The Power of a Breath

Breathe in: Focus on the air coming in

Breathe out: Focus on pushing the air out

Breathe in: Slow the breath, make it smooth

Breathe out: Let go of distractions

Breathe in: Draw your focus inward

Breathe out: Find stillness.    Quiet.     Peace.

In theory that is how it should go.  Or what Yoga is hoping to attain anyway.  There are many types of Yoga, but they ultimately are aiming for enlightenment.  To me this means inner peace.  I’m not trying to be all lofty and superior, I’m just trying to be me, to find MY peace.  On the Yoga Basics website it says that yoga’s “essence is practical… as it emphasizes direct experience and observable results.  It is not a religion, but a practice of personal inquiry and exploration.”  Isn’t that what I said I was all about this year?  Being myself!  And in order to be myself, I kind of have to focus on me and finding myself. 

SO, I’ve started taking yoga classes at the gym, and…

I.    LOVE.  THEM.

Why, you ask? Because I leave feeling happy, and refreshed, and ready to conquer the day (I was going to say world, but that seems a little ambitious J).  And did I mention sweaty?!  I leave the gym feeling all of these things and I still get a killer workout!!

The other reason I love the classes is that they are all about modifying for your body on that day.  Some days my knees feel fine and I can do everything, some days they don’t and I can’t.  The focus is me and listening to what my body is telling me right then.  I am amazed at how fast an hour can fly by when I let go of the distractions and just focus on my movement, my body… my breath.

So breathe, focus, and be me.  Simple, right?!  ;)

Sam