don't need to be worried about doing yoga "wrong." Form follows practice. Yoga is non competitive, an inward practice. If yoga was to become competitive I imagine a flood of circus performers taking to the mat.

What others may think or say about your practice is up to them, ultimately you need to adore yourself and adore your practice.

If your still thinking "How can I ever become a yogi"? 

Think about what you would like out of your practice.

Relaxation

Gratitude

Stress Relief

Muscle strength

Tone body

Flexibility

Anxiety relief

Mental clarity

Spirituality

Think about what you need or want out of your practice and just know you don't need to sit in lotus position humming "om" for hours to be a yogi. Although you may come to find some lotus sitting and "om" humming to become quite a nice part of your journey. 

You can be an office worker, mother, college student, construction worker, school teacher or musician. You can be overworked and underpaid, overweight or undervalued, you can be absolutely anything and be a yogi. If you can  breathe, you can be a yogi.

No one can tell you what you'll get out of yoga, the journey is your own and for all.


XOXO
Ash