This Is My Yoga Body

Last week when I posted a time-lapse video of my yoga practice on my Facebook page, my online friend and fellow yogi, Terra, commented: "I love your practice fastforwards. SO YUMMY. [It] totally inspires my home practice. It's beautiful."

And I got to thinking about yoga selfies: what they typically are and what mine are.

Most yoga selfies and yoga images we see in the media (traditional or social) portray thin, young, caucasian women doing acrobatic, gravity-defying poses in form-fitting, brightly colored, high-end yoga gear.

Most yoga selfies feature the "supermodels" of the yoga industry. And just like I have an issue with the effect of "supermodels" and the media on women and teens, I have an issue with the effect "superyogis" and the media on the greater yoga community.

So in this age of the internet, I've taken matters into my own hands. I've started doing my part to share with the world what a "regular" yoga practice looks like.

You likely know that I often share my yoga selfie videos and post about the aches in my body and the insights and benefits I gain from my yoga practice. My hope is to help change the popular (and intimidating) image of yoga and inspire regular people to practice.

Earlier this week I timelapse-recorded my morning practice. That particular day I woke up with a whole lot of pain in my low back. While some degree of low back pain is typical for me, this day it was much worse than usual. So after I took my kids to school I headed to the studio for my yoga practice.

When my practice was finished I watched the video and I hesitated about sharing it on Facebook like I normally do. It felt like an exceptionally vulnerable practice to share.

I hadn’t realized that, even as I had been striving to share what a “real” practice looked like, there was some amount of vanity in the videos I’d previously posted. This new video was not like that. It was not flattering in any way. I didn’t do any fancy poses. My belly rolls were evident in every forward fold. Even sped up 10X, the practice looked pretty slow. And boring.

And then I thought back to my exchange with my online yogi friend Terra. She said my last video inspired her to practice. She said my practice was “yummy” and “beautiful” and she “loved” it.

So, if my practice had that effect on Terra, it might have that effect on others, so then what exactly did I have to hide? Who cares if I’m not a thin, young, caucasian women doing acrobatic, gravity-defying poses in form-fitting, brightly colored, high-end yoga gear?

I have a real yoga practice. In 35 minutes of rolling around on my mat I can ease 95% of my back pain without medication, a doctor, or insurance. I know that yoga, in all its forms, is a practice worth sharing and I hope that my practice can maybe encourage regular ol’ people to give yoga a try.

So here you go. If you’re a regular ol’ person - if you’re a mom or a dad, a grandma or a grandpa, a daughter or a son, an aunt or an uncle, if you’re overweight or a healthy weight or underweight, if you’re fit or not fit, flexible or not flexible, if you’re able-bodied or disabled, whatever color you are, whatever whatever you are - I’m putting this practice out there for you. If you have any interest at all in yoga, may this video (and this post) bring you inspiration and confidence to give it a try.

Go to your nearest studio. Ask for a beginner-friendly class. If the people you meet are unfriendly or unwelcoming, walk out the door and try a different place.

Or you can follow me online. I share yoga nearly every day on The Yoga Room’s Facebook page and Instagram feed. I also share yoga on The Yoga Room’s YouTube channel and on this blog. And soon I’ll be sharing even more yoga. Please stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, I encourage you to share YOUR practice. Post a picture or a video on your social media page (or ours!) every now and then. Use the hashtag #thisisyoga so I can follow your practice. Help normalize yoga as a beneficial practice for regular people. Help me get the word out that Yoga is for EveryBody and every body can benefit from yoga.

And if you have any questions about your yoga practice at any time, shoot me a note! You can leave a comment below, send me an email, or leave a comment or PM on our Facebook page. I look forward to hearing from you!

XO, Zelinda

P.S. You may be thinking, well yeah, but what about your handstand videos? My #handstand365 challenge isn’t my real yoga practice. As with all yoga practice, it’s an opportunity for learning, but mostly it’s just for fun.

What you see in the video posted here on this post is the yoga that keeps me going and keeps me grounded, day after day. While the practice may look slow and boring, there’s actually a whole lot going on. Throughout the practice I’m observing of the sensations in my body. When I find an area that is tense, I focus my breathing on the tense area to create ease and relaxation. The effect of ease and relaxation carries over from my body into my life. It’s awesome!

5 Ways Yoga Teacher Training will Change Your Life

Registering for yoga teacher training is a huge decision that will likely change your life in many ways. As you go through training you'll experience incredible changes in your body and your life. Here are my top five ways teacher training can change your life: 1. You start to realize there are habits and stressors in your life that don't serve your best interests. Things that cause unnecessary drama may start to feel heavy and exhausting. Teacher training is a very empowering process. You'll start to prioritize your time and energy and understand that it is ok to let go of some of these things. Saying no to drama is saying yes to your mental and emotional well being.

2. You'll start to notice things about your body you never noticed before. Even better, you'll experience a new appreciation and acceptance of your body and what it can do. Yoga helps us connect with our strengths and to recognize our limitations. Teacher training helps you see the power and ability you truly have. It also helps you to learn not just to respect limitations but to use them as a tool to increase your knowledge about working with and helping others.

3. You will form lasting friendships with like-minded people. You will spend a great deal of time with your fellow teacher trainees. Shared experiences that are deep and personal will bond you. A shared interest in yoga and similar career paths will help you to maintain these friendships even once graduation has passed. These friends are people you can turn to for support and who will cheer you on as you build your new career.

4. You will become much more present to your life and the people in it. Training will teach you about the practices of yoga that draw people into the here and now. You will find these techniques will carry over to your daily life. As a teacher you will understand about breathing through challenges and how to tune out distractions and tune into the moment.

5. You will step into a career that allows you to have a positive impact on people's lives. Think about how you feel about your favorite yoga teacher and then think how amazing it would be to play that role in someone's life. Helping people get more connected, find physical relief and be happier is the most rewarding job I can imagine. Going to work hasn't felt like "work" since I became a yoga teacher.

Warm regards, Emily 200 Hour Teacher Training Director