What you do in life is crucial. Why you do it is even more important

So, why am I here sharing and teaching Yoga? I ask myself that question very often. Long story short (I go much more in depth in this article): because Yoga is a very unique practice that has the potential to help all of us with most of today’s issues and diseases. Stress, anxiety, the constant chase of dopamine hits, lack of purpose, back/neck pains, depression, division and anger, dissatisfaction, inequality, loneliness, obesity, and a long etcetera. These are all far too common, more prevalent than ever, and continuously on the rise in our modern society. If you nodded to any of these issues (and chances are you did, since virtually everyone nowadays is stressed or addicted to our phones), Yoga can be the answer

Yoga has plenty of superficial benefits that most know by now: it will make you healthier, more flexible, stronger, reduce your stress/anxiety, work your core and get abs, help with the back pain that comes from sitting for 10 hours a day in a desk, improve your cardio with a strong power flow, and a long list of benefits that you and those around you will start noticing from day 1 of doing Yoga

But Yoga is much deeper than that. Yoga is the only movement practice (or fitness if you want to call it that way) that at its very foundation cultivates introspection and connection. In every class it’s just you, your mat, and your thoughts/emotions. In every class the teacher will tell you that “getting” a pose is not the objective. The objective is to focus on your breath, to meditate in the pose and start to notice your body and your mind. What ends up happening with time is that we start to feel the connection. Connection with our bodies. Connection with our breath. Connection with our feelings and emotions. Connection with our mind. Connection with our inner selves. Connection with our soul. And, at a deeper level, connection with those around us and existence as a whole

This is very powerful. More powerful than most of us imagine. Because when I think about most of today’s issues, both at an individual and societal level, there is one common theme around them all: lack of connection. Stop and think about it, why are more people than ever with anxiety or depression? Why are so many of us feeling empty and unhappy, even though we are more privileged and have an “easier” and more “comfortable” life than virtually 99% of humanity before us? Why does it feel like everyone is continuously fighting and divisiveness between groups (political and others) gets worse by the year? Why are our identities so fragile that even one’s diet is a trigger and a reason for fighting? Hell, why are we living in cities with millions of people around us, with the internet virtually keeping us “connected” with 5 billion people around the world, and yet people are feeling more isolated and lonely than ever?

The answers to these questions are all long and complex. But at the very root, one common denominator in all of them is a lack of connection. Starting from a lack of connection with ourselves, with our mind, with our soul, with our emotions, and even with our bodies. We can’t feel whole and fulfilled if we are not in touch with ourselves and what moves us. We can’t truly connect with one another until we feel connected and complete within ourselves (forget about being able to feel connected to humanity as a whole). And the best part, look at all that humanity is accomplishing even with this lack of connection. Imagine what we could become if all of us start being whole, more connected, and without our insecurities and conflicts holding us back

That is why I believe it’s so important to share this practice. That is why I’m here. My mission is to be able to help as many people as possible to connect with themselves. There are many potential paths to get there: meditation, walks in nature, dancing, and plenty of other introspective/meditative paths can help you get there. But Yoga is one of the best and the most accessible ways to do so. Especially because it comes with so many superficial benefits that most of us are looking for anyway: become healthier, stronger, more flexible and even learn how to handstand! What’s not to love about it!

Come to Yoga for the handstand, stay in Yoga and finally meet your true self.