Change Your Game: 5 Ways Yoga Boosts Athletic Performance
Is it just me, or does it seem like nobody knows what they’re doing these days? Seeing President Trump mismanage a global pandemic while media outlets become increasingly polarized and sensationalized makes me feel like I’m living in a giant practical joke.
Honestly, if it wasn’t for my yoga practice, I think I might just lose it. But luckily, I do have a yoga practice, and it has taught me that when sh*t begins to hit the fan is where the real learning and growth happens anyway because at some point we get sick and tired of being sick and tired.
Growth isn’t an easy process. It can also be less than fun. It requires focus (the practice of dhārana in classical yoga), contemplation (dhyāna), and integration deeper understanding (samādhi) into everyday life. And as hard as focusing, contemplating, and integrating understanding is, it’s not even the hardest part of growth.
The hardest part of growth is being brave enough to do it.
For most of us practicing in the West, bravery is not as commonly associated with yoga as handstands and lululemon. This is really too bad, because bravery might be the most essential part of yoga practice.
Bravery is an important theme in the Bhagavad Gita, one of yoga’s most sacred texts. Krishna (the character who represents the highest level of evolved consciousness) tells Arjuna (the character who represents the consciousness level most of us are at)
Hello, I’m Daniela
I’m am LA-based yoga nerd and Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT-500) who specializes in private instruction, injury prevention and management, and optimizing athletic performance. When I’m not re-reading Patañjali’s Yogasūtra on the beach, you can find me conducting qualitative reproductive justice research as a PhD student at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, belting out Shakira at karaoke night, or loudly cheering on the Chargers and Lakers.