waking up to my life

My yoga path started about 25 years ago when I crossed paths with a friend of my brother who was seriously into all spiritual work. Since then, yoga always stayed with me in my heart however I wasn’t able to pursue for endless reasons. I was basically avoiding to accept the fact that whether I practice yoga or not, to me, life was harsh, a daily struggle. So at some point of my life, I convinced myself to disconnect from yoga and kept it as physical exercise. It was a kind of ignorance allowing me to live in a kind of trance state. I did not want to awake up.

And one day, as any miracle does, yoga came to me.

Since then Yoga has changed my life…and it is still changing my life every day. Finally l did realize that life is supposed to change and yoga helps me finding the center, bring an awareness of myself that encourages me to sail through these changes everyday.

This understanding of connection between yoga and life has allowed me to reconnect to my yoga journey, what a blessing! I’d never forget the day when I rediscovered four corners of my own feet! Then I could stand tall.

Strange enough, Yoga makes me feel more grounded. I am more aware of details of my daily routine and able to enjoy the simplicity…could we call that mindful?

At first, learning to listen to your own body accepting its limits was the hardest thing to do and yes, some days it even did hurt. But as my ability to focus grew, more I was able to free the tension. So on day, I decided to apply this in my daily life! I do practice yoga because I do feel like I live more fully than ever.

I was really interested in connections between yoga and life in general, because yoga is more than just a simple exercise…each practice is about struggling in fighting my own physical challenges, acceptance in order to let go, relaxing, centering, remembering to breath, embracing who I am…to me yoga teaches me to be humble and yet a clear awareness of self. Yoga became a part of my life!

Since yoga is more than just a physical exercise for me, I am interested in spiritual part of it as well. I believe that one of the spiritual practices is about learning constantly (these days I am completely drawn to Buddhist spiritual teachings), and there is so much to learn. The basic learning that I merely understood involves awareness of my inner self, body and mind.

For that, I have started to dedicate a little time in my daily meditation, trying to understand the loving kindness and mindfulness. Even that single discipline is helping me to understand my own breathe, and how to sit tall, the basics to be present.

Finally, I truly believe there is a strong correlation between physical yoga practice and spirituality.

For me, I need to find the balance between how I am practicing asanas on the mat and how I live my life everyday to enable personal motivation. It is like my inner and outer balance I seek through and with yoga on a mat…

 Cassandra Lanyon
 Cassandra is currently enrolled in the yoga centre winnipeg 200hr teacher training program