beautiful photos by Ingrid Damiani
I will admit, I used to be one of those people who rolled their eyes at the response, "oh I do yoga" to questions about staying in shape. Yea I bet you do yoga, fancypants. It seemed so obscure to me: meditation ... centering yourself. What does that even mean anyway? My brain doesn't have a center, man, it has a ropes course. But regardless, I did it. I started taking a yoga class, and right now this former scoffer is learning. Learning to be stronger, to balance my body, to be a little more flexible, and to breathe. And I love that Thursday morning hour. There's something really beautiful about pushing your body that hard, yet remaining that peaceful at the same time. And that 5 minutes of quiet, dark nothing at the end ... I live for. The ability to simply exist and just be is such a foreign concept to me. And I think one of these days I might get the hang of it without falling asleep first. But until then, namaste. And may I one day be as awesome as the people in those pictures up there.
109 Response to yoga
Awesome poses. I recently started yoga at school it's very interesting. I never knew I could stretch so many muscles.
Xo, adropofbliss.blogspot.com
Thanks for your feedback on Yoga! I've been really considering giving it a try. :)
Beautiful pictures!! This post makes me want to try yoga!
Followme@ www.studentswife.com
I'm the same way. Too busy with no time to do it all let alone for something to help me amongst the crasies and crasiness dealt during my day. (if that made any sense). Props to them and for you being open into maybe trying.
On another note, I also find when I do make time to go to the Temple, I can receive that same peace and being grounded as I read from the Yoga magazines. But, how cool it'd be to do those poses and to be ultra flexible too. Not that I'm trying to compare the two.. ha xoxo
I've been doing it since I was a kid! I'm glad you like it so much!
www.thesilverkickdiaries.com
I need to do it again! The human body is so amazing and beautiful!
As a yoga teacher, I must say that adore this post! This is how so many people, myself included, feel about yoga at the beginning. I very often have people telling me at the end of class that their favourite part is savasana :) I'm also so pleased to see these photos, they're lovely!
in your opinion, do you think that practicing yoga with meditation has any fundamental incompatibility with following Jesus Christ exclusively?
yep. i was one of those people too! and then i actually went to a yoga class and LOVED it! my husb is maybe the most un-flexible person on this planet {he can't even sit indian style...poor thing}, and we are taking a yoga class together! it has been SO MUCH FUN! and definitely something that everyone can do!
and my mind is a racer, so yoga really calms me down and helps me focus on the present!
LOVE IT!
www.jeffandelizajane.blogspot.com
@Drew and Rachel: absolutely not. I believe meditation to be spiritually healthy.
You should try Bikram yoga (or "hot yoga")! It is incredible. I had no yoga experience and was incredibly out of shape when I first tried it! I loved it. It's a great detox.
I have been thinking a lot about yoga lately- I would love to get into it. Do you have any dvd's you do at home? or is it just your class?
xoxo
Brooke,
brookelyse.blogspot.com
Beautiful post! I felt exactly the same before I started taking yoga classes. And you also have to click with a teacher. Once I found the one, I am looking forward to my class every week. Besides you see the results pretty fast too:)
http://curlijuli.blogspot.com/
what gorgeous pictures! These are certainly inspiring. xo
I totally agree. I started bikram yoga and am doing a 30 day challenge, going every day, I am 21 days in. Surprisingly it doesn't get easier. I started seeing my body change in less than a week, but that's going everyday. have fun with it! :)
That's great!!! I'm a big fan of yoga!!!!
love these set of pictures - had to jump over to the photographers website to check the rest of them.
i absolutely love yoga. i too was very 'eye-rolly' when people used to go on about yoga, but now i do hot power yoga & am beyond addicted. it leaves me feeling absolutely amazing, mind & body.x
thatsweetaurora.blogspot.com
love these set of pictures - had to jump over to the photographers website to check the rest of them.
i absolutely love yoga. i too was very 'eye-rolly' when people used to go on about yoga, but now i do hot power yoga & am beyond addicted. it leaves me feeling absolutely amazing, mind & body.x
thatsweetaurora.blogspot.com
I have also been taking yoga classes for the first time this year and find it to be an incredible time of re-focussing. I take the "meditation" times to pray and meditate on scripture. So glad you're enjoying it!
