A Reflection on Yoga

Happy International Yoga Day!

I am just coming out of Sunday Service Yoga; one of my favorite parts of the week.

It is my space to turn inward, connect with community, and reconnect with the essence of yoga. A space to chant mantra, move my body, soften the noise of my mind, and drop into the magic of simply being. A space to pour into me in preparation for a week of pouring into clients.

Yoga has been a foundational part of my adult life.

I first found yoga when I was 21. At the time, I was craving something more. I felt curious about myself and knew that the way I was showing up in life didn't feel good or aligned. Then yoga (and hiking) found their way into my life.

For the first time, I felt connected to something bigger than myself while also feeling more connected to myself. It marked the beginning of a relationship with my body and the beginning of a spiritual practice.

Early in my yoga journey, I still struggled with dissociation, though I would not have had the language to name it as that at the time. I wasn't really sure where my body was in space, struggling with cues or how to really be in a pose. I often lived in my head, disconnected from the present moment.

Over the years, yoga and therapy helped me slowly build awareness, connection, and trust in my body. They helped me return to the present moment again and again.

Years later, I found the studio where I currently practice. This place felt safe. Safe to be vulnerable, to cry, to be imperfect, and to curiously learn. It was the first place where the cues truly helped me notice the subtle relationships between my bones, muscles, breath, and movement. Something shifted.

Yoga became so much more than a physical practice.

It became a way of life. Last year, I completed my 200-hour teacher training at my home studio, furthering my understanding of yoga and what it truly is beyond the physical practice.

The philosophy, the mindfulness, the self-study, the relationship with breath, all of it began to shape how I moved through the world. It continues to guide both my personal life and my work as a therapist. I further recognized how interconnected yoga, psychology and therapy are.

It is also why I often encourage clients to explore yoga.

Not because they need the perfect downward dog or because they need to master advanced poses. Though the physical practice can be fun and rewarding, and that is not what keeps me returning to the mat.

What keeps me returning is the opportunity to connect.

To breathe.

To notice.

To be present.

TO FEEL.

Through the practice of asana (the physical practice), we learn how to relate to ourselves differently. We practice awareness, compassion, resilience, and curiosity. Over time, what happens on the mat begins to influence how we show up off the mat.

Today, I feel grateful for the wisdom, philosophy, and practices that have been passed down through generations of teachers. I feel grateful for the privilege of engaging with yoga in the way that I do and for the teachers who continue to share their knowledge so generously.

And I feel grateful that I now get to share some of these teachings with others.

To pay it forward.

To support those navigating trauma, dysregulation, grief, stress, perfectionism, and the many challenges of being human through the wisdom and healing that can be found within this practice.

As I left class today, I found myself reflecting on how different my life might have been had I never stepped into that first yoga class at 21.

I am grateful that I was willing to be a beginner.

May we all find the courage to be beginners at something.

Because sometimes the practices that shape our lives most profoundly begin with a single curious step, and their wisdom continues to unfold years later.

If you're curious about exploring yoga beyond the physical practice, yoga therapy may be a supportive place to begin.

Yoga therapy weaves together movement, breath, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation practices to support greater connection with yourself and the present moment. Whether you're navigating stress, trauma, anxiety, grief, or simply longing to feel more grounded in your daily life, yoga offers tools that can be carried far beyond the mat.

You can learn more about Yoga Therapy and how I incorporate these practices into my work here.