Why I Love Yoga Appreciation Month

I read this quote the other day that went, “Yoga is not about self-improvement, it’s about self-acceptance.” Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, an internationally recognized and renowned yoga teacher, is responsible for this wise meme circling social media. She’s so right. Yoga has evolved into this vessel used to reach new heights of peace of mind around the world.

Because so many have turned to yoga to find inner peace, the Department of Health and Human Services has named September as Yoga Appreciation Month. A whole month, dedicated to spreading knowledge about yoga! To me, this translates into a whole month dedicated to shedding light on a practice that’s not only physically rewarding, but more importantly spiritually nourishing.

A little bit about yoga for those who have never tried it: it’s seriously healing. I was astounded to learn about the various common ailments yoga has been used successfully to treat. From chronic back pain, hypertension, heart disease, menopause, and asthma to more serious, mental ailments like depression - yoga can help! Even cancer patients have used yoga to relieve discomfort and stress and to improve quality of life after treatments.

I believe we all strive for self-acceptance. Being healthy can be hard! The judgement, the poor body image, the self-doubt… All of these things disappear with yoga; they become non-issues. Yoga takes your mind and slows it down so you can focus on deep, steady breathing and strong, empowered poses.

I’m throwing out a challenge during Yoga Appreciation Month to anyone who has never tried yoga - do it! You won’t regret it and really, what have you got to lose? Take it one step further and create a special yoga space at home this September, and send me a photo on Facebook! I would love to see someone utilize an Amber or Blue Spiral mood-light, or of course the Aum bulb in their yoga or meditation space.