A Non-Exhaustive List of Reasons to Do Yoga by Gabe Hopp
Last spring, I created a non-exhaustive list of reasons why I do yoga and why I think you should too. I thought it was worth sharing with our blog, since sometimes we need a reminder of all the good things yoga does for us. Especially if you’ve been practicing for awhile, you may start to forget all the magic of the practice and the benefits it adds to your life. It helps to have a refresher and may even lead to a little jumpstart in your own personal yoga journey. What are your reasons for practicing?
1. You can reset your frazzled nervous system
This is number one because I think it’s the most important for our time. We are fried from the pandemic, the 24-hour news cycle, the pace of modern life, jobs and parenting; it’s a lot. It’s so much! Yoga gives us some time away from the noise. It gives us time to hone in to our innermost knowing, our self that is calm and serene.
2. You’ll sleep better
Yoga is great for resetting the nervous system (see above!) and this is a great way to promote better, more restful sleep. In yoga asana, we also exercise the body, which can make us more prepared for sleep when the time comes.
3. You’ll feel more comfortable in your own body
This is the body you have, so no time like the present to get comfortable there. I don’t want to oversimplify, or be insensitive to real body image issues. But, the human body is an absolute incredible miracle of a system and deserves our celebration. Through yoga, we can learn to embrace and appreciate our body and all the amazing things it does for us.
4. It will be more accessible to get down onto the floor and up off of the floor
This is super important in the aging process. Do you have little kids or little grandkids who want to play legos? Do you have a physically demanding job in which you need up/down mobility? Yoga is a super way to maintain and regain agility in getting up and down.
5. You get a break from your phone
One of my personal faves. Have you seen this SNL skit in which one of the characters is working on getting his screen time down from 23.5 hours a day? Hilarious and terrifyingly accurate. I feel like that most days, do you? Having built-in breaks away from our devices is almost a necessity to avoid random checking and constant “connectedness.” I am so grateful for the mini tech-break that a yoga class provides.
6. You get a break from the news
The “news” feels inescapable these days. With news outlets all over social media, and everyone having their own personal soap-box, current events are inescapable, even if you’re actively trying to avoid them. The hour or so of peace that a yoga class offers is more and more invaluable, the more connected we become.
7. You get to listen to your breath
Is this something you would do otherwise? Not only do we intentionally experience the breath during practice, but we also hone the skill of listening that we can then use off the mat. Working with the breath can be such a game-changer for our well-being, this one should get a star!
8. You get to listen to and commune with your intuitive knowing
Again, is this something you would do on your own? Maybe, but in the real world, it’s really hard to get quiet enough to listen well. Yoga gives us the space and the platform for inner listening and inner awareness. When we begin to know ourselves better, we are typically better humans in the world, who are more accountable for our actions.
9. You can begin the process of learning to meditate
Having a regular meditation practice takes a lot of discipline and dedication. And, it can be overwhelming to know where and how to start. In yoga classes, we start the process of quieting, stilling and listening, which are integral to the meditative experience. Maybe these glimpses of calm and quiet will inspire you to seek out a more regular sitting practice.
10. You will get more comfortable being with you
Much like yoga can help us appreciate our own bodies, it also gives us greater insight into our personality. Through yoga practice, we pay attention to the spiritual/mental/emotional processes of the mind and soul. Yoga can help us come into ourselves simply by understanding ourselves better.
11. You will gain tools to calm your anxiety, slow down your heart rate and chill more effectively
These are all part of number 1, but worthy of repeating. Yoga teaches us to CHILL OUT. And the more you practice chilling, the more easily you’ll be able to chillax.
12. You get to be by yourself sometimes and part of a community of like-minded folks some other times
Introverts rejoice! Extroverts rejoice! You can practice by yourself or in the sangha. They are both important parts of yoga practice and we should seek out both opportunities.
13. It’s been a science for 4000 years so it’s probably on to something
Whenever I start to feel down about how hard it is to be a human, I remind myself that the ancient yogis were working through all these human challenges for thousands of years before now. Yoga is the life science of how to live most-fully and I’m here for it.
14. You’ll flood your entire being with prana which will make you feel more alive
Prana is the magic elixir of yoga. It’s the energy that makes us feel more alive, more alert, more “ourselves” when we practice. Prana is hard to put into words, but it’s the thing that makes you feel really good when you do yoga.
15. You’ll learn to embrace your humanness in all its glory
We’re all just out here doing the same thing, trying to be happy and healthy. Through yoga, we can feel a sense of connectedness (the root word of yoga, yuj, literally means “to connect”) with our fellow humans and to appreciate the joys and pains of being alive.