Why Yoga?
With so many fitness options available, the question I get asked the most is, why yoga? Why choose yoga over the myriad other options? For me, the answer is three-fold – one, the physical stretch relieves tension and soreness; two, the meditative nature reduces my anxiety and allows me to de-stress; and three, the vibe of the yogis attending class is an intensely uplifting driver in my life.
Like so many yoga lovers, I started my yoga practice searching for a workout. I played sports my entire life – swimming and water polo as a kiddo then rowing in college. The intense competitive nature and the endless gym routines and practice left me feeling burnt out and totally over working out. I saw the two-a-days and grueling practices as somehow paying it forward – to a point that I felt like I’d never work out (certainly wouldn't run!) again. Of course, time and a desk job caught up with me and I saw the need to add some kind of physical movement back into my life. One thing was for certain – it wouldn't be erging!
Relieves Tension and Soreness
I started my practice slowly – attending a class or two a week – and as I saw my stiff muscles and tight neck and back become a thing of the past, I became addicted. Back pain is something lots of people experience – and I was certainly among them. In a recent study, researchers “found strong evidence for short-term effectiveness and moderate evidence for long-term effectiveness of yoga for chronic low back pain” (Cramer, 450-460). I didn’t need a study to tell me that my back didn’t hurt – the fact that I could move around after a day of being hunched over working at my desk, was evidence enough.
Reduces Anxiety and Stress
The second reason I keep coming back to yoga is the anxiety and stress relief it provides. I am a survivor of a violent attack. The attack left me feeling terrified, fearful and anxious of strangers in nearly every aspect of life. Seeing a counselor helped immensely – I cannot overstate how essential her help was – but this allowed me merely to function, not to live. Once I’d reached a place where I felt comfortable leaving the house and being with strangers, I wanted to find the fun-loving, outgoing, life-embracing girl I used to be. Yoga offered me that.
Tons of studies have shown the relationship between (as low as) a once a week yoga practice and a reduction in stress and feelings of anxiety. One study, reviewed by Harvard Medical School, found that yoga reduces the “exaggerated stress responses and may be helpful for both anxiety and depression. In this respect, yoga functions like other self-soothing techniques” (Kirkwood, 884-91). The coolest part about the connection between yoga and stress relief is what else it is then connected to – reducing high blood pressure and soothing the endocrine (hormonal) system! This is exactly what people who work in high stress jobs or live stressful lives need – a time to chill out and bring some calm to their bodies.
Feeling of Community
The last, and maybe the most addictive, reason I practice is the high I get from practicing with others. Being in the space, sharing in the work, co-habitating in the effort builds a powerful sense of togetherness. We’ve all heard that working out with a friend can help us to stay motivated and coming back to the workout. Yoga isn’t different. For me, these shared experiences help me to enjoy the practice more – rather than just come back. There is something about seeing others wrestling with the same obstacles you are that really creates a sense of solidarity in the effort and eventually a shared peace and success at it’s completion. A feeling of “we did it!” solidifies the feelings of community and bonds members together.
So, why yoga? How bout why not yoga? Why not feel like you can live more gracefully? Why not overcome feelings of anxiety? Why not build bonds with people who are also looking for a little more space and connection in life? That's why.
Cramer H, Lauche R, Haller H, Dobos G. A systematic review and meta-analysis of yoga for low back pain. Clinical Journal of Pain 2013; 29(5): 450-460
Kirkwood G, Rampes H, Tuffrey V, Richardson J, Pilkington K Br J. Yoga for anxiety: a systematic review of the research evidence. Sports Med. 2005 Dec; 39(12):884-91; discussion 891.
