The Art of Relaxation

by Ana Bilokin

re·ju·ve·na·tion

the phenomenon of vitality and freshness being restored

Who wouldn’t want that? We seek rejuvenation through coffee or buying new wardrobes but let me tell you about a real phenomenon: yoga.

It may not sound like the coolest thing to do, but bear with me. 

When I first considered starting yoga I imagined a room of thirty-something year old women in too-tight clothes bent in unusual shapes. In all honesty that was a pretty accurate assumption. As soon as my first class started, however, all the spandex slipped away from my consciousness. First we closed our eyes focused on our breathing while the teacher instructed us to let the worries of the day go, to focus on the present. We spent about a minute sitting in a neutral position reflecting on what we wanted to achieve during the class. A minute in and I was already more relaxed. In our lives, between school, social media and our responsibilities at home, we rarely find time to just sit and think for a minute, or to do the opposite, clear our brains. Yoga class always provides a space to do that.

Every class is a different set of shapes and movements, but you can always fall into the familiar pattern of your breath. When I’m in a class I’m always focused on what I’m doing instead of what I’ve done or will do. This works wonders to relieve stress, and so does the fact that you are moving your body. It’s not rigorous but is definitely a good workout too. A wonderful thing about yoga is that there’s no competition, you don’t need to be better than your neighbor and the teacher always provides easier variants for more difficult poses. It’s a safe environment and both teachers I’ve had have been the sweetest people.

At the end of every class we go into the savasana pose, where we lay still on our backs for five minutes and completely relax all of the muscles in our bodies. All you do for five minutes is relax, and since it’s right after yoga your mind isn’t wandering to all the things you need to do. Most relaxing five minutes of my week, no doubt. Sometimes you need some time dedicated for doing nothing.

When I get out of a yoga class there is one word that best describes how I feel: rejuvenated. I feel like I can take on my responsibilities, I feel relaxed, I feel good about myself. Those are things rarely said by teens these days. So, next time you feel things are piling up, or you just don’t feel your best, take an hour out of your week and go to your local yoga studio for a class. Embrace the practice and I guarantee you’ll feel better.