Those photos look like they are Ashtanga postures! (I study and teach Ashtanga yoga, so I loved this post!)
I recently completed a 6 week yoga immersion, and it was one of the best months of my life! I have found so much peace and contentment with my yoga practice. I'm happy you have found it too :)
I do yoga and I am proud of it. Three times a week and its kicking my butt but at least its getting it into shape. Welcome to the club :) Btw, I also want to be as awesome as those people in the beautiful pics.
namaste from L.A!
Lizette
Namaste to you! I discovered yoga three years ago and even though I'm not practicing much right now (although I desperately need to), it has changed my life for the better. It was a life saver with my second pregnancy and especially during labour. I'm also trying to pass on some techniques to my kids, mostly to enable them to handle stress. God knows my 7 year old needs it!
As someone who is extremely athletic, but still very inflexible at the same time I have to give you mad props. I play rugby and yet to me, yoga is the much tough workout. Good for you for pushing yourself and thank you for inspiring me to do the same!
I've been planning to start doing yoga, but I never find the time or will...
http://www.tamarasblend.com/
Beautiful!
You're so right, almost everyone with an enviable physique gives the yoga line when asked their secret.
I normally replace the phrase 'do yoga' with 'have a better metabolism than you'. Or sometimes to me they look like juice people. Like 'I do yoga and never eat solid food... my diet is completely liquid and organic'.
Maybe I should start yoga and drink a little more fresh juice.
www.mycharitycase.blogspot.com
I really want to take a yoga class, I know it is not nearly as easy as it looks but I would love it for the flexibility:) Awesome pictures
pictures are stunningly good :)luv my yoga class too :)
xoxo
Completely agree with you - I never understood how an hour of yoga was a harder workout than running on the treadmill, but after holding inverted bow pose for 5 minutes, I was a believer. I have worked through difficult situations (in my head) on the yoga mat, I've laughed and even cried at times. It is one of the best exercises EVER! :)
www.pennypincherfashion.com
such gorgous photos!
i felt exactly the same when it came to yoga and 12 weeks down the line i am loving it just as much as when i started!
enjoy!
ourlittlebalhamlife.blogspot.co.uk
That's awesome! ...and quite coincidental, because this week I've been contemplating how to fit yoga back into my schedule. I never got back into it after our second child (...and our third just turned 1 1/2...). I miss it so much!
This post makes me want to attempt yoga :) thanks for the morning inspiration! love the pictures
I would love to attend some yoga classes in my area. I just can't decide if I am to hyper for it! haha! I need workouts like Zumba to boost me! We'll see...
Char xo
www.itsacharmlife.blogspot.com
HAHA! "Fancypants" Actually one of my friends in DC does host free yoga classes time to time.. if you're interested in a free class just email me and I can get you in contact with her. Yoga is not a good cardio, but great for flexibility and to prevent arthritis.
www.chevronsandeclairs.com
Love your post! I manage a yoga studio and hadn't really gotten into yoga till I started this job... now I am bummed I didn't start practicing sooner!
i love yoga (and other classes like bodyflow and pilates.) i am a pretty anxious person and i have noticed that when i keep up with it, it helps my anxiety.
http://lachapstickfanatique.blogspot.com
I love yoga! It never appealed to me before but now I really enjoy it! I was going to class in the evening but then the weather became too nic out, so now I do it at home from dvds that I bought at Target :)
I really want to take a yoga class this summer. I'm moving to DC in 12 days (ahhh screaming happy time) - any suggestions on places to go?
