3 questions to ask yourself about your yoga practice

This year I decided to practice yoga every day at home. It was a personal challenge because I knew my mind would try to convince me otherwise. I knew it would take a lot of effort to follow a flow all by myself, but I assure you it’s been worth it. Of course, I also go to yoga studios from time to time, where I can learn from an expert yogi and check if what I’m doing at home is safe or not.

Last weekend I went to a yoga workshop at Hot Yoga Dublin and it was a lovely experience. Our yoga teacher was Lisa, and Jane was helping out so everybody could reach their maximum potential during the practice according to their own needs and capacities. I strongly recommend this type of workshops for anybody interested in improving their alignment and connection with their own body.

To me, yoga is the best gift you can give to your body and inner-self. The exercises or asanas you perform during a yoga session are like metaphors. I always think of them as mirrors, reflecting my own states of my mind. That’s why it’s good to stay mindful during these practices. Focus on your breathing and be aware of any thoughts arising during that time.

3 questions to ask yourself about your yoga practice:

1- What did you think when trying to do a difficult pose?

Did you feel ashamed, proud, frustrated? We need to explore all the feelings we have during our practice because they can tell us a lot about our self-stem, confidence or even tendencies to narcissism. So keep an eye on then and notice how these thoughts relate to your daily life.

2- What did you think when trying to do an easy pose?

Did you feel superior or better than people that couldn’t achieve that pose so easily? Or were you thinking about something else related to the past or the future? It’s important to notice our type of thoughts because they can show us where are we putting our attention so we can decide if we really want to spend time and energy on those things. On the other hand, when you don’t think about anything at all and you feel almost like a robot doing yoga poses, it’s time to dig deeper: Are you enough motivated and happy in your daily life? Perhaps you haven’t established a strong connection with your inner-self yet and that’s the job you need to do at the moment.

3- Did you feel the practice was too long?

Sometimes we think too much about the time when doing yoga. It has happened to me. It’s like: When is this going to finish? It can happen during a yoga pose or the entire practice! This tells you a lot about your own impatience regarding your daily life.

Yoga is about self-love, confidence, courage aOnd so much more! It also keeps your body happy and helps you accepting yourself the unique way you are. Yoga is a brilliant master and a kind friend. That’s why I decided to do Yoga every day.