108 Ways Yoga Can Change Your Life

Check out this list of 108 ways yoga can change your life.

1. It kicks you out of your comfort zone. As a newbie on the mat, even the most basic asanas may be a struggle. There’s nothing like teetering in Tree Pose or twisting in Triangle with a group of strangers watching — it kind of feels like slipping on an ice patch in public. But, hey, it’s cool.

2. It’s mind bending. You never thought you’d think like a yogi, and then you become one.

3. You fall in love with your body — or at least gain a healthy respect for it. One day you’ll be cursing your too-thick thighs, and the next you’ll be glad for every limb and the way your body supports you as you move through your practice.

4. You become fearless. As you move from the basic asanas to more complicated arm balances and such, you lose the fear of falling, and that transfers into other areas of life.

5. You gain confidence. Mastering the asanas you thought were beyond you makes you more than a conqueror; it makes you a yoga god/goddess!

6. You learn to quiet your mind. Even the most chaotic minds can find their yogic serenity when they step into a studio or onto their mat.

7. You learn the lingo. Before your yoga days, you didn’t know your ass from an asana. But once you get involved, you learn a whole new language, and a new way of living, too. But that last part is going somewhere else on this list.

8. You become a corpse. By that I mean, you learn to lie still in Savasana, where being numb to the world is where it’s at.

9. You learn to listen to your body, to notice every sensation, and to honor the journey it’s taking you on.

10. You connect with your breath. We don’t often think about our breathing, and how it directs the body, until yoga awakens our awareness.

11. You master your breath. Once you begin step 10, you can move on to mastering the breath and cleansing your body with intentional breathing that detoxifies and cleanses your body and mind.

12. You stand taller. As a result of your newfound confidence, spine-lengthening asanas, and better posture too.

13. You lose your hamster wheel, and start taking life at your own pace.

14. You stop making comparisons…because you realize you’re uniquely awesome.

15. Your flaws become quirks. Yes, you know you’re not perfect, but yoga is not about perfection.

16. You feel amazing in your own skin…because warrior pose becomes a way of life.

17. You see things. You’re sipping chai and noticing the intricacies in everything. When you develop an eye for alignment, you become accustomed to really seeing things.

18. You become an adventurer. Your new vision makes you a curious traveler within your world.

19. You lose control — of your body. That is, you start doing yoga all over the place: foward fold in the grocery store, High Lunge in your hallway. It feels so good to bend and pose, you do it everywhere!

20. You impress your boss (not by wearing yoga pants to the office). Your yoga focus helps you work faster and breeze through your work day.

21. Your sex life sizzles. You’re physically stronger, more toned, tight, and in touch with your body.

22. You discover your pelvic floor. And you learn to engage and lock those muscles, which are integral in orgasm and translate to better sex.

23. You spend more time in the bedroom. See above.

24. Your cupboards get cleaner. Because you respect your body, you’re eating more mindfully, and tossing out the potato chips, fruity hoops, and cheesy doodles.

25. You embrace Life as it is.

 26. You change your email signature from Sincerely to Namaste.

27. You drop the urge to change everything.

28. You respect people’s differences.

29. You honor and even explore other religions and ideas that are foreign to you.

30. You amass a collection of yoga paraphernalia.

31. You get keen on Kino MacGregor.

32. You start obsessively examining your form in full-length mirrors.

33. You become known for your yoga uniform.

34. You become more charitable. Because trinkets don’t matter much anymore.

35. You stop keeping up with the Kardashians. Because who really cares?

36. You discover a new genre of books. You start reading Light on Yoga and yoga-inspired content.

37. You become more “holy.” As in, you get pierced.

38. Lotus becomes your new favorite flower.

39. You become a yoga studio spy in your search for new places to practice.

40. You start Googling yoga terms like chakra and drishti.

41. You start speaking Sankrit, as in Ashtanga, and Kundalini.

42. Your taste in music changes. As you add yoga/pilates hits to your playlist.

43. You no longer find the word guru silly or strange.

44. You require more breaks from your desk. As sitting too long makes your spine feel compressed.

45. You spend less time sleeping; more time exploring your world.

46. You develop daily rituals, inspired by ayurveda.

47. You start using the hashtag #yogalover after all your tweets.

48. You subscribe to yoga videos and start hand-standing in your hallway.

49. You go green because it just feels good.

50. You stop mocking vegans.

51. You become a vegan…or at the very least, make friends with some meat-free folk.

52. You stop wearing socks at home so you can hop on the mat when the mood strikes.

53. You start hopping on the mat when the mood strikes. You do yoga intermittently, throughout the day.

54. You sleep more soundly.

55. You learn how to meditate. Without getting up 16 times to do small tasks such as emptying the dryer, or checking your phone.

