Farting. Smelling strangers’ morning breath. Having someone else’s butt in your face or worrying about your butt in theirs. What’s with this whole yoga craze?
Here’s the low down—or should I say, the downward dog. Yoga is called a practice for a reason. Each class is a self-reflection on where you are in that exact moment in time. Every day your body, your world and the world around you are ever-changing, so no two practices are the same. Because of this, it all comes down to you and your breath; the shallowness or depth of it serving as your guide. No two practices are ever the same; one day you’ve mastered the tree pose, the next day you’re a wobbly mess who can’t hold the pose for the life of you.
However, the life of you is breath.
Developed eons ago as a simple series for breathing, yoga has practically turned into a cult—it’s addictive. The progress made from being dedicated to the practice keeps you striving for more, despite being fully aware that it is an art you can never master. Yoga is a process of lifelong learning with room to grow. Through breath, shared energy in the room, a teacher that strikes just the right balance between you and your chakras, yoga is an evolutionary thing.
So while you lie in other people’s sweat, hear their digestive tracts and smell the odd fart or two, each class keeps you returning for more. This is simply the nature of it—an inevitable yearning to better oneself and succeed. Succeeding in this case is showing up and being there. Committing yourself to being present in time, space and place. The success of gathering your things and making it to class so you can fuel yourself; body, mind and soul all thrive in yoga. Now that is a practice worth keeping.
If you love yoga, it loves you back—simple as that. Keep practicing and aim for improvement not perfection. The true mission is to set an attainable goal and working to achieve it.
WORDS: NATALIE GREENSPAN
PHOTOS: BRAEDEN MECK
MODEL: MEG COFFEY
