I'm in a room filled with a bunch of strangers, lying in the dark in downtown Toronto.
Sounds like this is a set up and it totally is.
It was the end of a two-hour intensive with Rodney and Colleen Saidman Yee at the Yoga Conference in Toronto. Lying in Savasana was blissing me out, and I just realized that I spent 120 minutes with two yoga teachers that have played such an integral part in my own yoga journey.
My earliest memory of Rodney was when I used to watch his yoga videos at home. I remember visiting family down south and my aunt nearly screamed in shock when she saw her teenage niece upside down on her living room floor.
For the record, the pose was Salamba Sarvangasana or supported shoulder stand. And eventually, my aunt's eyes stopped popping out of her eyes when she realized I wasn't in any danger.
Now, almost 20 years later, I realize more than ever the profound effect yoga has had in my evolution.
With more education, the myths of yoga are slowly being debunked but in case you're still on the fence, here's what you need to know.
If you think yoga is a religion or meant for just the flexible or incredibly athletic, think again.
You don't have to hug trees or even like nature. You don't need to throw out all your material possessions, live off the grid or follow a strict vegan diet.
It's like when people ask, "How do I know when I've fallen in love?"
Response: You just know.
That's what yoga is like for me. It's the purest form of connection for my body, mind and spirit. Nothing can replicate it. If you're like me and many others, perhaps you've dealt with anxiety, depression or trying to suppress that nasty voice in your head that always says, "I am not enough."
Yoga allows me to deal with all of that. It's peace. It's home. And no one can take that away from me.
It's love.
I opened up to Colleen about my personal struggles that day. Yoga, she said, is in some ways the perfect tool for anxiety and depression and highlighted the pose below.
Rodney explained yoga as a conversation: listening and talking to your own body.
"Sometimes when people exert too much, they are only talking. It's like talking really loud and then there's no receptivity," he said.
I want to create a the kind of relationship that Rodney speaks about: where there is connectivity and skillful action in my practice.
I am committed to dealing with my anxiety, depression and overcoming the belief that "I am not enough."
Jessica loves yoga and has been practicing on and off since her teens. Now she is commits to it daily and is also a health advocate in Toronto, Canada. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.