I want this to be the year people stop using the excuse of being inflexible for the reason they don’t do yoga. My urdhva dhanurasana didn’t look like this when I started practicing eight years ago. There were poses I never thought I’d be able to do that are now easy for me. My strength, flexibility, and balance have all improved through my years of practicing. And the great thing is, there’s always room to grow, no matter how “advanced” you become. 

Let’s also remember that yoga is not even about being flexible. We’ve become obsessed with contortion yoga, and aspiring to look like some of the people out there who can bend their bodies certain ways can really be harmful for those whose bodies don’t move like that. Let’s remember that yoga is about quieting the mind. Let’s remember that yoga is not just the asanas (postures), but also meditation and pranayama (breath work). Let’s remember that truly any BODY can do yoga. Let’s make 2016 the year yoga feels accessible to anyone. The year we focus on proper alignment instead of contortion. The year we remember the importance of pranayama and meditation in our daily practice. The year we remember what yoga is really about.