One of my favorite ways to start off the new year is doing the 30 Day Yoga Challenge on the Yoga with Adrienne YouTube channel.
I really like how she has an overall theme to reflect on during the 30 days. This year, the theme was BREATH. And then each day has a word to focus on and connect back to the larger theme.
I also love how, if you sign up for the emails, she sends a love letter each day about the word of the practice and gives us something to think about.
At the end of this 30 day journey (but really, just the beginning of a life long one), I’m reflecting on how far I’ve come with my yoga practice.
At first, yoga was just a workout for me. A way to get stronger and work on my flexibility and posture. I wanted to benefit from the many physical health benefits of yoga.
As I was practicing my tree pose and getting from down dog to cobra to down dog again, I realized yoga was bringing me something else.
A spiritual awakening.
I remember the moment. I was doing TRUE, the 30 day yoga challenge from 2018. Adrienne was guiding us from a low lunge to a high lunge, straightening our spine to get into the full pose.
She was talking about how moving from the center is so important, because that’s our foundation and it’s a reminder that we having everything inside us to do what we need or want to do.
Feeling this connection to my center in order to physically lift me up into this high lunge, is the same thing as connecting to my inner self, my spirit, knowing that I have everything inside me to pull myself up from wherever I am.
Having that realization, that clarity, enter me so fully, almost brought me to tears.
Since then, I’ve been learning more about how to connect to my spirit, what it means to me and everything around me. Diving into yoga philosophy has helped me see its message told in other ways, all around me.
Now, even though yoga is still part of my workout routine, it has evolved into a time for me to connect spiritually as well. It’s part of my day where I tend to my body, mind and spirit. Practicing this connection while on the mat has helped me bring it to other areas of my life.
I never thought I’d say, my workout has become more of a spiritual connection for me than going to church ever did.
What’s one of your favorite ways to start the new year? Have you gone through a spiritual awakening in an unconventional way? What’s the meaning of life?
(To that I answer: LOVE)
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