Top 8 Benefits of Yoga.

On the 21st of June 2020, it’s not only Father’s Day but also International Day of Yoga day! I can think of no better way to celebrate than to take to the mat and practice some stress-busting stretches. But I also want to take this time to discuss the top eight benefits of yoga and how it can help boost recovery and confidence.

Maybe you’re new to yoga, or perhaps you’re a seasoned veteran? Or maybe you’re just curious? What’s it all about? Will, I suit it? No matter your experience or thoughts, this blog post will open your eyes to many benefits of yoga in recovery. Even if you’ve been taking it to the mat since the ’90s, you never know, you might learn something new!

New to yoga? Check out some of these much-needed yoga stables to help your practice. They also make great gifts for the yogis in your life.

What is yoga?

I began my yoga journey in March 2019. I’d heard so much about the benefits that it sounded like it might be the only thing to finally change my mindset. Currently, I practice at least two times a week, sometimes more depending on time and my condition. I’ve found it to be so empowering, moving and, at times, emotional! I never thought I would cry in child’s pose, but here we are!

Yoga is the Sanskrit word yuj meaning ‘to bind‘. It can also be interpreted as ‘union‘. Either way, it’s clear that it promotes a sort of togetherness. Personally, I take it that this means it meshes our minds, bodies, and souls into one, allowing us to be entirely one with ourselves.

8 Benefits of Yoga in Recovery.

There are so many benefits that it would be impossible to include them all into a simple blog post. In order to keep this somewhat short, I’ve plucked my TOP 8 from the pile of many.

It teaches us Compassion.

The practice of yoga encourages us to be compassionate to others and most importantly to ourselves. Whether we’re in the midst of mental illness or knee-deep in recovery, self-hate, and ridicule are common themes. It’s a welcome change to be fed positive messages about ourselves when all we want to do is internally put ourselves down.

The first time I sat through an instructional yoga video with Adriene Mishler, I was so comforted. Don’t get me wrong, I was slightly taken back and felt a little silly at being told I’m wonderful by a stranger, much less a stranger on TV. But the more I practiced and the more I allowed myself to repeat those words with the abandon of what anyone else might think, the more I began to believe them.

During Adriene’s practice, she fills you with praise, telling you how wonderful it is that you took this time to be with yourself. The best part is that this isn’t just an Adriene thing. Many other yoga instructors do this and the reason behind it? To verbally tell us that we are doing amazing things, we are good enough.

Self-compassion is so important in recovery because so often we can get caught up in the negative aspects of ourselves, or what the voice will have you believe is negative, that it can become difficult to see the positive.

Read the whole article at Nyxie's Nook!