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yoga for anxiety

Mar 01
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Community Feature: March 2018

By Community Feature

Author: Renee Wain – Mom, Teacher, PYC Georgetown Yogi

My life, before I discovered the amazing community of Power Yoga Canada, appeared perfect on the surface, however, internally, there was something missing. My mental health was not in a good state and feelings of stress and anxiety were consuming my daily thoughts.

I remember the first time I had an anxiety attack, I couldn’t even comprehend what was happening to my body. I had just returned to work after my first maternity leave and I was struggling to stay above water. Being a teacher is my passion and I love what I do, but the hours I used to spend at home planning and marking were no longer possible with a young baby in the mix. One day at work, I started to get a pain in my chest and then the pain crept up to my throat and wouldn’t go away. I made an appointment to see my doctor, and she informed me that I had experienced an anxiety attack. The tears started to stream down my face, and in that moment I felt like a failure. Luckily, by incorporating some exercise and clean eating into my lifestyle, I was able to keep my anxiety under control.

When I had my second baby, it was even harder to carve out some time for myself, and bad habits were starting to pop back into my life. The frequency of my anxiety attacks were increasing and it was a struggle to get through most days without crying. In September 2017, I was back to work full time, but now I had even more on my plate. After only two weeks in, I had a mental breakdown in my department office and I was struggling to find any balance in my life. I knew I needed to incorporate exercise back into my lifestyle, so I messaged Sita to inquire about the 30 day yoga pass.

As a newbie to hot yoga, I had no idea what to expect, but I instantly fell in love with the practice. It was the one time during the day where I could be still and just breathe on my mat. Although my practice was consistent, I was still struggling with my mental health and nutrition. I couldn’t figure out what was missing from my life, so I decided to sign up for the 40 day program. I’m happy to say, this program has changed every aspect of my life in the best ways possible.

After completing the 40 day program, I now know that real health is wholeness on all levels (mind, body and soul). I have learned the importance of stillness, and meditation is becoming part of my daily routine. Taking the time to meditate is allowing me to be more present in all areas of my life.

Here are some quotes from Baron Baptiste that have really resonated with me:

“External change can only happen when we adjust the inner workings of our minds”

“When we slow down and fully engage in the present, we usually get where we really want to go faster”

By living in the present, I am now a more patient mom, wife and teacher. I am focusing my energy on positive thoughts rather than worrying about the future, and letting things go that don’t serve me. Yoga is not just about the physical practice for me, it is the missing piece to the puzzle of my mental well being. My journey is not over, and there will be bumps in the road ahead, but with Power Yoga Canada in my back pocket, I know I can handle anything life throws at me.

Finally, I would just like to send a huge shout out to Jackie and Sita. Thank you so much for everything you do and for welcoming me into the PYC Georgetown community. Over the past five months, I have met some amazing people and have truly experienced the “magic” that happens in-between the walls . There is an energy in the studio that is indescribable, and you know when you walk through the front door, you feel at home.

Feb 01
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Community Feature: February 2018

By Community Feature

Author: Jenn Moore – PYC Oshawa Yogi

When I arrived in Canada last spring, I spent much of my first week in bed absorbing the whirlwind that was previous year. I had left my home, relationship, and career in Northern California and was backpacking through Thailand when my mom called to let me know my grandmother’s health was rapidly declining. I had planned on staying in Southeast Asia to teach English for another year, but I just knew I would regret it if I didn’t come. So here I was, in Whitby, one week after my 26th birthday, a time I had expected to be advancing my career and planning a family. When that didn’t pan out, traveling the world and teaching seemed a great alternative, but I hadn’t anticipated feeling this lonely and directionless. I felt like a failure.

My mom went back home to California and I cared for my grandmother, which forced me out of bed and out of my reeling mind. I went for many jogs, because that’s what I always did when I slipped on life’s banana peels. I’d slip into my Nikes, pop in my earbuds on full-blast, and hit the pavement until my pulse reached my toes and the shaky, nervous energy in my chest became heaving exhaustion. It worked until it didn’t. I couldn’t seem to get tired enough or get the music loud enough to drown out my own noise. I began to feel pain in my right knee and lower back, but continued to run through it; I couldn’t stop.

One day I drove by a big red sign for HOT YOGA and breathed the first of what would be many sighs of relief. My practice was derailed with the rest of my routines, and I knew I needed to ground & centre. I signed up for the intro month mid-April even though I thought I’d be back in California by the end of May.

I knew this studio was different than any other from the get-go. Steve read something from Rumi that spoke directly to my soul in the end of shavasana. A few different people reached out and asked me about my practice afterward and when I would be back. Also, this was by far and away the most physically challenging yoga I had ever experienced, which unwound the knots in my stomach. Leaving the studio that first night, I felt more at peace than I had in a very long time.

Over the next few months, I let hundreds of silent tears fall while sitting in pigeon, cursed almost every teacher while sitting in my chair, melted tension into sweat and let it pour onto my mat, and breathed through poses when all I wanted to do was run out. I stayed and I felt stronger and more powerful for staying. I regained confidence, knowing that no matter the circumstances, I shape my own experience based on my reactions.

I made friends! My hand touched a cute guy’s during shavasana and he turned out to be my soul’s closest companion. I joined perspective-shifting workshops like Debbie’s “Powerful Conversations” and the 40 days program.  I feel immense gratitude when I walk into our brand new studio in Oshawa. I immediately see faces that warm my heart, and I’m constantly inspired by the teachers and students I am lucky enough to practice alongside. For the first time in my life, I have absolutely no desire to run.