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“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.”
—The Bhagavad Gita

There are many reasons why people begin practicing yoga.

The answers are all across the board. It could be to reduce stress, increase flexibility, lose weight, get inspired, or simply relax.

Most people do not come to yoga, however, thinking they will change their self-perception; yet that almost always happens.

Find Your Way to the Mat 

When we find our way to the yoga mat, we first learn the poses, or asanas.

We start moving our bodies in new ways and shifting into new positions. 

These poses stir up things inside the body, and create new pathways and new habits. In our yoga practice, we also focus on the breath, which builds awareness and focuses our attention.

At the end of each session, we rest in Savasana, which gives the body time to relax and the mind a space to unwind.

By the time class ends, students feel great and can walk away with the classic yoga high.

The work that happens on the yoga mat is very palpable—feeling the poses, hearing the breath, and enjoying the relaxed sensation after Savasana.

But the real transformation occurs after we’ve rolled up the mat and gone along with the day.

The channels that open during twisting poses like Half Moon give space for more patience when driving home from work.

The breath that was slowly inhaled and exhaled during Shoulderstand keeps you calm in tough conversations.

Downloadable Mantra & Affirmation Backgrounds For Computers, Phones, and Tablets

The Road to Self-Discovery

In many ways, the work that happens on the mat also happens in life.

Yoga builds flexibility not only in the body, but also in the mind.

After stretching their physical limitations, many people begin to look at the world in a different way—a world more open to possibility.

Some questions might come up during this time:

  • Is this job serving me?
  • Is this relationship serving me?
  • Is this life serving me?
  • Is this the best I can do?

Practicing and teaching yoga helps to expand the body and mind, which in turn expands our self-awareness. 

Many yogis take a look at their life choices with a fresh pair of eyes.

They begin to see through a different lens, marked by love and appreciation for self.

This is Your Journey

This fresh perspective leads some yogis in new directions, or simply arms them with more happiness and gratitude to continue on the same path.

Others turn that fresh lens inward and find more gratitude for their bodies, quirks, hair, unique experiences, and upbringings.

They begin to appreciate all of the things that make them special and wonderful.

Yoga has a way of making seemingly imperfect pieces beautiful.

Through our journey, we discover the beautiful truth that we are whole and complete exactly how we are. The practice of yoga and the practice of life are one in the same. It’s simply a practice. None of it perfect, all of it perfect.

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Check out this playlist by DJ Taz Rashid to explore the calm and soothing rhythms of yin, meditation, and yoga nidra. 

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Amy Dannheim
A creative leader in the Miami yoga community, Amy Dannheim is passionate about yoga, plant-based recipes and healthy living. With her degree in journalism from the University of Florida, Amy is a yoga writer and blogger as well as the co-host for Radio 1Om8, a weekly live yoga radio show. After years of working with lululemon, Amy established herself as the go-to person for yoga consulting in Miami, with her finger on the pulse of the yoga community. When she’s not strategizing or cooking, Amy teaches dynamic vinyasa yoga classes that are layered with hip-hop and spirituality, drawing inspiration from her frequent travels. Amy sits on the Green Monkey Yoga teacher training faculty and leads regular workshops and innovative events throughout South Florida. Amy is also a VitaCoco and Funky Yoga ambassador and has appeared on the pages of Wall Street Journal, on lululemon.com and shape.com. She lives in Miami Beach with her husband and fellow yogi, Mike, where they run their bike centric community & clothing company Purdy Ave. Follow her blog at www.miamyyoga.com or find her adventures on Instagram @miamy.