Yoga is a “work-in.” A practice that goes beyond asana training will not only improve your overall awareness, but expand your confidence in who you are, at your very core.

What does that even mean? How does stretching and breathing affect someone beyond flexibility and lung strength? The answer lies in the progressive structure of the 8 Limbs of Yoga.

Asana yoga, which is the activity that most of us are familiar with, is intended to prepare the body for Pranayama. Pranayama, or mastery of the breath, is designed to prepare the body and mind for meditation. Each part of a yoga practice builds on the other parts, leading to the ultimate goal of Samadhi, or enlightenment.

When your body is comfortable and your breath is under control, you can turn your attention to your other senses. How you interpret your experiences through your senses is revealing. The smell of blossomed roses may be lovely to some, but abhorrent to others. By accepting your own truth that roses smell nice (or not!), you are acknowledging a relationship that only exists within yourself.

As you practice and reveal more inner truths, your sense of self grows. You begin to notice finer details about experiences. You connect to your senses. A calmness and confidence develops with your inner self. Your perception skills improve and you develop sonder, the feeling one has on realizing that every other individual one sees has a life as full and real as one’s own.

Your physical attributes aren’t a factor in this type of growth. There is no pose that can unlock these skills. Regular asana and pranayama training will help you gain control over your body and breath, but it’s turning inward and embracing your powerful soul that will spark true growth.

This is what I mean when I say that Yoga is not a workout, it’s a work-in. Yoga is for every body.