“Yoga isn’t about looking yoga, it’s about living yoga.”

We all start with Yoga, because we want to look like the yoga people on social media. Thin, flexible, strong, with extra glow (read extra editing) and their body looking comfortable in an awkardly nice asana.

Yoga and Body Image 

There are people who think yoga is not for them;  because of being overweight or skinny. Well, let me tell you, for 3 years, I tried putting on weight, to no avail. And six months after yoga; I put on good weight, as it made me look healthy and toned. Body image has to do with how you feel in your body, how you describe your body and how you think people perceive you.

Yoga is a wellness pursuit. It starts from the inside. As in:

• The organs are working effectively
• Hormonal environment is balanced
• Muscles are supple and strong
• Body metabolism and digestion have improved
• The brain produces optimal levels of chemicals (like GABA, Endorphins, etc).

As a result, we become strong, flexible, lean, toned, etc. When we feel good about ourselves, we love and accept ourselves easily.

Some of the most prominent yoga gurus, BKS Iyengar, Pattabi Joyce; they were comfortable and confident in their own bodies. They felt healthy inside-out and they did their asanas and sadhana with so much finesse, that people wanted to live yoga. Rather than looking yoga!

Today, we have got it all wrong. We look on the outside to define health and fitness. But, health and fitness begin on the inside.

Nurturing through yoga

Many people leave because they still, cannot touch their toes to their back. Or, they want to loose their weight faster. Also, because they did not achieve that perfect posture after 3-4 months too.

The program in our heads; I’m not pretty enough, thin enough, tall enough, flexible enough, etc; builds in volume over years, until its the only radio station playing. Odd as it seems, the vessel that keeps us alive, nourishes us, becomes the source of diffidence.

The first lesson is yoga is, listen to your body. Nourish it, strengthen it and accept it. With regular Asana, Pranayam, Meditation and Sankalp practice. Your sense of self becomes stronger. Thus, you wont’ need validation about your weight, asanas or choices.

Yoga disengages you from judging your body and allows you to just experience it. And over time, that changes the program in your head.

Iti Jain

The post Seize your size through yoga appeared first on .