My whole life changed because of yoga. Slowly, and slowly…. And then fast and big.

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I found flexibility and strength.

The first thing I remember learning that stuck with me to this day is how to tell I’m standing straight.

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I use it to this day.

Am I slouching? Do I have a minute to breathe?

I relax my body.

I close my eyes and lean gently off balance

And slowly feel my way back to my center

To alignment.

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I learned to breathe, slowly and deeply and with my whole self.

I learned to breathe in a way I could hear,

Could feel,

In my mouth, my nose, my throat, my chest, my belly, my soul

And now when I feel stressed

I breathe, and really let myself feel the breath moving inside me

Increasing and decreasing

Like the tides of the ocean.

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I learned to balance.

To stand on one foot.

To stand on my hands (though I’ve only managed that once or twice)

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And I learned harder things too.

The ways I benefit from whiteness

From proximity to power.

The way existing as a woman will always put me at risk.

The insidious ways capitalism commodifies the very ideas of wellness, community, connection, and self esteem.

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And I have done vinyasa classes daily for months at a time.

And I have left my mat for weeks at a time.

And I’ve always kept breathing, and come back to alignment.

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Right now my practice is 3 Surya Namaskar A every day.

And a 20 minute meditation (some days)

And coming back to my breath and alignment when I feel out of whack (which happens a lot.)

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You asked what benefits I found from yoga…

How much time do you have?