The first time I practiced yoga was many seasons ago. I will never forget that day because I was so relaxed in Savasana (final resting pose), I fell asleep. I woke up when the lights were turned on. I was embarrassed and didn’t practice for a while.
The following year I gave yoga another try, this time to lose weight. To my surprise, practicing yoga alleviated the pressure and stress of trying to lose weight and in an effort to make my body smaller, I discovered I had it all wrong.
Yoga is not about contorting our bodies to look like a pretzel or doing a handstand effortlessly. It is so much more than that. Yoga is the user’s manual to being human; how to breathe, heal and process emotions. Everybody can practice this ancient philosophy and improve their lives. However, in a densely-minded world, a liberating experience in yoga has been watered down to a mere physical fitness practice. There is an extraordinary comprehensive philosophy that teaches us that no human has a perfect journey, and that’s part of the beauty of being human. Teaching us that we are enough, as we are.
In my own practice, yoga has slowly changed me, teaching me to just be, accept all and to take up as much space as I need, instead of trying to make myself smaller. Thanks to yoga, I have stopped trying to fit into an expectation, a futile mold. Now, I know I am enough, in all my Latina curvy body glory, I am enough.
Enough is enough! Stop. We need to stop the negative self-talk. I have been struggling with my weight and self-image since I was a teenager. For many seasons I always hated my body. This was a product of the distorted beauty standards set forth by constricting social standards for women. Also, upon consulting my physician, I found out I have low levels of several key hormones and hypothyroidism. I am currently facing my hormone-related medical issues. They co-exist in my world; whereas some days I struggle in doing a simple-looking forward fold pose and other days I can run a marathon.
I now own my struggle, for it makes me human. My practice has taught me I can feel frustrated and grateful. I can hold space for both emotions simultaneously. When feelings of inadequacy take over my thoughts, as they still do sometimes, I smile and remind myself: I am enough. Enough is enough.
When I learned about Yoga 4 Change Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher Training from a post on my Instagram feed, my eyes widened and my heart opened. There it was, a way for me to teach other humans how we are all capable of forging strength from adversity. How our bodies and our minds are resilient. My mission is to teach humans who are unlikely to be exposed to yoga how to heal and restore.
My yoga journey is of one of acceptance. Accepting myself, as I am and accepting others, as they are. I am enough and you are enough. Enough is enough.
Vist Yoga the Yoga 4 Change youtube channel here and learn how to hush the negative self talk and experience the restorative powers of yoga.
By: Judy Sierra
Author authorizes Y4C to publish article.
Date:12/21/20
