My Yoga Journey

Everyone has their own yoga story. I'd like to share mine.

My first experience with yoga was in grade 11, during a summer program that matched up local student-teachers with a group of Japanese exchange-students on a travel program in my city for the summer. One day, one of our activities was yoga, and while they warned us that we should bring stretchy clothes, I forgot and wore jeans. But, I gave it my all. I was sore for days. I learned not to mess with yoga. I was intrigued, but felt like it was out of my reach.

Flash forward a few years later, and I was in college looking for low-impact activities to sign up for, in a bid to stay healthy and also meet new people. I signed up for a yoga class, and attended about three quarters of the classes. I didn't meet anyone, and I didn't lose any weight. I did learn that yoga was something I enjoyed, though. I felt like I could connect to it. But, I felt that I wanted to practice at home, and there really wasn't a way for me to do that at the time. (It's a long story but it involves being a broke college student more concerned with eating at restaurants than paying for yoga classes, and an extremely chaotic and messy home-life complete with unhelpful ex-boyfriend.) I drifted away from yoga again.

After I met the love of my life and moved to a different city, our home-life became more settled. We had two cats and a dog and I had a huge kitchen/dining room with space to do yoga. I took motivation from the fact that I was getting married to eat healthier and also did yoga every morning. It was the same video every time. I wanted to get better! But still found it challenging.

But, after we got married and I started to get into the daily habits and routines of regular working life, things started to slip. I stopped practicing yoga, even though I knew it was great for me and I enjoyed it. It was just too much of a hassle for me to find a place to do it, in our new apartment. The few times I did do it, my cats would really distract me from the meditative aspects of it. I found myself injured and stopped doing it at all.

Fast forward a few years, my husband and I moved to a new city again! We let go of our settled habits, and tried to find a new place to fit in, in our new community! I decided to take some community yoga classes to get back into the groove, get active, and meet people. I took beginners yoga for flexibility and I really enjoyed it. The class had a lot of older students, and people with back pain and injuries. The teacher offered modifications for those with mobility issues and I felt like I fit in a lot better than my college yoga class full of flexible and fit people. This is when I really realised that you don't need to look a certain way to be a yogi. Your yoga practice should be customized to your own needs and that is okay!

Now, my yoga practice is still developing. Even after all these years of occasional practice, I still feel like an absolute beginner. My body doesn't feel like all the other yogis look. I feel awkward and uncomfortable a lot of the time! But I am in love! I feel like yoga can now have a place in my life, without a need to feel like I need to live up to others, but just for myself.
Now, I should probably mention, that today when I do certain yoga poses, and I feel the stretch and strain of an underused body, I remember the freedom of being a child. I have come to realise that all children naturally do yoga throughout their day, bending and playing and stretching and rotating every joint. So, while I didn't know what yoga was until a teenager, I feel a sense of coming full-circle back to the strength, beauty, and innocence of childhood when I practice yoga today.

What was your yoga journey? What led you to your current practice?

Here's what I use:

Regular yoga mat: eKO Lite® Mat 68" 4mm by Manduka in Seaglass 2-Tone. I spent about $70 on this, and it was well worth it. For a long time, I used a basic, cheap, foam mat. It was fine but I was slipping during certain poses, and got sick of the colour and the texture. This new mat is literally heaven compared to the old mat. I gave my old mat to my pregnant cousin to use while she's doing pregnancy stretches. The movements are slow and easy so she doesn't have a problem with slipping. Manduka makes really good quality products and I really love their stuff.

I also use a cork block, and two foam blocks with a hollow center for gripping. I like the sturdiness of the cork, but I prefer the softness of the foam. If my hands are particularly sore, I will use the foam.

I also occasionally use straps (any old thing will work), folded blankets, and a foam roller.

What is your favourite yoga gear? Let me know in the comments!