WOW :D!
http://fashionmilkshake07.blogspot.it/
Giada :*
I used to be addicted to yoga! I'd go to hot yoga 6 days a week, for 1.5 hrs each time - I'm telling you I was in the best shape ever - I should really get back into it!
xoxo
~Natasha Fatah~
~Natasha Fatah~
I have been taking a yoga class for the last two years. I love pushing my mind and body to just relax and hold the positions. I think that since I have had two babies that I want to be a little more gentle with my body so I switched from kick boxing to yoga after my kidlets. Also, my legs and arms are BANGING!
Those bodies just fascinate me! So strong and pulled together. It's beautiful!
I love yoga so much. I think it feels like getting a massage. My body just feels so much better after a class. Recently though I took a hot yoga class. That's yoga in 99 degrees... Yeah, that's Bianca almost passing out like 3 times. We'll see if I try that again...
I've been practicing yoga for 3 years now, I'm pretty sure I'm addicted!
Haha my mind is totally a ropes course too. And I have the same stigma about yoga as well. Maybe I'll have to give in to the center and try it out.
i can't imagine a person trying yoga and not liking it. it's all that you said and more! i'm with you about hoping to be as awesome as those pictured some day!
if you love those 5 minutes at the end of class, you should try yoga nidra. it sounds crazy, yeah, but it's SO relaxing. (it's being used as a complementary treatment to ptsd, chronic pain, and some other conditions.) there are a few places in dc that offer it - let me know if you'd like more info :) you can also download mp3s on amazon for pretty cheap (check out tracks from robin carnes and richard miller)
http://www.yogawonders.com/yoga-nidra.php
http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1372
http://www.forbes.com/sites/juliewilcox/2012/05/21/the-science-of-sleep-having-trouble-sleeping-enhance-the-quality-of-your-sleep/
i didn't think twice about yoga until i had to take a PE class for school. i chose yoga and it was the best decision i ever made. i lost 25 pounds from doing yoga alone. not only that it centers you and makes you feel balanced. everyone should do yoga!!!
I have to admit- it took me a few different yoga classes before I truly fell in love. At first I did Bikram- which was great but bloody hot. Then I did a Hatha class and that literally put me to sleep. Then I found Ashtanga (some of the binds are shown in your pictures above) and fell in love. I love that it's the same sequence everytime so I don't have to have to think about which pose the instructor just said. It really helps me keep focus, meditate, stretch- not to mention all those vinyasas between each pose is a great upper body workout :)
I COMPLETELY know what you mean. For years, yoga was that thing that all the famous people claimed kept that skinny and fit. and I was like, "please. you secretly run 10 miles a day and pretend its the yoga. let's be real." But then I actually tried it and yo! its hard! and takes work to do well!
These pictures are amazing..so full of power and concentration.. Yoga is a wonderful way of relaxing and sports...
♥
fashion is for idiots [like us]
Beautiful Photos
I love yoga its very relaxing : )
xx
roaringmytwenties.com
These photos are aahh-mazing!!!! Maybe I should give yoga a try, ive heard great things about it
So happy you've made it on the mat! I used to think yogis were a bunch of mat hugging hemp seed eating vegans until I started to practice. Beautifully written post and equally beautiful photos. What are your favorite poses?
P.S. I loved yoga so much I decided to become a teacher.
Namaste to you,
Luna
theredtrousers.com
syd! i love this post and had no idea you were doing yoga, too! as a berkeley child, i did a bit of yoga growing up but never really got into it until grad school. after i moved to DC (and was feeling really down for a while), my mom got me a pass at a studio in adams morgan for my birthday. i started going regularly for the first time and i just can't believe how much i've grown to love it. it is so calming and makes me feel like i've gotten a workout and a therapy session in one :) now i go every week to the studio near my house--it has been a life-changer.
kisses to you and little E
xoxox
tania
What amazing photos, Sydney!
I am a yogi, and really do love the time that I give to myself in my practice.
