Leah Learns the Magic that is Yoga!

Leah leans into the forward stretch, her legs straight, and then she bends onto one knee and swivels her torso to the side. She brings her hands into prayer position at her chest. She rests there, breathing slowly.

It never fails her.

Yoga, that is. No matter how negative her thoughts may be when she wakes up, she knows that yoga, like psychic yeast, will lift her out of her body and her ruminating mind. Yoga will take her into the now of the morning, and her spirits will rise along with the sun.

Leah has been doing yoga for five decades -- she began in college -- but incredibly, it's only been in the last year or so that she really made the deep realization about the power of yoga to link the body, mind and soul. In the past she would go through the motions, often forgetting to breathe with the postures. She failed to realize that the whole point of yoga isn't exercise, per se, but to prepare the mind and body for the deep silence of meditation.

Incredibly, she used to meditate first. Of course that's not the worst thing in the world, but it was kind of backward.

Why the switch?

It came after a period of serious anxiety. She had to find a way to overcome her nervousness when she woke up.

And so, one day, she tried doing the yoga postures as soon as she got out of bed -- when her head was zipping around with some wild ideas.

So now, she goes slowly.

And she makes sure to feel her body, and the breath going in and out of her nose and mouth and into and out of her lungs.

When you start to do yoga like that, Leah realizes, you start to live differently off the mat too. You pause during the day. You breathe. You take stock of how your body feels, and you slowly canvas yourself, head to toe. You also take in your surroundings -- the color of the sky, the smell of the autumn air, the changing leaves. You feel the wind on your face and you are aware of that sensation. You also make sure you are present with the "ordinary" experiences of everyday life: like drinking your first cup of coffee or tea, eating breakfast, showering.

It's all part of being present, or mindful, and it's crucial you practise it with the people you love too. You stop and really listen to what your partner or your friend is saying. You make time for those people.

All of this grows out of yoga practise that helps you find joy in each passing moment.

Leah is lying on her back on the floor now, her legs bent. She is lifting her hips up and down. She's about half-way through the morning routine.

What she's feeling now is gratitude; she is thankful that yoga has helped even out her moods and given her a way of making every day a good day.

And she is thankful too that she has also developed a morning gratitude practise. More on that soon.