om body
I
first stepped onto a yoga mat about
10 years ago, and a lot has changed
since. Both physically and mentally.
I’d just bought myself a cheap adidas
mat while I was studying abroad
in France, while simultaneously suffering
from a prolonged bout of food poisoning
I’d caught in Thailand. I was in such a mess
physically that I couldn’t face any sort
of exercise for months, so my little yoga
mat in my teeny tiny room was my saviour
at that time. I found Yogaglo and would
practice online with different teachers,
trying different styles and finding out what
I loved the most. I wasn’t really inflexible, I
could almost touch my toes, but I definitely
wasn’t as flexible as I am now. Or strong. I
remember the first time I tried chaturanga
and my arms felt like they were going to
drop off after one rep.
Fast forward 10 years, and this is whatI’ve learnt on my yoga journey. I hope some
of it resonates with you.- It takes time
It takes so much time to develop flexibility,
and slightly less time to develop strength.
It’s taken me over two years to almost get
my splits. That’s two years of pretty regular
practice, at least four times a week, for a
minimum of 10 minutes per day. That’s a
long time, and it can be pretty frustrating at
times when stubborn body parts refuse to
open up. But know this: they will eventually
soften. You’ve just got to give them three
things: patience, consistence and trust. - Everyone is at a different
place in their lives
There are so many yogis out there...so, so
many. And each individual you see in class
has a totally different body to you. You don’t
Yoga can change your life for the better,
but you’ve got to give it time and show
up regularly, writes Sarah Fretwell
om body
know if the most flexible ones in the room
used to practice gymnastics or dance in
their childhood, which is really common. I
definitely used to compare myself to more
flexible people in the room and guess how it
made me feel? Rubbish. A failure. Everyone is
at a different place in their practice to you,
so try not to compare yourself to anyone
else. But if you have to, do it in a positive
way, looking for inspiration in those that are
a little stronger or more flexible than you,
and take tips from them rather than allowing
self-doubt to come creeping in.- You have to be consistent
Consistency is the absolute number
one reason why I have been able to get
into some of the yoga poses I’ve finally
cracked these past two years. Three years
ago, my practice consisted of one hour,
once per week, and I was seeing no real
things I’ve
learned
from yoga