Freedom from addiction
”Yoga saved my life,” is a bold declaration, but I can most definitely understand why some would make that claim. I was introduced to yoga in January 2013 after moving to Dallas from New York City by my yoga mentor who I lovingly refer to as”Namaste Mama.” Honestly, my “Namaste Mama” convinced me to practice yoga with two tacos from Velvet Taco and a goal setting session. Overwhelmed by the cunning, powerful, and baffling disease of addiction and an eating disorder, I was willing to try anything to make the pain stop. My first practice was bittersweet; bitter because I cried the whole time, sweet because I felt a sense of release I had only felt when I practiced my addictions.
“Chatturanga! !Adho Mukha! Urdhva Mukha!” I had no clue what was going on, but I went for it with everything I had. Tears and all, I did those push ups and put my butt in the air. Left side. Right Side. One cue at a time. One step at a time. During that class I prayed for something to teach me how to live, to free me from the addictions that held me captive, and to reveal my true self. The next week I started therapy and entered a program and that introduced me to a new design of living. I have not indulged in my addictions since January 13, 2013 and I am forever blessed for the gift of sobriety and yoga.
“Yoga saved my life,” perhaps, but the gift of yoga is my prayer in motion. A physical surrender to a Power that is greater than myself that whispers ,“Practice and all is coming. Pray, meditate, obey the message.”