Yoga has become increasingly popular as its benefits become more widely understood. Whether you’ve taken classes, read books, or just watched a few videos, you know that it’s so much more than just a physical activity. It’s a way to cultivate a connection within ourselves and experience inner peace. But along with the joys of yoga, there are some unnoticed struggles that those in the community like to commiserate about.
You Can’t Master Every Pose
Every book and video shows the seemingly perfect dancer pose, and no matter how long you practice and how dedicated you are to improving, you may find that your body just won’t bend that way. That can be so discouraging, but it’s important to remember that everyone’s body and practice is different. We can still get the benefits from yoga without having to reach perfection with every posture.
Finding Space to Practice
When you’re living with your family, in an apartment, or really anywhere where space is a rare commodity, it can be so hard to find the time and place to roll out your mat. Between cooking, cleaning, and other responsibilities, it can be difficult trying to squeeze in a practice while still finding enough room to do every pose. You need a quiet space that allows you to be in the present moment and focus on your movements, breathing, and intentions.
Getting Over Fear of Yoga
Yoga has quickly become inundated with Instagrammable poses and super flexible yogis, and that can be so intimidating for those just starting out. Where do you begin? What if you can’t even touch your toes? Whether you’re too embarrassed to go to class at first, or you’re just completely unsure about how to go about it, the fear of not being “good” enough can paralyze you from even trying. But it’s important to remember that everyone starts somewhere. Every journey has to start with a first step, and yoga is a journey that never ends.
Taking Classes vs. Practicing at Home
Getting expert guidance can be so helpful in perfecting your practice, so classes can be a wonderful way to learn and connect with a yogi community. But classes can be expensive, inconvenient, and still feel intimidating. On the other hand, practicing at home removes all these barriers, but you may feel like you don’t know what to do and end up feeling like you’re simply missing out. The beauty and liberation of yoga is that you can practice wherever and however you’d like.
Creating Time for Yourself
It can be so difficult to juggle a job, family, and other responsibilities while trying to fit in a practice. This struggle is real, but it is so important to remember that we have to make time for ourselves if we hope to have anything left to give to those we love. Whether you dedicate a specific amount of time for yoga each day, or you get creative and find ways to incorporate it into your life in smaller doses, creating moments of peace and stillness will be beneficial in ways that stretch far beyond the yoga mat.
Yoga is a journey that we are
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