Or is it?
Lisa is a lady who does my sports massages. I was speaking to her this week about yoga, and asked if she'd tried it. Her answer was no but that she didn't think it was for her. She didn't have time to make an hour a week for yoga, and she wouldn't be able to switch off her mind to do it. Or maybe it's not for you because it's too spiritual, too hippy or you're not flexible enough to do yoga. I've been on yoga retreat this weekend to a wonderful place called the Acorn Wellness Centre just outside of Harrogate. It's really beautiful and it was a turbulent windy day near Brimham rocks. Earlier this year I'd been to the same place and in between yoga sessions had gone on a 10 mile run. This weekend I went for a slow gentle jog because I wanted to stand on a big rock, with the view, and feel the wind around me. This for me, epitomises the journey. I'd gone for doing a run for the sake for a number, for completing my exercise plan for the week, for achieving an impressive distance. Instead on Saturday I went for a run to enjoy a particular sensation, to get a bit closer to nature, to be in the moment and to appreciate it. Those of you that are a bit early to class might occasionally see me popping in a extra bit of handstand practice. But is it just about the poses? The achievement of the shapes? No. Yoga is physically demanding. But it's more mentally demanding. Nothing about it is easy. It's the process of making progress that's addictive, transformative and at times, utterly magic. And I mean progress both physically, mentally, and spiritually. It's where you find your God or no God; it's where you find your space and me time; where you learn to sit with discomfort and therefore move out of your comfort zone; where you learn to breathe; to enjoy the smallest of movements and your whole body; to find that tiny bit more peace and balance in your life. Savasana is the hardest place to be, but it's where you learn how to switch off better. It being physically and mentally demanding means it is physically and mentally transformative. Therefore this coming summer I plan on doing my yoga teaching training (because why stop learning?). Because as demonstrated by my run this weekend, it is about more than just yoga and fitness for me now. It's about finding balance in every part of your life, feeling better in every respect, about all of the stuff above. Integrating fitness and wellness into your life so that it transforms the way you live. That's what I hope to live and offer as I begin my 'fitness' career. So no, yoga isn't for me. Because what I actually want is to learn about myself, life, how to keep developing a growth mindset, how to fill myself up with strength so I can keep serving others, how to keep evolving. How many times do we tell ourselves what we do and don't like? And actually if we give it a chance, time and space, maybe, just maybe, it is for you. So look out September 2019... Come and practice with me!
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