What is yoga?

A quick Google search will yield the following AI response:

“Yoga is an ancient physical, mental, and spiritual practice that aims to unite the body, mind, and spirit. It involves a combination of physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), and meditation or relaxation techniques.”

What if we break down the physical, mental, and spiritual parts to really see what yoga is, isn’t, and why I believe, “Everything is yoga”.

Since I am Bikram yoga teacher and owner of a Bikram yoga school, Bikram yoga will be the practice I reference throughout. “We use the body as a medium to bring the mind back to the body for seconds at a time.”

Bikram Choudhary tells us this about the practice of Bikram yoga. What does this mean for us mere mortals practicing Bikram yoga for 90 minutes inserted into our otherwise go, go, go days? What is gained from the stillness in the practice? How can a few seconds of stillness in class change our lives off the mat?

Have you noticed a decrease in reading comprehension amongst your family, friends, and coworkers? Have you noticed a decreased attention span in yourself or your loved ones? Most of us run around all day distracting ourselves and disconnecting from ourselves. The mere thought of slowing down to “feel” something or connect with ourselves can seem overwhelming or even out of reach. Bikram yoga asks you to slow down in a world that is begging you to speed up, do it faster, disconnect. In Bikram yoga we only ask that you breathe and do the best you can with body and mind you showed up with on any given day. We give you permission to connect with that version of yourself; undistracted, for 90 minutes. It is with that permission that you finally allow yourself to slow down and connect rather than speed up and disconnect. Those seemingly small moments in class where you bring your mind back into your body for seconds at a time, train you to do the same off your mat. Slowing down and connecting with yourself gives you the space for slowing down and connecting with those you love. Better reading comprehension and better relationships are coming!

Yoga is Everything. Yoga is a rockstar at bringing you back to the present moment. The present moment is all we really have. Yoga helps you to be less judgmental and simply bring an awareness to your thoughts, emotions, and sensations. No more judging our thoughts, just a loving awareness of them. Continuing to show up on your mat and accept the present moment