These pictures are amazing. I've been doing yoga since high school and really picked it up in college. 11 years later and I still can't get enough - I feel like I can constantly challenge myself, push myself, and yet release stress at the same time. It's the best of both worlds!!
workclothesisuppose.blogspot.com
I'm beginning to like yoga too! I'm not laughing as much in my head as I use to do ;) But you're right, I love everything about it from learning to be stronger to breathing. Great way to start a day! Now if only the yoga instructor would show up to class again, that would be great!
i absolutely love practicing yoga! i'm not in it for the spiritual aspect, beyond learning how to quiet the "mental chatter" and dig deap into my own spirituality (catholicism). i love how much tension it releases even while in the tightest, smallest, sweatiest pose :). i've been doing yoga for several years, and swore up and down i would never be able to do a head stand. i can do a couple of them now, and have even thought about learning how to break dance!!!! you will love it as you keep going....and i'm excited to see more posts on it!!! way to go, sydney! :)
http://theanntidote.blogspot.com
I used to be the same way in response to yoga. I thought it was ridiculous, until I started trying it out. Now, I think it's one of the BEST forms of exercise. And I LOVE it!! I'm so glad you love it too!
www.highheelstosneakers.com
I have so wanted to try yoga forever. I definitely need to go.
i love these photos! yoga has helped keep me centered for the last 10 years, although i need to become more regular again after having baby boy :)
I love yoga! I've only done it a few times but I definitely want to get back into it! And this inspired me! :)
http://must-have-this.blogspot.com/
Beautiful photos, and I completely agree, there is something about yoga that I can't help but love. Intense and yet quiet. I hope to someday be great at it as well :)
i heart yoga, havent done it in a very very long time. to be in a class is extra special!!
I've never tried Yoga but after reading this post and a few comments I'm going to have to try this thing out. I usually think Yoga people are fancypants as well. Guess I will have to join the club.
HAHA, "Yeah I bet you do yoga, fancypants." So perfect.
I am a total yoga convert. One of those workouts that sneaks up on you with its challenges and pushes you to be better. I never feel better than after my Tuesday night yoga class.
my arms have the strengths of an infants, so i always had trouble staying up in, well, any pose really haha. i'd be that one person in between all the girls in their fancy lulu lemon gear, with me sprawled out panting on the mat. but god it does make your body feel awesome after. my muscles feel like putty after, i just wish it wasn't so darn expensive here in the city :/
LOVE the pictures and the post. I'm in the same camp as you. I was adverse to yoga at first, often eye rolling at the first hint of someone bragging about their new-found inner calm :) But now, I am a genuine yoga loving girl! It's amazing. You always feel so strong and yet so calm after. It's a beautiful thing!
I was pleasantly surprised by it too. Maybe it takes having kids to appreciate that meditation! lol
I feel like yoga people have the best bodies of almost all "workouts". Have you ever tried hot yoga? Now that is addicting. You feel like you got a facial and had a full body massage by the end. Thanks for sharing!
I love yoga...and have been thinking about getting back to a regular routine with it. Those pictures are inspiring :)
I do love a good Yoga class. Enjoy! If your gym has BodyFlow you should totally do that.
yoga has really helped me learn how to breathe over the years. especially when i get stressed out or reallllly nervous.
xo the egg out west.
yoga really makes me happy, so yeii! for your thursday mornings :)
you have to do yoga to understand it! i too was a scoffer until in kicked my ass many a times! mad respect for yoga peeps
ok, ok....you all are starting to convince me. I'm going to steal my sister's p90x yoga dvd next time I go home! :)
www.anna-bird.com
those photos are beautiful. yoga really is an amazing practice, isn't it? i've been doing it for nearly four years now off and on, and the calming effect it has on you afterward just astounds me every time. don't worry about falling asleep those last five minutes though- i actually just caught myself dozing last night in that last relaxation pose. live for those last five minutes of breathing and sense of calm.
I love this - " My brain doesn't have a center, man, it has a ropes course." - Stealing!
Best wishes as you make your practice YOUR OWN. That's the most important thing! Namaste!
I love reading your blog, thanks for sharing so much of your life with the rest of us.
Best wishes as you make your practice YOUR OWN. That's the most important thing! Namaste!
