Weekly Journal 3
Kaitlyn Gonzalez
Weekly Journal 3
GIS-4636-091
September 28, 2020
I think that when you ask the question if yoga is seen as more of an exercise, it is important to note the culture behind yoga. Especially after watching the films Enlighten Up and Naked in Ashes, my perception of yoga and the definition of yoga has changed for me. I believe that in our culture in America yoga is seen more as an exercise. For example, yoga brings people together and they go to a class together, as if it were a workout class. There is even a line of clothing that is being sold as athleisure known as "yoga pants" or "yoga clothes". This type of clothing that is sold and the culture surrounding yoga in America further pushes the narrative that yoga is an exercise activity, rather than a spiritual practice. On the other hand, I believe that in other countries and other places, yoga may be viewed very differently and not seen as an exercise activity, and something that you just do once in a while. For others, yoga is more a means of a spiritual lifestyle.
I think that yoga can do wonders by empowering you though if you let it. For me, when I began practicing yoga it helped me feel more in tune with my body. Sometimes we are so stressed and forget to just sit back and feel ourselves in our bodies, and to practice daily mindfulness. Yoga has helped me do that and feel more in tune with not only my body but my feelings and my spirituality. In order for this to happen though, I feel as if you have to be open to the benefits that yoga can bring to you. If you are skeptical and believe that yoga has no spiritual benefit, I don't think that it will help you that much and help you get more in tune with yourself. Yoga is different from other forms of exercise because of this reason. While you are doing Zumba or taking a run, your mind may be at ease, but your body is working hard. You might be breathing hard, sweating, and more. While yoga can also make you do these things, it is slower and in tune with your breathing to help you connect to your inner and higher self. Furthermore, in many yoga classes, there is an emphasis on spirituality and connecting with yourself. Even the names of some of the positions can hint at connecting with the world around you.
For this week, I decided to try a yoga laying down. This video was about 45 minutes long and I really enjoyed it. I had never tried a yoga like this before, as my perception of yoga has always been that you had to be up and doing poses at all times. Most of the poses I was able to still do with my ankle, and most of the poses were laying down. It really helped with lower back pain and stretching out, which is something that I had been lacking since I have had my surgery. This practice also ended up being longer than the usual practices that I had done in the past for my other journals, which was also a new experience for me. The fact that this practice was longer made me feel more relaxed at the end, and it didn't feel like just some quick yoga session that I had fit in the middle of my day. I wound up doing this practice in the morning when I woke up, and it really helped me start my day and take on my day better. I found that when I did yoga in the morning and started my day off on the right foot, I was able to be more relaxed and more in tune with my body throughout the rest of the day. While I may not have 45 minutes every morning in order to do this practice, I will definitely be keeping some of the poses in mind for when I need a quick stretch when I am laying down.
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