Level Yoga: The Benefits of Bringing a Friend to Yoga
A friendship brings more joy into our lives. A friendship has an impact on our mental health and happiness. A friendship provides comfort; it can help you cope with the hard times and celebrate the good times. My yoga journey started from an invitation of a friend to yoga.
When I was in college, my friend asked me to join her for a yoga class at the local gym. I didn’t know anything about yoga or what I was doing in that first class, but one thing I knew for certain was how I loved the way I felt afterwards. It was safe to say I was pretty much hooked from that moment on, and it was the start of my yoga journey.
This led me to buying the book “Yoga for Dummies,” trying different studios around St. Augustine, and even taking yoga as an elective my senior year of college. Fast forward to the present, I have been teaching yoga for thirteen years and a studio owner for six, all because my friend invited me with her to yoga.
I am sure many of us have tagged along with a friend to class and felt the same way I did after the new experience. There are benefits to having a friend to practice yoga with. Yoga friends provide a way to remain consistent on showing up on those days when you lack motivation. We are less likely to bail on a friend. Yoga friends show support for the accomplishments. They are there for you throughout the practice and cheer you on when you nail that crow pose. It is always uplifting to chat with a friend after class about the asanas (poses) you’ve improved upon or laugh about the tree pose you fell out of.
Yoga teaches us compassion for others, as well as for ourselves. When your friend is going through a hard time, yoga teaches us the skills needed to be an attentive listener and offer compassionate understanding. Yoga shows us how we are all connected.
Going to your first yoga class can be intimidating. Self-motivation is hard to find on your own; that’s why going with a friend can be a way to break the ice of that first-class awkwardness and intimidation. You can hold each other accountable for showing up.
If it wasn’t for my friend’s invitation, I don’t know how long it would have taken me to find yoga, the practice that changed my life in the greatest way possible. Grab a friend, book a class, and enjoy!
Level Yoga is located at 29 Royal Palm Pointe Suite 2, and at 3055 Cardinal Drive, Suite 106, Vero Beach. For more information, visit LevelYogaStudio.com or call (772) 696-1160.
Written and photography provided by Amanda Steadman