Making Friends With Yourself Through Yoga

In preparation for the Tranquil Space book club meeting last Friday, I spent some time this pas week reading Bringing Yoga to Life by Donna Farhi. Although I still haven't finished the book (whoops!), I've found it to be a great, straightforward read on how to incorporate the practices of yoga into your daily life. One of the parts of this book that has spoken to me most thus far is when Farhi speaks about what drove her to continue returning to her mat when she first started practicing regularly in high school. She says:

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"While I was practicing Yoga I felt a rare calm, a palpable sense of control, and a goodness within my body that was deeply reassuring...in the pure naivete that is the gift of youth, I began to have a dialogue with a part of myself that seemed to be beyond the reach of my painful, everyday existence. While I was under the spell of my Yoga practice, I felt neither fear nor pain. Without knowing it consciously, I started to make daily contact with this inner entity that spoke a wordless language I could understand. I began to feel supported by this inner friend, whose company could be conjured miraculously through making my breath calm and regular and through slowly stretching and holding myself still. Most incredibly, despite my circumstances I began to feel an inexplicable sense of belonging."

For those of you who practice regularly, do you find this to be true? I DO! As cheesy as it may sound, yoga really has enabled me to tap into a calmer, more content, more open and aware part of myself that I didn't know existed before I started to practice. I completely understand what she's talking about when she says that she was able to feel "supported by this inner friend," because I feel it too. The "friend" that I connect with inside of myself through my practice is there for me whenever I'm struggling, upset, confused, excited, anxious, or hurt. She is soothing and encourages me to let go of my tension and just breathe. And just as Farhi explains, my practice and this inner "friend" that I reach through my practice always give me an "inexplicable sense of belonging" and help me to get through whatever I may be going through that day.

Photo via fitsugar.com

On a separate but similar note, another way in which I think yoga can give someone a sense of belonging is through practicing with a community. When I moved to DC and didn't know anyone, one of the first places that I felt I belonged--long before I knew anyone there or spoke to anyone besides the front desk staff on my visits there--was my yoga studio. There is something powerful about practicing with a room full of people and there is a definite feeling of connection with the other individuals in the room as you all come into the same poses together (and as you all connect with your individual "inner friends" together!). For those of you who may be feeling lonely or isolated in a new city or a new job, I highly recommend seeking out a yoga studio (or class at a gym), where you can learn to "make friends with yourself" and feel a sense of connectedness and community with others :)

Oh Donna Farhi, how are you are so wise...?

Have a glorious Monday!

Namaste,
Mary Catherine

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