Yoga Is A Lesson In Mindfulness

A friend introduced me to Bikram hot yoga about 3 years ago, and I was hooked right away.  I love sweating, getting rid of toxins, being physically challenged, and have tried all kinds of fitness classes.  I even taught Pilates several years ago, but running is my favorite and what I do most. 

Surprisingly, I didn't start running until I was 26 years old, after I had my 2nd child and wanted to shed the baby weight. I quickly realized that running was much more than just a way to drop pounds. I fell in love with it and began going further distances.  In 2007, I signed up for my first race, the Atlanta Half Marathon. Upon finishing, I felt great and immediately signed up for a full marathon which I ran the following summer. 

As of today, I have completed 9 marathons, lots half marathons, 5k's, 10k's and everything in-between - even though I'm a distance runner at heart. Marathon #10 for me is coming up this spring, the Boston Marathon which I will be running in for the 5th consecutive year. I'm so excited! While I do have a goal in mind for the race, I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself. When I don't run as well as I'd like or don't win a race I was hoping to, I do get discouraged and frustrated, but there's always something to learn from it.

I find the same quality in hot yoga.  There are days when a class feels effortless, and other days when every single movement feels like hard work. Yoga helps me be mindful of what my body needs. When I'm having a high mileage training week, my body tends to feel broken down, but when I finish a yoga class, I feel like my body is healing and being strengthened again. Another thing I enjoy about yoga is that there is no finish line, no stopwatch, no competition, and no prize to claim. It's just me and my mat.  

In hot yoga, all I have to do is give my best effort on that particular day, and my mind and body are going to benefit and be renewed.  Over the years, I've grown more relaxed in yoga., and I try to not be critical of myself, but simply accept what my body feels like it needs on any given day. 

Yoga definitely makes me more calm and relaxed outside the studio. "Mindfulness" is one of my favorite words lately, and I never really understood what it meant until recently. I'm reading a book about being mindful and being present in each moment, accepting the moment for what it is, good or bad, and not wishing it away. 

Life is hectic and goes by quickly.  Mindfulness is teaching me to savor the little, every-day moments, which is especially helpful in being a Mom to my three children (ages 7,9, and 11). It's easy to get so busy taking care of kids that some days inevitably go by without even realizing what a gift it was. Being mindful, for me, is much easier said than done; I have a lot of improving to do, and yoga helps!  While practicing yoga, I work on focusing, breathing, being present, and just doing the best I can in that moment. I want to savor each one, in and out of the studio.

As a result of running, I often feel like my muscles and joints are worn out, but yoga allows my body to recover and prevents injuries.  Yoga has positively impacted my life mentally and physically. As a result of doing hot yoga consistently, I feel stronger both emotionally and physically. 

My favorite yoga pose is tree pose.because it's one of the few I feel like I can actually do correctly, and I love how I feel my spine lengthening, as if I'm actually getting taller when I do it. My spine tends to be weak and my back is prone to hurt, but I notice a huge difference when I'm practicing consistently. Yoga strengthens my spine and improves my posture, and makes a big difference in the way my body feels day to day. 

I came to Revolution Hot Yoga (RHY) because I had practiced under Rebecca's (Jordan-Turner) instruction in the past, and I wanted to learn from her again. At RHY, I was excited to get to practice with some familiar faces that I had not seen in a long while. Thank you RHY :)

This is April Irwin's yoga story.

Go to RHY website.