Native Foods Tribe Member
Yoga and vegetarianism. Why do these two activities go together so well? There is something so harmonious about eating vegetarian/vegan and practicing yoga. Ahimsa is a term meaning to do no harm and comes from the ancient religions of India. Yoga practice also comes from India where yogis would practice the postures of yoga to physically ready themselves for the demanding hours of meditation they would perform. Performing yoga postures, meditation, and ahimsa are all steps on the yogic path toward awakening. While yoga does have roots in religious practice, you do not need to subscribe to any particular religious belief nor does yoga have to conflict with any Western religious beliefs. Yoga will transcend any other exercise you've ever done because it marries the physical body, mind, and our spiritual side. Yoga is a beautiful experience that I recommend everyone tries.
One common reason I hear from people for not trying yoga is that they are not flexible. You will find sanctuary in a yoga class no matter what your level of fitness. One of the goals with yoga is to increase flexibility, balance, and strength in our bodies. As we get older, we start to lose muscle tone and our balance gets rusty, so injuries become more likely. Beyond that important component is the peace and tranquility that yoga brings. Yoga can also help to heal injuries brought on by other sports, as well.
I've been athletic my whole life--running, hiking, playing soccer, but my flexibility was mediocre at best. On a good day, I might be able to almost touch my toes. I definitely needed improvement in that department. Ever so conveniently, there is a beautiful yoga studio only a stones throw away from Native Foods in Aliso Viejo called Core Power Yoga. (FYI: There is also a yoga studio right next to Native Foods in Costa Mesa.) My reasons for not trying yoga were many, "I'm not flexible, I don't know how to do yoga (like it was some kind of routine you had to memorize), I'm intimidated to try new things." My arsenal of excuses was endless. Different yoga teachers would come to Native Foods to eat and invite me to take a class with them. The students who would come in after class would be truly glowing. I would ask how class was and they would gush on and on about how spectacular it was. Yogis are lovely examples of what yoga does for you. Finally after many years of putting it off, I wanted to see what this yoga thing was for myself, so I went to my first class. I was amazed and now understood for myself why people who practice yoga consider it an important part of their lives. It's a chance to (in the words of my yoga teachers) "relax, release, and let go", sweat out any stress you may have, and take an hour out of your day to take care of yourself. We can take care of others so much better when we take care of ourselves. It doesn't hurt either that I can finally touch my toes.
As an added bonus: Core Power Yoga, like many studios, gives new students a week of yoga classes for free. This gives you a chance to try a bunch of class styles to see what suits you the best. Plus after your done detoxifying and strengthening you can come treat yourself to an Ensalada Azteca with Blackened Tempeh...the perfect post-yoga meal. It's a win, win situation. See you in class!
Comments