When you hear the word “yoga,” what comes to mind?
For many, it’s a sleek body twisting into shapes on a mat, or maybe a serene scene with soft music and incense. While that can be part of it, let’s be clear: yoga isn’t about the poses. It’s not about touching your toes, or sweating through a sequence, or performing impressive shapes.
There's a name for those who enjoy yoga as an athletic program. They're called yoga athletes. Often former athletes themselves, discovered how liberating the yoga practice was to move in this new way, then openly share their athleticism with everyone... and sometimes making the bold assumption "everyone can do this... and I'll teach you how."
All of our bodies are built a little differently. We have varied pasts - emotional and physical - which affect our ability to focus and explore movement today.
Yoga is a spiritual practice first. Always has been.
The postures (asana) are just one tiny sliver of a much larger, ancient path, a path designed to bring you back to your true self.
And you don’t need to be in peak physical health to practice. You don’t need to be in the “right season of life,” or have a quiet room and a perfect morning routine. You simply need to begin paying attention to: your breath, your body, and your inner world.
Yoga is about presence, not performance
Yoga invites us to slow down and notice. That’s it. To really notice - how your shoulders tense when you're anxious. How your jaw tightens when you're holding back. How your breath becomes shallow when you're overwhelmed.
These little signals? They matter.
Because when we start to track the subtle, we start to reclaim the sacred. We remember that the body is not separate from our emotions, our thoughts, our spirit. Yoga helps us stitch it all back together.
Whether you’re in the postpartum haze, navigating chronic illness, caring for aging parents, or simply trying to stay grounded in a chaotic world - yoga meets you there. Right there. As you are.
The magic is in the micro-movements
So many people skip over the importance of small movements. But those “tiny” shifts (where you adjust your alignment, soften a muscle, or tune into the whisper of your breath) are actually the whole point.
Yoga isn’t about going bigger or deeper. It’s about going inward.
It’s in the tilt of your pelvis that brings relief to your back.
It’s in the awareness of your ribcage expanding, due to your diaphragm moving.
It’s in the moment you dim your gaze and feel your feet, really feel them, grounding you to the earth.
This is the medicine. This is the practice.
You don’t have to believe in anything to practice yoga
I hear this a lot: “But is yoga a religion?” It’s a valid question, especially for those navigating faith traditions or wondering if yoga conflicts with their beliefs.
The short answer is: no, yoga is not a religion.
It’s a practice. A set of tools and philosophies that help you observe yourself and your life more clearly. I wrote about this in more depth here: Yoga isn't a religion. It's a practice for everyone.
In fact, I believe the beauty of yoga is that it can enhance whatever spiritual or faith practice you already hold dear. It creates the space to listen to the voice within - to reconnect with God, the universe, the Divine, the inner wisdom you may have forgotten was always there.
You won't hear me say anything about following my belief system. Our personal belief systems are sacred and not to be projected on anyone who isn't asking how we find solace and strength to move through life's circumstances with grace.
Teaching in Metro Detroit, I've had the privilege of guiding people from many belief systems such as Orthodox Greek, Muslim, Judaism, various branches of Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, those unsure of their faith, and those claiming no belief at all.
When you work with me you get to prioritize your connection of faith, inner-wisdom, comfort, and protection.
It’s more than a workout. It’s a way back to yourself.
Yes, yoga has physical benefits (which I wrote about here: Benefits of Yoga), but if you're only coming to yoga for a stretch or sweat, you're leaving so much on the table.
Yoga is how we return to ourselves, to our breath, to our truth.
It teaches us that everything is connected: the breath to the body, the body to the mind, the mind to the heart.
And when we live in that awareness, everything shifts.
We parent differently.
We speak more kindly.
We rest more deeply.
We trust our bodies - and our choices.
So no, yoga isn’t just for the “fit” or the “spiritual” or the “calm.”
It’s for you. Right now. In whatever shape your life is in.
You don’t need to change anything before stepping onto your mat. You just need to begin.