The power of yoga

Yoga has always been more than just a form of exercise for me. But for several years of inconsistent practice, I went through the motions. I enjoyed the space it gave me away from my kids (sorry, kids), and loved the times I felt the strength in my body as I practiced.

But like many people, I approached yoga with the mindset of trying to be the best. It was about bending the furthest, balancing the longest, and impressing my boys with headstands. However, there was one particular day that changed everything for me.

It was an afternoon class with my teacher, Danya. We were in a simple pose — lying on our backs, one leg in the air (I still can’t remember the name of the pose). This moment hit me hard, like a truck. Up until that day, yoga had been something I enjoyed and something I used to feel stronger, but it had also been tied to a competition in my own mind. I wanted to bend more, hold longer, push myself to do the things I’d seen others do.

On that day, in that very basic pose, something in me let go. It felt like a weight had been lifted, and I wanted to cry. I realised something so profound and simple — it wasn’t about what my body could do, but simply about being there. On that mat, in that moment, with Danya guiding me, I was safe and exactly where I needed to be, not trying to prove anything or reach any ideal. I was just being.

For years I had struggled with body insecurities, constantly making comparisons, hiding parts of myself I didn’t want others to see. But in that space, as I allowed myself to be present, something inside me started to shift. I began to feel compassion and love for my body - not because of what it could do, but because it had allowed me to feel strong, to survive, to experience life. Yoga, for me, was and is still about the physicality but more about the connection—to myself, to the present moment, and to my own strength. It was no longer about "doing it right" but about being here, on the mat, just as I am.

This wasn’t some grand philosophical realisation, and it didn’t require a spiritual explanation. It was simply the moment when I understood that yoga was a space to release insecurities, to stop comparing, and to start embracing myself for who I truly am. My body is the vessel that has carried me through life, and it deserves love, care, and gratitude.

Jenny Greensmith-Brennan