I love reading your blog, thanks for sharing so much of your life with the rest of us.
i'm a new reader of your blog, and i love the brutal honesty of the way you write. you're so down to earth and that's so refreshing to read. god bless.
beautiful photos. I meditate every day and use yoga postures too ( my range of mobility has changed) Great post. Be Well, Katherine P.S.today is the last day to get your entry in for my giveaway you can win some great summer accessories Hugs
yep. my goal is to now be able to do these poses. so incredible!
taking classes now!
xo TJ
haha I fall asleep too! I didn't realize my body could do those things! I dance and I thought it would be the same flexibility but I was way wrong. love yoga. have my own mat and everything. i feel extra cool walking in with my own;)
I love Yoga. It looks so serene and peaceful, but under all that calmness I'm usually thinking...OMG how long do I have to hold this pose...it's such a workout!
I couldn't have said it better myself! I felt the very very same way a year ago. Yogi's. Psh. (although I am still convinced that most yogi's are a special breed). It has had such an amazing effect on me!
These photos are BEAUTIFUL
I used to be like you....until last Fall when that all started to change.. I found myself being able to concentrate, if you will, harder, yet at the same time relax and just be. Finally, somehow, I was able to quiet all the noise that goes on in my brain every millisecond of the day.
I don't look back and carry on and push through each day, it's wonderful :) Love that you're loving and enjoying it more and more.
Yoga is one of the best workout's I've ever had! I used to be the exact same way, thinking it was only for yogis and that I would get nothing out of it but boy was I wrong. It makes you feel so relaxed, yet after you leave, your body is brutally sore and completely stretched to the max. I tried it the first time at college and I miss not having the freedom to go to classes for free during the summer. I doubt I will ever be as graceful as those people above but it's fun to dream. =)
I tried a few yoga classes pre kids, but always hated it and could never understand the people who thought it was so amazing. Now that I have kids, I LOVE my yoga class. I wish I could take one every day. I think it is a life saver for moms. A moment of zen, and a complete undoing of all the stress we put on our bodies while caring for our kids.
Those pictures are absolutely stunning. I almost feel like you wrote this post just for me. My cousin just asked me if I'd like to join her yoga class. Hmm. I may be thinking about it for real now. :)
My boyfriend and I do yoga twice a week together at our local gym. It has brought us closer together, it is like our 'date night'. Seems strange but the calm, centring and strengthening nature of it all seems to make life so much better.
Ones you discover yoga you get engagged . It is amazing.I am practicing since 3 years kind of yoga called prana vinyasa flow , which is an improved method of hatha yoga. I posted 2 days ago about it on http://very-well-living.blogspot.com/
I really need to start doing yoga. I've been searching for calm and something to bring me peace of mind but I think I've been searching in the wrong places. I live right up the street from a yoga place... Maybe I'll look into it. Thanks for the post!
a little yoga funny for the day!
http://luxandlace.blogspot.com/2012/01/namaste.html
Isn't it wonderful! I took a yoga class for years while in school. I doubt I would've survived without it. It was always the best part of my day. I should find another class!
Namaste! Xo
i've always been a yogi. crazy for yoga. so i'm glad you've converted. it's incredible.
AMAZING POST:) Your blog is so wonderful and I will happily follow.
If you want some décor inspiration from Sweden, check out my blog:)
Have an awesome week.
LOVE Maria at inredningsvis.se
(Sweden)
I agree....the more I do yoga, the more I realize its benefits. It is great for toning, strengthening and stretching out the body, but is also kind of an escape. The meditation/quiet time at the end is amazing after pushing your body...I always feel amazing after doing some yoga (yet I go months in between sometimes).
~Jacy
http://laviedelenore.blogspot.com
AMEN. I was exactly the same but love it now. And I totally still fall asleep while I meditate, too.
AMEN. I was exactly the same but love it now. And I totally still fall asleep while I meditate, too.
Really enjoyed reading this!!
i miss yoga SO much! i did tons of prenatal yoga last year but have only gone to a handful of classes since. must get back into it.
I'm a huge yoga fan! It does so much for me :D
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