56. You start collecting zen quotes.

57. You begin reciting Rumi in random conversations.

58. You stop gossiping with your old crew.

59. You acquire a tribe of new friends who are as fit and fun as you want to be.

60. You start making plans to visit India.

61. You rewrite your bucket list. Adding more languages, travel destinations, and over-the-top adventure.

62. You invest in a meditation cushion.

63. You obtain a yoga pass to your favorite studio.

64. You cancel your cable television and forget all about The Walking Dead.

65. You gain a green thumb as you begin gardening.

66. You trade diet cola for kombucha.

67. You stop using sign language (the naughty finger) while driving in rush hour traffic.

68. You start walking more, inhaling nature, because it’s so damn inspiring.

69. You make bad hair dye decisions, because fuschia looked fabulous on your yogi friend.

70. You stop sweating your wardrobe, because you live in yoga pants.

71. You find parks in your area you never knew existed.

72. You start researching yoga retreats.

73. You see trees and start posing, rocks and start climbing.

 74. The whole world becomes playground.

75. You stop frequenting fast-food restaurants.

76. You start cooking more, and eating whole foods.

77. You become a yoga spokesperson. Attempting to convert your couch potato friends to yogis and yoginis.

78. You start being present in every moment.

79. You understand how your ego has caused you to suffer.

80. Your memory improves.

81. Your skin becomes more supple as your circulation increases.

82. You stop needing expensive foot creams and salves to de-crust your heels. See above.

83. Your spacial relation improves.

84. You no longer need walls for leaning. You strike Tree Pose instead.

85. You become less of a klutz as your balance increases.

86. You develop fewer bruises. See above.

87. You’re wide open to ayurveda. And because of that, you stop popping OTC drugs for headaches, common colds and minor aches and pains.

88. You start shopping at organic markets and frequenting produce stands.

89. You’re less navigationally challenged, because you’ve become more mindful.

90. You spend less time wandering aimlessly in parking lots, searching for your vehicle. See above.

91. You suddenly dig the water because the buoyancy makes it an ideal place to practice difficult yoga poses.

92. You become more social as your interest in people piques.

93. You become smarter as a result of your increased curiosity.

94. You start wearing less clothing. Because body shame is lame.

95. You notice your body lengthening, muscles become sleeker and more defined.

96. You become the annoying social media poster. The one who fills all the feeds with yogic quotes, videos, and tips for your friends.

97. You unearth the benefits of warm water and lemon and are healthier for it.

98. You stop using conventional furniture, and spend more time on the floor.

99. Lotus pose becomes possible. And totally comfortable.

100. Your friends call you the pretzel and other cute names.

101. Your compassion increases, and your household expands to include every stray animal you encounter.

102. Your friends call you cat lady/cat man. See above.

103. You begin to cherish  life like never before.

104. You stop stressing about the future and start living in the moment.

105. You start saying no more often, as a means of self-love.

106. You make time for yourself because you understand the value of introspection.

107. You stop feeling guilty for disappointing people, fully realizing you are only responsible for the energy you bring.

108. You become the best version of yourself. If you’re doing it right, yoga opens more than your hips; it opens your heart, and your whole world to the amazing possibilities.

Are you ready to rock the yoga life and reap these incredible benefits? Or maybe you’ve discovered them already. How has yoga changed your life? Share with us.

Why An Empty Stomach is Essential for Hatha Yoga Practice

You should not only be on an empty stomach – your bowels should be empty too. If you do Hatha Yoga, you must ensure to leave at least 10 or better 12 hours between your last meal and your practice. That way, you give enough time for digestion so that when you get up in the morning, the body will naturally purge. If you eat late at night and get up early, the digestion will not be complete.

In traditional Indian medicine, whether it is Ayurveda or Siddha, whatever health problem you have, first they will purge your colon. If you want to be healthy, it is essential that your colon is clean. The colon cannot be clean for people who eat certain types of foods, and who have the habit of eating in between too much. Especially dairy products and non-vegetarian food remain in the colon for long periods of time.

