Self Healing Through Yoga and Meditation

Through yoga, I have noticed a long list of changes in myself.
I’m more compassionate, selfless, and patient. I’ve also learned to love myself through this practice.
I struggled with an eating disorder for ten years and two years ago I was told how close I was to dying.
At this point I decided to recover, but it was difficult and painful. I didn’t feel like it would be possible to
love my new body, so I decided to begin a workout routine to gently and slowly tone.
This is how I found yoga. Within the first week of my new daily practice, I felt proud of myself for the
first time. I felt love for myself for the first time. I was able to look at myself in the mirror and see
someone extraordinary.

As the weeks went on these feelings only became stronger and stronger,
and the newfound love I had for myself grew into this light that started to touch the people around me.
The people I had misunderstood and had tension with, I was now able to see them as they were, and
understand their words and actions. I am more patient with others because I understand their healing
journey just might not have begun yet, but when it does their light will touch me as my light is touching
them. This is the greatest gift yoga has to offer. Once you begin to love yourself, you love others truly
unconditionally. You forgive yourself for past mistakes and forgive your loved ones for theirs. 

Something I’d like to pass on while on the topic of love, is loving awareness.
Loving awareness is an idea created by Baba Ram Dass, and is difficult to explain simply but I’ll do my
best to explain through my experience. When I first started practicing loving awareness, it was through
meditation. I shut my eyes and relax every part of my body while breathing deeply.
I focus on my breath, the air in the room, and the feelings in my body. I then start repeating,
“I am loving awareness.” I allow myself to think about the space I’m in: my room, my backyard, etc.
As I say, “I am loving awareness”, while keeping myself aware of the space around me,
I naturally begin to feel love toward that space. There have been times in deep meditation while
practicing this, that I’ve found myself in awe. Absolutely speechless.
To the point where I open my eyes, look around, and just smile. Now, I practice loving awareness
throughout every day. I simply take in my surroundings and recognize the beauty of everything,
and feel how much love I have for all that makes up this universe. I think we as humans, are capable
of giving much more love than we do. Start to look at life through a filter of love. Speak from a place
of love. Move your body from a place of love, through yoga.