30 Days of Summer Yoga-Day 12

This morning, one of my new students asked me why I am so enthusiastic about yoga, why I am so willing to get up early and give it away for free.  

To put it succinctly, before I found yoga, I was a mess.  Physically, mentally, emotionally, a mess.  A person that no one wanted to be around.  I was always sick, or in pain, spending hours at the doctor, going from one specialist to another, getting this test done, recovering from that procedure.  I was sick and in pain and no one could really tell me why.  I had plenty of diagnosis, plenty of medications.  I still felt like crap, ALL OF THE TIME.

Bottles of pills and miserable pain seemed to be the only life I was going to live.  

Thankfully, I had a moment of insight.  When my body had finally worn itself out so much that the simple act of coughing caused me to break eight ribs, I knew something had to change.  While I was at the specialist getting a scan done to see why the bones of a 37 year old were just breaking inside of her body, someone said, "you must drink a lot of soda.  Soda causes the minerals in bones to break down".  

I had literally never considered that.  I drank soda because it tasted GOOD.  I never thought it was harming me.  Water was boring.  Even if I got thirsty overnight, I sipped soda.  In examining my diet, I discovered I was mostly eating chemicals masquerading as food.  The only produce I bought were bananas and onions (don't laugh....it's an epidemic in this society).

I never looked at soda the same again.  I began to view it as a cup of chemicals designed to keep me sick and addicted,  Although I have never quit anything cold turkey, soda is the closest I came.  I switched to another brand, allowing myself one mini-can a day until I no longer wanted it (because addictions work on multiple levels, you have to break the pattern on multiple levels.  I also switched brands when I quit smoking).

Several months later, I found my way to my mat for the first time.  Since I was already becoming more aware of how my choices were affecting my health, I was motivated to keep going.  

I currently eat a mostly vegan diet (NO!!!!! dairy) and am off all medications. I couldn't tell you the last time I had to go to the doctor. I am stronger and healthier than I have ever been in my life and I want the same for you.  

That's why I teach these classes :)
 
Stayed tuned for more on my journey to my mat.....

Weather-Cloudy &70
Students-9, 1 chair, 8 mat
Organization: Shining Strings
Money Raised-$22