THE PRACTICE OF YOGA

This April I challenged myself to try something new. My hockey season had just ended, but I wanted to keep up with some sort of exercise. For the past couple months I'd been thinking about starting yoga, so I figured it was the perfect time to do just that.

My older sister Ash and I began going to Perfect Hearts Yoga in Steveston, we signed up for the unlimited one month pass which was only $50! They hold classes in the mornings, evenings, and on weekends, so it was easy to book a class even with work and other priorities on the go.

Yoga was, and still is, a new concept for me. There's different kinds, each with a different aim, but it's not just about sitting cross legged and saying Om (although you do that too). Hatha and Vinyasa were my two favourite classes for working up a sweat, you could feel your muscles loosening up and stretching out with each pose. The Yin class they offered was the perfect way to end a long day, I always felt so relaxed and ready for bed afterwards. But, regardless of which class I took, my mind always felt more at ease by the end of it. It's as if all the thoughts that had been running rampant in my head for the better half of the day had been neatly organized and put away in boxes. Any feelings of anxiousness or nervousness had dissipated.

It's rare that we take time out of our day to be still, to focus on our breathe and give our brains a much needed break. Each yoga class allowed me to indulge, to set intentions and thank myself for giving my mind, body, and spirit the opportunity to hit the "refresh" button of sorts. We're constantly on the go, but the magic you feel when you slow things down is so worth it.

Yoga is all about honouring your body and it's abilities- whatever they may be. I highly recommend hitting up a yoga class, whether it be drop-in or and buying a pass. You won't know until you try. So try, go to different classes, see what you like, figure out what really resonates with you.

The best part about yoga, for me, was the feeling.

And that feeling can be replicated; by turning my phone on airplane mode for an hour, by reading a good book in the sunshine, by floating on my back in crisp ocean water. All these things are "yoga" for me.

What's "yoga" for you?