Anything that is not an actual part of your body should be out if you want to move your energies upward. Yogic practices are not exercises – they are methods to restructure your system. In a way, you are trying to recreate yourself by remolding your system the way you want it to be. For this to be done, there should be nothing but your body. The only thing that is okay to have is water.

Practicing yoga means beginning a partnership with the Creator. You cannot do it all yourself, but you can create the necessary atmosphere for the Creator to do the job. You want that which is the source of creation to become your willing partner. The first time you were made, it was not your choice – it was your parents and forefathers who decided how your body should be shaped, and how it should function. It happened from genetic memory. This is why in this culture, we refer to enlightened ones as dwijas or twice-born. Once born out of your mother’s womb – the way you were born was not your choice. But now you are reinventing and recreating yourself, step-by-step, the way you want yourself to be.

Your life will not change if you have a nose job done or if you get an implant in some part of your body. Your experience of life will change only if the very way your body functions energy-wise, the way it thinks, the way it feels, the way it responds to the universe around, can be altered. If you change your nose or you do some other kind of cosmetic procedure, how someone else looks at you may change. It may change the experience for the beholder, not for you. Your experience will only change depending on the extent to which your body is in line with the source of creation.

If you really look at creation, you will see everything smacks of phenomenal intelligence. If you pay enough attention to a simple leaf, you will know what kind of intelligence has gone into making this, and how many functions it has. In a way, a leaf is a plant’s energy source. The dream of today’s scientists is to create a leaf as a renewable energy source that could power your house, and even provide food and water for you. Scientists have been working on this cutting-edge technology for years. They are struggling so much to produce one leaf, because it is incredible how many things a leaf can do at the same time. Even in a single atom, phenomenal intelligence is involved – we are not able to really figure it out.

The nature of the Creator is intelligence. You may think you need love, money, wealth, or whatever else – no, you need a little more sense – no matter what your IQ is. How many times have you looked at people around you and thought, “I only wish they had a little more sense.” If not just your intellect but your intelligence doubled today, you would grasp everything so much more easily. What you would otherwise learn in fifty years, you could learn in five years.

Being partner with the source of creation means getting a huge infusion of intelligence, a kind of intelligence that you would not believe possible. For this to happen, obstacles need to be removed. This body is the work of the source of creation. The food that you have put into it is not yet part of the body, and the stool that you have produced is not part of it either. Therefore, your stomach and bowels should be empty. But if you are doing yoga for four, five hours continuously, it is all right to lace the water that you drink with a small spoon of honey. We want the water to be tepid because if you drink cold water, the body has to warm it up, which results in a loss of energy. If the water you drink is within three degrees above or below body temperature, the body treats it as part of itself.

Tepid water and honey are the only two substances that are allowed in your stomach, and nothing else. There must be only body – no other obstacle. Otherwise, the Creator will not have anything to do with you. The source of creation, the intelligence which functions within you, treats anything else as an external substance, which will not participate in your asana. The Creator or the source of creation must function and participate in your asana – only then does an asana become a yogasana. Otherwise, it is just a posture.

6 Ways to Relax on the Yoga Mat and Off

Often in a yoga class, the teacher might encourage you to “relax.”

You’ll be in a pose or particular part of the sequence that’s really hard, and then you hear that word. Really, this helpful suggestion is akin to your dentist’s request for you to relax while he’s drilling into your tooth.
Relax? How can you ever relax while doing something so challenging? Well, let’s see.

The Relaxation Trigger

Relaxing while doing something strenuous takes effort and can even be counterintuitive. Initially and then over time, it comes with greater ease. When we find this “muscle” in our brain and use it on command, we find greater ease in life overall.
Amazingly, controlled relaxation allows us to perform better. Ask any athlete, any CEO, doctor, fireman, or military personnel; the ability to relax in the face of stress is one of the keys to success.
So, how do we train this muscle and build this skill? Here are some ways to relax in a multitude of situations, on the mat or off.

