One of the best things about teaching yoga is getting to witness the personal transformations that students go through. When I first started yoga 26 years ago, it was clear to me that yoga changed my body. As I continued to practice, I could clearly see that yoga hasn’t just changed my body or my flexibility. It has given me a different lens to see myself and the world.
Through different stages and decades of my life, I’ve watched myself transform physically, mentally, and emotionally through joy, heartbreak, and especially through the darker moments. Yoga has given me the tools to overcome life's challenges and has given my life more meaning.
When I talk about looking through the lens of yoga, I’m talking about a subtle but powerful shift in perspective. Instead of seeing life as something happening to me, yoga invites me to see life as something I am in constant relationship with. Situations, people, and even my own thoughts become opportunities to practice.
Through this lens, I start to notice:
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Compassion instead of competition
I can appreciate my own journey and someone else’s without needing to compare or rank them. There is space for both of us to grow. -
Turning inward instead of chasing outward validation
Instead of asking, “Do they like me?” yoga invites the question, “Am I aligned with myself?” My worth is less about how it looks and more about how it feels inside. -
Forgiveness instead of guilt or shame
When I make mistakes (on or off the mat), the lens of yoga reminds me that I am still whole and still learning. I can acknowledge what happened, take responsibility, and move forward without punishing myself. -
Quality instead of quantity
It’s not about how many poses I can do or how many classes I take; it’s about the presence I bring to each breath, each moment, each relationship. -
Love instead of fear
Fear narrows my world and tightens my body. Love invites softness, curiosity, and a willingness to stay present, even when things are uncomfortable.
Looking through the lens of yoga doesn’t mean life becomes easy or that I float above my problems. It means I am willing to meet my experiences with more honesty, tenderness, and awareness. Yoga becomes less about the shape of my body and more about the shape of my attention.
When we are in this way of being, we leave room for possibility and transformation. It doesn’t matter if the breakthrough is as small as a softened jaw that has been clenched for who knows how long, as fun as finally being able to hover in crow pose, or as serious as a lifeā€‘changing situation.
When I see myself or others through the lens of yoga, I see that it follows me, guides me, is my shadow whether the sun is out or not. When I embrace it wholeheartedly and look through its lens, I get a glimpse into my Self, my Spirit, my Soul.
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