Here are eight reasons NOW is the time to renew your Yoga practice:

1. We are still in a Pandemic - This may be the Number 1 reason to practice yoga. While much of the focus of Pandemic response has rightfully been on preventing the spread and on fighting the virus, the less represented story has been how we can strengthen our immune systems through a healthy diet and exercise. As we transition from Summer to Fall, now is a perfect time to review your underlying health routine and lifestyle and yoga is particularly well placed to assist. Yoga helps build immunity; lowering stress hormones, improving circulation and oxygenation, but also chest and throat openers that stimulate the thymus gland, inversions and cardio to accelerate the movement of lymph and immune cells through the body, twists to invigorate the spleen and other vital organs. Yoga helps with discerning helpful from not helpful habits, reminding us to treat our body well, to not overindulge, to practice compassion and self-care. 

What are you actively doing to keep your body primed to defend against not just this virus but other seasonal bugs that are more active as the season shifts? What are you unconsciously allow to become habits in your routine? What may have served us as we first came face to face with this awful circumstance  (ice cream, alcohol, long mornings in bed) may no longer serve us in the same way as we look to reframe how we operate under this now phase of the Pandemic.

2. Breathing - Perhaps practicing at home hasn't been working for you lately. Or maybe you've been experiencing increased stress or anxiety during this time and getting on the mat hasn't felt right. If your practice has fallen to the wayside in these last six months, we feel you, we feel the same. Maybe today is the day to book that next class and come back to your breath. The beauty of livestream or yoga in general, is that at a fundamental level, if you are breathing you are practicing. 

3. Movement aids relaxation. There's no doubt we "feel" better after exercise. 

4. When we are connected to our bodies through steady mindfulness, we are able to face adversity and challenges with presence and stability rather than the quicksand of attention deficit. 

5. Yoga is a shared communal practice. Even when we are separated by distance, sharing in the same actions and routine we are finding community. 

6. What else are you actually doing with your time? Are you scrolling the news or social media? Is it helping? Could that time be diverted back into more beneficial moments?

7. WE need you! As teachers and a studio, our purpose is to share this gift of yoga. We would be aimless without our members.

8. YOGA IS FOR YOU. It is perhaps the only time of day that you get to share with others but exclusively for yourself.