Yoga: Feasting on the Flow, by Jacquie Robertson

As a gym junkie and weight warrior, I resisted yoga for nearly five years before I allowed it to flow into my life with ease. I went to five different classes, was led by five different teachers and walked out on five different occasions feeling as if yoga was really “not for me”.

I now realize in retrospect that I was simply not yet ready for what this ancient practice could bring. I was resisting the true nature of what yoga represented and was saying “no” to the stillness I had heard others boast of.

All That Money Can’t Buy

Peace. Pureness. Power to let go. These are the non-material things I had been telling myself for years that I wanted and yet there I was, resisting this very thing which could offer me more of that.

When I finally did fall to my knees and surrender myself to the downward dogs and comforting child poses, I came to see that yoga was really one of the greatest gifts I could possibly give to myself. Practicing yoga was like feasting on all the little things I usually couldn’t be bothered to notice, all the “little things” that I never seemed to have “time” for because I was too busy letting my thoughts run the show. Yoga was one step closer to making my world brighter, my head more clear and bringing more self-love to my daily thoughts.

Gratitude became a regular focus and most importantly, I was reminded to stay present in the moment, instead of allowing my thoughts to wander off into past and future, where there only seemed to be regrets and wanting, which often left me with me in suffering.

Thoughts and Our Reality

I looked forward so much to those 75 minutes and feasting on my thoughts. Before, I feared my thoughts. I had been terrified of being alone in my head, always worried about what might show up there in that quiet space. My practice helped me become familiar with the idea that believing what I had been thinking created much of my unhappiness.

Yoga helped me to get still in my mind and allow the “bad thoughts” to show up with less fear and most of all, less judgment. Getting on the mat became a mindful solution to helping me turn my thoughts around to feel less stressful.

From Chaos to Bliss

For that short time on the mat, I could let go of all the chaos and feast on all the love, gratitude and peace that was surrounding me both inside and out. Feasting on yoga and feeling at peace is one of the greatest joys human beings can experience, in my opinion. But don’t just take my word for it. Try it for yourself.

We can have everything in the world we want- the perfect romance, our dream job, a comfortable home, and still feel unhappy. Yoga is a perfect opportunity to help us experience more bliss and come to realize that everything we really desire comes from within. Feast your heart on that and, I assure you, you will be coming back for more.

Jacquie bio picJacquie Robertson, RNCP, ROHP, is a Certified Nutritionist practicing clinical nutrition, specializing in hormone imbalance, PMS, digestive health and depression. Her mission is to educate, empower and inspire women to heal themselves naturally through the use of food as medicine, hormone balancing, emotional wellness and self-love. Jacquie offers both in person and online 1-on-1 nutritional coaching and women’s health workshops through her private practice.  Jacquie holds a BA (Honours) from McMaster University, diploma from Centennial College’s Workplace Wellness & Health Promotion program and is a graduate from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition.
For more information on Jacquie, please visit www.jacquierobertson.com.