Power of the Pose
Nihonbashi Member Joey Wu explains how the benefits of yoga extend well beyond the mat.
When I started doing yoga 15 years ago, I had no idea what it was about.
A friend who was practicing took me to my first class. I didn’t know what I was walking into. But when it was over, the one thing I did know was that it felt really great.
I made it a regular part of my life, going once a week, then twice, then more. My interest grew and grew. I had been into sports since I was a kid—playing on the basketball and tennis teams in high school, running, golfing—but nothing offered me what I was getting from yoga.
As with those sports, there were physical benefits, of course. But yoga is more than just movement, doing poses. It’s about finding peace of mind and calming your nerves. I call it a moving meditation. It helps me focus.
Yoga became such an important part of my life that I decided to do basic teacher training, what we call the 200 hours. I learned about the history, philosophy and different types of yoga. Next, I did the 500-hour advanced teacher training. I teach regularly now, but I wasn’t really thinking to become a teacher then. As I gained more knowledge, I wanted to share it with others, so they could benefit from yoga like I was.
Apart from building strength and flexibility, yoga teaches us life lessons. It helps me manage stress. I’ve become a much calmer and patient person. And I have carried the lessons I’ve learned over to my professional life. Yoga has taught me how to be consistent and persistent, to let go of judgement and to skillfully manage whatever comes my way.
A lot of that comes from the challenge of yoga. Anyone who has been on the mat knows the experience of not being able to do a pose. I have that a lot, too, even after 15 years. But the goal of yoga is not to balance in a pose or stand on your hands. The goal is the process. When you enjoy the process and accept the challenge of building strength to do the positions, you get the physical benefits as well as a very healthy stimulus to the brain. And when you can do something today that you could not do yesterday, that sense of accomplishment is amazing.
About a year ago, I joined the Nihonbashi Club. It’s near my office and has been great for me. I’ve always had a pretty fast-paced, intense job. Yoga really helps me manage my well-being—physically and emotionally—and the Club allows me to pick a convenient time to practice that fits my busy life.
For anyone considering taking up yoga, I encourage them to let go of any preconceptions of what yoga is. At the end of the day, you just get on the mat and you move, and breathe. That’s it.
As told to INTOUCH’s C Bryan Jones.
Top image of Joey Wu: Kayo Yamawaki
