The more my practice develops, the more I learn about my mind, my body, my breath, my life.
In the beginning I went to class for entertainment, it was something to do. I had been a chronic sufferer of carpel and cubital tunnel for years. And within the first month of regularly attending yoga classes -- my symptoms disappeared. completely. relief. And I was hooked.
Last year, during a period when I was too stressed to care about anything, I completely neglected my yoga practice for about a month -- I noticed within the second week how my arm began to feel painfully "numb" again. My hand was tingly feeling and I knew what was going on. I embraced my practice once again and my carpal tunnel subsided.
During college and the first year afterward I experienced extreme amounts of anxiety in my everyday life. For some reason or another I often felt uneasy, fatigued and simply anxious about any and everything. The wind could blow a certain way and I felt "impending doom" (that's text book anxiety) rest upon me. After a series of actual panic "attacks" I sought some therapy and learned to journal -- which is a practice I regard even today.
My anxious feelings too have dissipated, just as my carpal tunnel has, through yoga.
I wonder what I would have/ could have been like at a younger age had known this kind of mental, physical and spiritual exercise existed.
And as if alleviating carpal tunnel and anxiety was not enough -- with my practice has come an sense of mental clarity. Not that I think I have everything figured out! at all. -- but much more like, All I know is that I know nothing.
I truly feel that yoga saved me. And made me the person I have grown to be and will continue to become, for that I am eternally grateful.
Namaste