1. Breathe.

Find a breathing technique that allows you to develop a rhythmic flow of breath. On a biological level, deep breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls relaxation. So it’s not just magic; it’s science.
In yoga there are many different styles of breathing techniques, or pranayama. While on the mat, we typically use a style called ujjayi breath in which we constrict the back of the throat on the exhale to make a whisper sound.
You wouldn’t use this particular style while running or at the office, but focusing on the breath and finding a rhythm are still key in these circumstances. Remember that breath and a consistent flow is at the heart of the matter for this technique.

2. Feel your feet.

One of my students is a cardiac surgeon. One day she shared that after a few months of consistent practice, she could really feel her feet at work. It helped her stay grounded when there was chaos all around.
“Feeling your feet” doesn’t mean bending over and touching your toes. Instead, root strongly into your legs and feet. This makes tremendous sense both on and off the mat. When we set a firm foundation, we show our body that we’re ready, committed, and present. These actions free up our mind and body, making room for relaxation.

3. Remove distractions.

Oh, the cell phones are everywhere these days—even on the yoga mat! I once had a student with flash cards at the front of her mat, studying while practicing. When our space is set up for distractions, there’s no way to relax. Whether it’s on our yoga mat, at our desk, or what we bring on a run, these actions all help or hinder the relaxation process.

4. Let go of attachment to results.

In our “work hard, get results” culture, letting go is difficult. The Buddhists call this “attachment,” and they say it’s one of the leading causes for suffering in our lives. Since suffering is at the heart of discontent and unhappiness, shaking the idea of being attached brings not only relaxation but also happiness! Sounds great!
This, however, is one of the hardest things to do. Just ask any golfer. Whether a weekend warrior or a professional, everyone misses as soon as the focus is to get the ball in the hole.
When you let go of your attachment to results, your focus is heightened and you relax. In many cases, that’s when you start to hit the right spot. If we can head into things for reasons of loving what we do, favorable results will arise more naturally.

5. Focus on one thing at a time.

In yoga postures, there’s a progression from entering the pose to discovering its full expression. The process is a part of the pose, and it affects how it looks in the end.
When we multi-task we can’t relax. The American Psychological Association reports “doing more than one task at a time, especially more than one complex task, takes a toll on productivity.”
To apply this in practice, avoid merely hearing “Downward Dog” and shoving our body into the pose. Instead, adopt a more mindful progression of setting up a base, feeling the primary action of the pose, and letting it unfold in a more natural way.

6. Stay in your own lane.

Imagine the new yoga student next to the practiced yogi. The new student tries to do everything the yogi does, but within a few minutes is exhausted and frustrated to boot.
Imagine the entrepreneur who is always distracted by what is happening in the industry and trying to create features and functionality that mimics what others are doing. It’d create stress and compete with relaxation for sure.

Find your zone. Stay in your lane. Have confidence that you’re on the right path.

8 Transformational Benefits of Yoga

You may have noticed that a regular yoga practice blesses you with many benefits. The practice of yoga touches us on many levels and we carry what we learn and experience on our mats with us into our daily lives.

Once I discovered the transformational powers and benefits of yoga, I was hooked. This ancient practice has given me insight, awareness, stillness, support, encouragement, happiness, bliss and has brought up deeply stored emotions (which I didn’t even knew I was holding and was then able to let go), tears, and released stress, tension, and anxiety.

Yoga has been a light on my path and has supported me in following my heart.~ Through my own practice, and by teaching yoga, I have discovered incredible transformational benefits you’ll get from a consistent yoga practice.

1. Physical Health

Yoga helps support your immune system, regulates your blood pressure and heart rate, encourages weight-loss, reduces blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Even in case of disease there are many yoga poses that are recommended to speed up the healing powers of the body. Breath work (pranayama) also benefits our health and overall well-being greatly.

2. Strength

You will notice, even just after a few weeks of regular yoga practice, that you are gaining strength. And not just physical, muscle strength but also in mind and spirit.
Your self-confidence increases, and you become a stronger person inside and out. This strength allows you to take care of yourself first and affirm yourself through kindness, love and compassion.

3. Flexibility

Yoga will show you the way to become more flexible without pushing yourself. The process will happen naturally and gradually. Similar to strength as mentioned above, the flexibility referred to here can be applied to the physical body as well as the mental and spiritual aspect.
As we cultivate flexibility in our body, mind, and spirit, we are in the flow of life. We let go of resistance and attachment, and open ourselves to new opportunities.

