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- Jan 24, 2019

Why you should become a yogi in 2019

Have you been following #yogisofinstagram and toying with the idea of taking up yoga in 2019?

Victoria Csarmann, founder of I Am That - Yoga shares why you should start practicing this year.

P.S. read to the end of this article for an EXCLUSIVE offer for She Does This readers!

Mental benefits

Physically, the Yoga movement and posture practice, or Yoga asana, stimulates the production of endorphins as well as other feel good hormones. The movement helps release stress, tension and alleviates aches and pains, leading to a better quality of life. Spiritually, the practice of Yoga aims to provide stillness of the mind, and the ability to live in the here and now, rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future.

Through breath work, focus and meditation, you're taught to find a more neutral and anxiety free space as you allow yourself to truly and fully live and experience the moment. You're unburdened of your everyday worries and taught that whatever it is you're seeking or wanting, is already within you.

Psychologically and emotionally you're given the space to observe and detach from thoughts and emotions, learning how to not let them take over and ride you down a dark path. You learn that your thoughts and emotions are not you, just a part of your space, a space that you control. The withdrawal of your mind and body from the external world, and the complete focus on body and breath allow you to create a space for yourself that belongs entirely to you. There's nothing and no one that affects your space as you are the one controlling how it feels and manifests.

It's your time in the day to be with yourself.

Physical benefits

Through yoga we become stronger, more balanced and more flexible. We become more aware of our bodies and what they need and what. More dynamic practices improve circulation as well through constant breath with movement. The deeper slower practices stimulate circulation into the deeper layers of the body and organs and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, improving digestion and sleep.

Pranayama or breath practice is a powerful way to learn how to use your breath as a means to manage your body. It again, increases circulation and also slows down the heart rate and manages your overall well being.

The practice of meditation has proven results in the reduction of stress and in turn results in physical well being too. Yoga is a very gentle form of movement that is suitable for all levels, ages, sizes, fitness levels and is also suitable when recovering from injuries.

Emotional benefits

As noted above, the practice of Yoga is incredibly grounding and balancing. We are taught to find a more detached, neutral approach to life, to worry less about what lies in the past or future and to truly live in the moment. That is the fundamental philosophy of Yoga.

Emotions are a physical manifestation of our thoughts and our thoughts can be incredibly negative, overpowering and destructive. Separating ourselves from our thoughts and their physical manifestations as emotions is a way to find emotional balance and peace.

A bit about I Am That – Yoga

Founded in 2017 by Yogi Victoria Csarmann, with the idea of making Yoga more accessible, I Am That – Yoga is a Collingwood-based Yoga studio and Yoga product range. Based on the philosophy that Yoga is a necessity, not an exclusive privilege, I Am That offers affordable classes, taught by some of Melbourne’s best teachers, in beautiful, welcoming and laid-back environment. The products are environmentally friendly and facilitate a life of balance and peace.