"Childhood trauma consequences, eating disorders, depression & anxiety problems have been part of my life since I was 15 (I'm now 23 years old). People think I do yoga because I want to be flexible, but they don't realize it's been an essential part of my survival
The first time I researched yoga, I was desperate for a solution to deal with extreme stress and anxiety, so I started doing some breathing exercises and bedtime stretches. It wasn't a regular practice at all, but somehow I always came back to anything yoga related, either a physical or philosophical aspect. A few years later, I understood I'm truly passionate about it, just as I am about literature and writing
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Yoga gave me back my life. I won't take away the credit of excellent therapists, medication and family support, or the effort I'm still putting in. But yoga has taught me to accept my imperfections, to own my story, to take it one minute at a time, to never strive for perfection, to share kindness and love with everyone and everything INCLUDING MYSELF. No pharmaceutical product can do that, and nobody else can create such a deep change for oneself
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The best thing is... There's no need to study like a monk in order to receive these benefits. Practicing online classes, for example, helps in a deeper way than it seems. So that's why I recommend yoga to anybody despite their beliefs—although I do encourage others to learn about its roots and not disrespect a whole culture!!
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💛 Andrea"
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(Andrea also hosts @luzenvos dedicated to mental health awareness , in Spanish)