I recently shared my health journey on meditation and how important it is to my lifestyle now. I wouldn’t get half of my daily tasks done if it wasn’t for my meditation practice. One of the main ways I meditate is through moving meditation, or yoga. Yoga in general is one of the things we all say we “should be” doing, but in reality don’t prioritize it. This was the case for me up until recently when I really picked up my yoga game and started practicing yoga at Harmony Yoga in Redondo Beach, a community-centered nurturing yoga studio. Not only has it made me more mentally clear and fit, it also has helped me get MORE STUFF done. Read on to see what I mean by this and why you should start practicing yoga today.

5 Benefits of Practicing Yoga:

1. Increased physical fitness- This is a given to most people, but the benefits of being physically fit are endless. Some of which include increased lifespan, feelings of wellbeing, reduction in inflammation, reduced insulin intolerance, etc. As if you needed another person telling you to work out, right? Well, it’s just because science tells us it’s a no-brainer.

2. Increased mental clarity- This is a big one for me. I often wake up in a brain fog due to some unknown reason (I am not a morning person). I get up and I am not a human before coffee. But I have noticed that on the days that I do yoga, I have an increased sharpness about me. I have enhanced creativity on those days and increased productivity as well, which I will talk about next. These effects often last through the next day as well. Perhaps it is because we are using both sides of our brain when we do yoga- especially when we are challenging our bodies and our minds with something that can be so physically exhausting if you don’t have the right tools to get you through it (breathing, mind over matter, etc).

3. Increased productivity- This is probably the biggest one for me. I notice a HUGE difference in my productivity levels and focus on the days that I do yoga vs. not. It’s not just a small difference, it’s huge. For example, yesterday I did yoga at around noon, worked for 5 hours after that, did a photoshoot for three hours after that, cleaned, cooked, and edited photos for another 4 hours after that. Perhaps that is a lesson for me that I have to do yoga early in the day rather than midday because I likely won’t be able to sleep for a bit after that. This concept is the paradox of meditation and yoga- you think that you can’t take an hour out of your day, but in reality you are GAINING more than what you lost because you are more productive.

4. Increased sense of mindfulness- When you are practicing yoga, you are so insanely focused in that moment that nothing else matters beyond that- you are just trying to survive the class. Everything is temporary. In my opinion, there is no faster way to get you to be grateful and mindful of yourself and everything around you than a yoga practice. You are intent on yourself, yet realize the beauty in the small intricate poses that you become appreciative of all that your body can do. This appreciation lends itself beyond yoga, into the beauty of your daily life.

5. Increased sense of community and friendship- Some people may think that this is also a given, but it often gets overlooked. What better way than to become friends with new like-minded people than to join a yoga studio? I am thankful that I have found this at Harmony Yoga, as most studios do not have this community feel. Everyone at this studio is welcoming, all ages, and extremely happy to be there. It’s such a safe space where the instructors really care about helping you improve your practice and yourself, and that’s all you can ask for!

If you are in the Redondo area, I highly recommend coming and taking a class at Harmony Yoga. Come and see for yourself the overwhelming amount of positivity that exudes from the space. Lucky to call it my yoga studio!

Namaste,
Lauren