The Benefits of Yoga
- original journal on The Nimbus Co posted 7th April 2022
INTERVIEW WITH MISCHA GOMEZ
Mischa first discovered yoga when she moved to Sydney ten years ago in the search for connection. Since then, yoga has allowed Mischa to find true embodiment. We chat about her entry to yoga, the benefits of a regular practice and how we can create more flow and ease in our lives.
How did you first discover yoga?
Yoga found me when I wasn't looking! My first experience with yoga was a casual class that my best friend led me through. It started with nadi shodana (alternate nostril breathing) and ended with savasana - that's all I remember but it really clicked for me! After that one class I asked how I could do more of this "yoga" that helped me feel so connected to myself. I truly felt embodied for the first time in my life; everything seemed a little clearer, I slept well, the flowers on the side of the road were more beautiful. My friend directed me to an online series with LA Power Yogi Bryan Kest and I've never looked back. That was almost ten years ago and I have practiced in some way, shape or form everyday since. My personal practice has evolved to become more subtle and more energetic over time.
What are the benefits of a regular yoga practice?
There are many benefits to a regular yoga practice. Overall health and fitness is one of course, but more and more we are seeing improved mental health outcomes. In my personal experience and through hundreds of conversations and anecdotal evidence, I would say what yoga truly does is bring us back to ourselves. As the world gets wider and busier, it is so important to check in with yourself. How are you? Really? The practice of yoga allows you to simply meet yourself without judgment or labels, there is no right or wrong, no to do list, just you in the here and now. The physical practice helps us develop introspection - our ability to notice what's happening inside of our bodies and minds. Then you just need to actually pay attention to what your body and mind is telling you, which is of course much harder than it sounds. That is why we call it a yoga practice - it is as they say, the journey rather than the destination. The pose is not actually the point, it is your attitude towards the pose that matters, and ultimately your attitude towards yourself and your life.
If you could give our community one piece of advice to create more flow and ease in their life, what would it be?
Keep showing up for yourself. This journey that we call life is often not an easy one. When you touch that sense of flow that you might find on your yoga mat, your surfboard or while out for a run, it is easier to find it again, that's why we practice it! Practice meeting yourself in each moment, with each breath and notice where you become hard or rigid or resistant. There's your clue as to where or how you might be able to soften. Maybe it's physically by relaxing your jaw, shoulders, eyebrows. Or maybe it's softening your mind or your attitude towards something, someone or yourself.
Mischa Gomez, yoga teacher - @mischaism
To learn from Mischa visit NIMBUS ONLINE PLATFORM.
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