The popularity of yoga has increased substantially over the past few years with over 20 million people practicing in the United States alone, but many are still afraid of trying it. What these anti yogis don’t realize is that yoga is for everyone, even if you’re not the most flexible person, like myself. When I first started practicing yoga I could barely perform a pose, as I thought it should be, but I didn’t give up. What I quickly learned is that there is a reason why it’s called a practice and just like anything in life, the more you practice something the better you become at it.
No One is Born a Master
It’s been said that a flexible spine keeps you young and that couldn’t be more true. The clear sign of a body growing old is when it hurts to bend over and pick something up off of the floor. If you have lived your life feeling less than flexible, yoga will change that. With dedication, practicing yoga will enable your body to flex in ways you never thought was possible. Yoga is a process, it’s a lifestyle and with commitment and consistency it will transform your body in more ways than one.
Flexibility Comes With Time
If you think that there is no way you could ever do yoga because your body would never be able to bend into the poses, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Yogis who can now practice the most difficult yoga poses couldn’t do them from the start either. Very few can walk up to a yoga mat for the first time and perfect a backward bend. It takes time for your body to work through the beginner poses so that your muscles can grow accustomed and advance onto the more difficult ones.
You Can Practice At Your Own Pace
When starting out, a yoga class can seem intimidating. But what you have to try and remember is that everyone has had to experience their first class and find their own practice within their space. Bodies are built differently and even though it may seem like you are the only one struggling through a pose, that’s not usually the case. The rule of thumb in yoga is to do what is best for you and to not concern yourself with what surrounds you, finding peace within is success in itself.
Nothing happens overnight; finding your own success with yoga takes dedication, practice and determination. Yoga will naturally change your body by not only making it more flexible, but also stronger, longer and more balanced over time. As you grow older all of those benefits will enhance your life in very positive ways.
