45 Reasons I love Yoga & Why You Will Too

We hope this light-hearted piece from writer and teacher, Susanna Barkataki, will ignite your commitment to practice in 2017!

As a mentor teacher, my intention is to create a fun, safe and sacred space where people can learn how to let go of fear, teach from love and truly step into your power. My hope is that this post makes you smile, inspires you to do some yoga this week, or even inspires you to enroll in teacher training!

Here are 45 Reasons I LOVE Yoga  (in no particular order)

1. I love the peace I get.

2. I love the power to work on myself and change my reactions to something.

3. I love that I’m not clumsy anymore, and I even have the occasional moment of grace.

4. I love the core strength and toned muscles that make me feel panther strong.

5. I love that now that I’m trained in it, I can give myself a class anywhere, anytime. On the dirt while camping, rooftops, airports, public gardens, downtown L.A. Portable, baby!

6. I love the ethical foundation it gives to my life.

7. I love the way it helps me manage my energy and mood.

8. I love that now I do less harm.

9. I love to stretch creaky muscles when waking.

10.  I love that it’s taken away chronic neck/shoulder pain!

11. I love that it shows me the truth.

12. I love that I can’t imagine my life without it now.

13. I love that it changes people.

14. I love that it helps me be healthier.

15. I love that it lowers heart rate and stress level.

16. I love that it’s free now I can rock a class for myself, anytime I want!

17. I love that it helps me lose weight and keep it off!

18. I love that it makes me feel like falling in love. What’s up,

19. I love that I feel like a carefree kid when I do Happy Baby and Child’s Pose!

20. I love that yoga can always be modified to fit people’s needs.

21. I love how it is, and so isn’t, a fad.

22. I love how, as one of my students said, “It makes me feel like a unicorn mermaid floating through cotton-candy clouds.”

23. I love how it roots me deep to my culture of origin.

24. I love how it teaches me anatomy. I now know my parts, and how to use ‘em!

25. I love that it makes me cry.

26. I love that it contains an absolute truth: breath comes first! No doubt.

27. I love that it’s like enlightenment catnip. Especially Savasana.

28. I love that it’s fun to try different styles, studios, teachers and even mats.

29. I love that it has become part of me.

30. I love that I look forward to it everyday.

31. I love that it gets me thru heartbreak.

32. I love that I can do it all day long.

33. I love that sometimes I feel like Gumby not Pokey. (Yes, millennials look it up! So worth it.)

34. I love that yoga fell me in love.

35. I love that it brings me balance. (What’s up, Tree Pose!)

36. I love that it’s playful, practical and profound.

37. I love that it’s not a secret club or a popularity contest. It’s all-inclusive and everyone’s invited to the party.

38. I love that it softens the angles of my face.

39. I love that it combines ancient and modern wisdom.

40. I love that it kinda makes meditation fail-proof.

41. I love yoga because it helps my bones sit together right.

42. I seriously love that it helps me fall asleep at night. Hello long forward folds and holds!

43. I love that it makes me laugh.

44. I love that it isn’t a competition. Even though I thought it was at first, oh, my so deeply flexible mat-neighbor.

45. I love it because it’s something I wasn’t naturally good at and I gained mastery through practice.

More from Susanna Barkataki and YogaUOnline – How One Teacher Overcame Anxiety and Depression.

Reprinted with permission from susannabarkataki.com
 

Susanna Barkataki, M.Ed. E-RYT, is a yogi, writer, speaker, blogger and educator working at the intersection of self-care, yoga, Ayurveda, socially-engaged entrepreneurship, and healing justice. She has a Masters degree in Education and is a Master Yoga teacher trainer with over 5,000 hours of certified training in diverse modalities in Yoga, Meditation, Mindfulness, Energy Work and Ayurveda. She has taught over 2,500 students, been an educator for 15 years teaching social justice, history K-12, and leads retreats, workshops and trainings for adults.