4. Balance

We tend to lose balance as we age. I remember that my grandmother was pretty healthy up until the moment she fell and broke her hip. Yoga supports us in gaining more balance every time we practice.
The more we practice our balance through yoga, the better we get at it. When balancing, we focus at a still point (“Drishti” in Sanskrit), and practice “Dharana” (concentration). This ability to hold drishti and maintain focus and concentration supports us in accessing those precious moments of stillness in the now.

5. Mindfulness

I like to think of the breath and asanas as a dance; with the breath leading and the asana following along. We link our asanas to our breath and flow in and out of poses to the rhythm of our breath.
As we practice, the breath remains, the asanas change. When we practice more vigorous or challenging asanas, we feel the quality of our breath changing. By being mindful, we can choose to come into a modification of the pose, slow down or rest in Child’s pose for a moment.
As we stay with our breath and each asana, relax into each pose and enjoy every second of your yoga practice, we cultivate mindfulness and inner peace.

6. Awareness

By practicing mindfulness, we become the witness of our own practice, thoughts, emotions, needs and physical sensations. Now, as we notice thoughts or emotions arising, we can choose to acknowledge them and let them go.
Yoga is a powerful mindfulness practice inviting us with every breath and every movement to be in the present moment, to enjoy being in the now. By being fully alive in the present moment, we don’t think or worry about the past or future. We bring awareness to thoughts arising, notice them, and then consciously let them go.
Now you can return to your breath, your yoga pose, the present moment. When staying aware and present in your practice, you will feel peaceful, balanced, calm yet energized, and maybe even radiant and blissful.

7. Gratitude

As we cultivate mindfulness and practice awareness, we can’t help but feel grateful. After taking a few rounds of deep, slow and smooth in- and exhales, bring your attention to your heart center and ponder upon the question: “What have I been given today?” or “What am I grateful for in this moment?”
Both questions will count your blessings and appreciate the abundance in your life. As you accept where you are, and appreciate all the gifts in your life (e.g. waking up healthy, a beautiful sunrise, warm bed, etc.), you are creating more abundance and blessings in your life.
Being grateful and realizing what you have been given will make you feel content and fill your heart with gratitude, compassion, and appreciation.
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough”
~ Oprah Winfrey

8. Happiness

Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras, verse II-46 “Sthira Sukham Asanam” can be translated as “Your pose should be steady, comfortable and enjoyable.”
By applying awareness and mindfulness to every pose, we can experience joy and delight in every moment. We are fully alive, and even when our asanas may be challenging, we can come back to the breath, observe ourselves, listen within, soften, and return to the joy of practicing.
Yoga teaches us to be ourselves, knowing that we are accepted for who we are. We are safe to go deep, and release old stored stressful emotions that may rise to the surface. We let go of what no longer serves us and make space for new and wonderful experiences.
Please let me know what transformational benefits you have been receiving from your yoga practice and add on to my list!

Here are a few of my favorite yoga quotes and sayings:

1. “It’s yoga practice, not yoga perfect.”
I’m not sure who coined this, but it’s a common one
2.. “Yoga does not remove us from the reality or responsibilities of everyday life, but rather places our feet firmly and resolutely in the practical ground of experience. We don’t transcend our lives; we return to the life we left behind in the hopes of something better.” ~ Donna Farhi
3. “Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” ~ B.K.S. Iyengar
4. “The yoga pose you avoid the most, you need the most.” ~ Unknown
5. “Yoga is an internal practice. The rest is just a circus.” ~ Sri Pattabhi Jois
6. “That nature of yoga is to shine the light of awareness into the darkest corners of the body.” ~ Jason Crandell
7. “In any pose, the breakthrough comes not when you learn what to tighten, but when you learn what to relax.” ~ Bikram
8. “Remember, it doesn’t matter how deep into a posture you go – what does matter is who you are when you get there.” ~ Max Strom
9. “A mind free from all disturbances is Yoga.” ~ Patanjali
10. “The attitude of gratitude is the highest yoga.” ~ Yogi Bhajan
11. “You cannot do yoga. Yoga is your natural state. What you can do are yoga exercises, which may reveal to you where you are resisting your natural state.” ~ Sharon Gannon
12. “Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked.” ~ Yoga Sutras
13. “Don’t move the way fear makes you move. Move the way love makes you move. Move the way joy makes you move.” ~ Osho
14. “Don’t just do something—sit there!” ~ Unknown