Finding Freedom Through Yoga

Liberate Your Highest Self

Finding freedom through yoga & to liberate your highest self means to live a life that feels unconstrained, at ease & unrestricted so that you can be your boldest, brightest and best self on the mat and in the world.

According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the definition of freedom is: the absence of constraint in action; being released from something onerous; ease; boldness of conception or execution; unrestricted.

As we remember the brave souls who fought for the freedoms we have today, I invite you to consider how we might experience other types of freedom, particularly through mindfulness, yoga and meditation.

Yoga is an ancient Indian practice that merges physical, mental & spiritual disciplines to unite the body, breath & mind. The word "yoga" comes from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means "to join," "to yoke," or "to unite." Its ultimate purpose is union, partly through yoga asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques/exercises), mindfulness & stillness. Integrating aspects of the body, mind & spirit, helps us to more easily attain a life of balance, abundance & inner peace. Without such a practice, we may never reach the freedom we desire and instead, we may find ourselves living a life that makes us feel physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually imprisoned.

In order to experience liberation, we must first understand how we keep ourselves from living a life of freedom

Physically, we are held hostage by the chronic tension, pain & illness that resides in our muscles and tissues. The less we take care of ourselves, the more likely we are to develop dis-ease in the body. Without a self-care practice, we will not be able to move about with the freedom & ease we once enjoyed. As a collective, we've become more sedentary and eat highly processed foods. These two factors, along with many others, have led to weight gain, fatigue, loss of flexibility, range of motion and cardiovascular function. The less we take care of the physical body, the more our overall well-being will suffer.

Mentally, we are bound by worry, anxiety, depression and are enslaved by the thoughts we think. The mental chatter constantly plays on repeat throughout the day and has us judging ourselves and others in a harsh way. When we believe the stories we tell ourselves day in and day out, the more we feel unhappy, isolated and unworthy of the riches that life has to offer us.

Emotionally, we have all experienced varying degrees of anguish in our lives. Whether we lost someone who we loved dearly or had emotional pain inflicted upon us by another - we are suffering because of the thoughts we think about it. Oftentimes, we feel like we have to pretend to be happy and strong. We put on a smile and present our most put together self just to make others feel more comfortable. Wearing this emotional armor, we suffer alone & in silence. In recent studies, science has found that unprocessed emotional pain adds to our physical discomfort by becoming lodged in the body. E-motion is energy in motion; therefore, when it hasn't been properly dealt with, its stored deep within the tissues of our body. This only reinforces discomfort and dis-ease in the body - and undoubtedly, in the mind as well.

Spiritually, many are feeling more disconnected than ever before. Our inner-knowing and inner-vision has become so clouded by all that distresses us that we've forgotten our own divine nature. We no longer know how to easily connect with others and the living world around us. Believing the mental "stories" of the mind (ego) has us feeling unworthy of magic and love even though we are surrounded every moment of every day. Through constant judgment of ourselves and of those around us, we rarely feel good enough to live a life of love and light.

How can we use yoga to set us free?

Yoga is more than just a physical practice, it's a way of life. Although it often begins with time spent on the mat, the benefits of a consistent yoga practice soon seeps out & into all other areas of your day-to-day life. With a few necessary ingredients such as commitment, discipline and desire, we discover more freedom in our bodies, minds & in our lives.

Regularly moving through the physical postures of yoga, the better our body feels and the more we wake up to life. The practice of yoga ignites our inner desire to care for the body & in turn, we make healthier decisions. Oftentimes, the benefits of yoga can be felt after just one singular class. It boosts our immunity, cardiovascular function, flexibility, range of motion and ultimately, our overall wellness improves tenfold. With regular practice, we become more physically resilient. We feel more energized and clear-minded throughout the day. The fog soon begins to lift.

There are many mental & emotional advantages to regularly practicing yoga - and even more when we do it with other like-minded souls. Consistently practicing alongside others who are on a similar path to our own makes us feel more supported and less isolated which can make a huge difference in our mental and emotional health. Yoga teaches us to become aware of our thoughts and helps us to realize that we are not them. We find that it's easier and more manageable to let go of the little things that used to send us into a downward spiral just by thinking about them. As we release the thoughts & patterns that no longer serve or contribute to our highest path, the lighter and happier we feel. The weight of the world begins to lift and suddenly, we have the space for a greater sense of joy, gratitude and abundance to enter our lives.

Despite what some may think, yoga is not a religion. It's more of a philosophical system that forges the path to liberation. It encompasses all religions and recognizes that there is not only one avenue to self-realization. Overtime, our practice changes the way in which we look at things and in the way we relate to the world around us. We start to understand ourselves and find our place in the world. Yoga is a universal opportunity that helps us to understand who we truly are and grants us the stillness required to authentically ponder our existence. The more we make space for yoga and other mindful practices, the more connected we feel to ourselves and to others. Yoga is a gift that brings us into communion with our highest self, making the meaning of our life more clear so that we may lead a more purpose-driven life.