What is yoga and why is it called a practice?

A lot of people think that you can come in to yoga, do it for a year and then just automatically be amazing at it and you can do all of these really amazing postures! For some of us this could be the case, but for many of us it is not! 

It's not always about the asana, the pose- it's about the mind and the breath- and the 8 Limbs of Yoga (which we will dive into in another blog!). Doing yoga is just one part of the bigger picture of yoga- it is a way of living. Living a peaceful and happy life! 

Yoga being a practice is somedays you can touch your toes- others you can barely get there. That's a practice. It's beautiful because everyday our body and our mind are constantly changing. We are constantly evolving.  Growing. Expanding. And sometimes we take a couple of steps back and think "what is going on here". Yoga gives you that opportunity to come on to your mat and sit. Tap into yourself. Listen to what is going on in your body and mind and all those layers that make us us. 

You could do amazing at asana yet you are not grounded in your mind. It's a practice. You have to work to find that stability and groundedness. 

The word yoga means to yoke. The union. The union of the mind and the body. The union of ourselves and the outside world. The union. One. Yoking everything. In yoga we are yoking our mind and body through the power of breathing- pulling us into the present moment.

When we are living in the past we are living at a place of fear- thinking about what has happened before and sometimes a sadness comes from that fearful place. When we live in the future we are worrying about what is going to happen to us. Something we do not have control over. When we live in the present moment, we can live in peace. We can be happy because we are not thinking about what happened in the past or what will happen in the future. We are here- now. Be here. Be now! 

That is what we strive for in a yoga class. When we are breathing we are in this moment and we cannot be anywhere else when we are thinking about our breath. It's a beautiful thing because it helps us release those attachments to the past and the future. The fear and worry. It teaches us to be less reactive. And that is a practice. You can do all the yoga in the world and still be reactive. But you become less reactive and take the time to fully engage in the present moment. It can change your life! 

If you do yoga once a week you can change your mind...
If you do yoga twice a week you can change your body...
If you do yoga everyday you can change your life...

Yoga has done this for me. Now like I keep saying- it's a practice. There are days and moments where I am reactive and where fear and worry try and take ahold of me- but I roll my mat out, move on my mat, and get back in that present moment with my breath, my body, my mind, and soul.

Yoga isn't just a physical practice- it's a lot of things. Like walking down the street being kind to those you meet! It is LIFE! I want everyone to experience that! So come try out a class for free at Horizon! 

~Hannah Hutcheson

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