Finding Purpose Through Yoga

Attending a weekly Yoga class made me feel like I was accomplishing something different for myself.” – Written By Kellie Bischof, Contributor For The Blue Arrow Yoga Blog And Owner of Blue Arrow Yoga & Spa in Slidell, La.

A Yogi friend of mine, Jason Davey, wants to “bring Yoga to the people,” according to his mission statement, and I couldn’t agree more with the sentiment. Yoga needs to be brought to the people, because Yoga helps people in ways that other exercise programs do not. Helping others is why I got into this business and it’s why I am fortunate enough to have a job that I love. Some general perks many Yogis seek are increased strength, endurance and flexibility, and decreased stress levels. There are an abundance of other physical benefits such as improved blood circulation, increased bone density, and a cleansed lymphatic system. However the benefits do not stop there. There are a lot of fad diet and exercise regimens that promise to work like magic. Well, the beauty of Yoga is that it helps people make their own magic. It helps them build their physical and mental strength slowly and mindfully, allowing them to reach for their potential at their own individual pace.

It teaches students to use their breath to bring more oxygen to their bodies and brains. It also teaches them to be more aware and connected. Life often calls for people to check out mentally from themselves, and often they give a disproportionate amount of attention to a multitude of outside events and situations. Yoga helps bring people back to their bodies, and can clear away some of the mind chatter associated with those outside events. It helps give students the opportunity to take a break from daily stresses, and it gives them tools to bring back out into the world to actively deal with that stress. For me, Yoga began as a challenge to myself to step outside of my comfort zone. I was never athletically inclined and I mostly avoided exercise in young adulthood. Attending a gentle Yoga class once a week, starting in 2007, helped me feel like I was accomplishing something different for myself. When I moved with my family to Ennis, Tx in 2010, I immediately found a gym that offered Yoga and signed up for a class. Fifteen minutes into my very first “Hot Vinyasa“ class I was dripping in sweat and wondering repeatedly why I was there and whether or not I could sneak out early without much embarrassment. There were at least 20 other students, and looking around at them I HAD to know what brought all these people to this class, because there, in my fifteenth down dog with sweat rolling off my forehead onto my mat, I couldn’t imagine anyone intentionally inflicting this on themselves. To put it bluntly, it kicked my ass. I left at the end feeling completely wiped out but strangely intrigued, and I went back a few days later. Then I went back again, and again. Since then I’ve been actively pursuing anything and everything Yoga, and I’ve never been more happy with my chosen career path. I was initially trained to teach Yoga in 2013, and I can’t imagine doing anything different. I look forward to my core group of members at Blue Arrow Yoga growing, giving me the ability to help more people make their own magic. -- Kellie Bischof ReplyForward