Her love for yoga began 10 years ago, when she was still practicing Bikram yoga, a hot yoga style of practice, on Tomas Morato Avenue, in Quezon City. “I’m really very muscular,” she says. “So, I needed to find something that would make me more lean on television, and yoga helped me.”
Erika has these tips for those who want to get into yoga or enhance their practice:
Mental preparedness is important. Erika says. “When it comes to yoga, the best way to conquer the practice is to prepare mentally. Set your mind that there’s a decision you have to make to overcome physical discomfort and to open the heart and the mind to cross one’s boundaries. Only then will you discover that you are stronger than you think.”
Don’t forget to breathe! Beginners, especially, have the tendency to hold their breath, and focus on the poses. “The minimum requirement in every practice is not to perfect the poses, but to just breathe,” she says. If all you can do is breathe, to feel your body out, and to understand it a little bit more than when you began, you have done well for that session.”
Third, she says, “Listen to your body. Focusing on pregnant women, listen and be honest. It is already assumed that you want to practice yoga not just to stay in shape but help yourself have a healthier and easier delivery, and it’s especially for the baby, so make sure that you don’t overdo the practice—or underdo it—to reap its full benefits.”
She cautions against comparing yourself to somebody else. “Don’t compete,” she stresses. “Yoga is not a competition. Do what you can the best way possible, and you’ve already won. We all have our own race that will celebrate each of us in our respective finish lines.”
Lastly, “Stay consistent. Yoga is not just an exercise, but a lifestyle. By sticking to the practice, you will see changes beyond the physical. If you remain consistent even after giving birth, you will gain more than easy delivery, but gifts that can even help you in your journey off the mat, and as a parent, partner, and a human being.”
- 44 views
