One of the most beautiful things in yoga is the balance between its deep history and modern interpretations of the practice. There are countless ways to practice and to find the yoga that works best for you. Maybe you keep instrumental music softly playing in the background, feeling the fire of really intentional and strong movements as you flow through your sequence. Or perhaps, you take the idea of flowing through your sequence more literally and treat your body as if it were as free as the ocean. For some, the practice might focus on meditation or breathing exercises. Beyond the physical, it can be empowering to set a different intention every time or focus on a different part of your heart that needs to heal.
It Shouldn’t be Stressful
The beauty of yoga didn’t truly sink in for me until I found the freedom in my own practice. I remember when I started practicing yoga and it almost stressed me out. I didn’t know what I was doing and I didn’t feel I was as good as everyone around me. I didn’t feel I had the creativity or knowledge in me to have a home practice outside of the studio. I was a mess.
Accept Yourself
I started doing a lot of internal work to unravel the parts of my soul that needed healing. Noticing the negative thoughts or memories that I truly needed to let go of. I began to take ownership over my body. I know that sounds weird. What I mean by that is that my body is uniquely its own. It looks differently, it moves differently, it needs different things. I started to accept that. When I started to make my yoga practice more of an internal activity, my life changed.
Get Into Your Body
Even now, I’ll hop on my mat and think “I have no idea what I’m doing.” But all it takes is a few minutes to tune in, a song that makes my heart happy, and a mat that truly never passes judgement. My yoga practice is now about freedom. I hop on my mat to free my head from the trials of the past and the expectations of the future. I practice to free my body from the negative self-talk I have placed on it all week and to free my heart from fear. I find my way to my mat to move, to be inspired, to feel open to love, and courageous towards the future, to feel free.
Find Freedom
Yoga is an amazing gift. In the world we live in today, I think we all need to get out of our heads and feel into our bodies just a little more. To soften, and open back up so we can take on tomorrow in a mindful state. I will forever be thankful for the freedom I found in my practice, for it led me to who I am. If you want to start to find freedom in your own practice, here are some easy steps to follow that worked wonders for me:
- Turn on some music that makes your heart happy.
- Find an area to make your own with your mat/props, candles, essential oils, etc.
- Take a second to tune in and breathe, listen to what your body and your heart needs.
- Let go of everything else.
- Move without thinking.
I hope each and every one of you finds freedom in your practice, and a continuous outpouring of love from your hearts.
About the Author
Brittany (or as her friends and family call her, Brittany Jean) is a YogaClub ambassador and inspirational yogi. She grew up in the Pacific Northwest and began practicing yoga when she was 16 years old. While Brittany Jean has moved and changed a lot over the years, yoga has always been her lighthouse guiding her home. Brittany Jean is a RYT-200, Reiki certified, aerial yoga teaching certified, 300 hr YTT student, and learner for life.
