Thank you so much for sharing, Janine. Your story makes so much sense to me - my own choice to quit alcohol was in no small part because drinking felt completely out of alignment with my meditation and yoga practice, as well as my health and well-being more generally.
Yes! The more I moved toward health and myself, the more I realized alcohol didn't play a part in my life anymore. Thanks for the opportunity to share my story Dana!
Yes! I reached the point where alcohol no longer aligned with how I wanted to live around 10 years ago. Like you, this happened amidst an immersion into yoga, and other healing modalities. Once I became really attuned to my body, it became a no-brainer to stop shoveling in toxins like alcohol and sugar. I became more addicted to the feeling of clarity, presence and connection 😊
Yes!!! Connection with yourself is what yoga offers and alcohol prevents. It's so much better to feel connected rather than numb or disconnected. Thanks for reading!
What a beautiful exploration of life and living discovering life as lived I call it enlightenment , my story like yours was born out of frustration of the life I lead I discovered Yoga though a teacher at a fitness club I was a member some forty odd years ago my lifestyle changed from a rock and roll to therapeutic one like you eventually got to teaching my own style based on Iyengar flow with a bit of originality I like the breath work for ease of movement found myself working with homeless and vulnerable people who saw the benefits of yoga and kept returning did this for almost 20 years through this my well-being improved immensely I still practice and teach others although well into my my 70’s now thank you for sharing your journey it certainly resonates with me.🙏
Thank you Janine! I identify with a lot in your story: former ballet dancer, now an Iyengar student and regular swimmer. I quit alcohol in 2019, later in life, but I don’t miss it at all, and being on the yoga mat gives me a spaciousness I probably was trying to create with a drink. Yoga’s better! Thank you again 🙏🏼
Thanks for sharing, yes, a similar journey. I think the yoga mat is a common place for us ex-dancers to end up. Mentally it's a much healthier place, and I am so grateful I found my way to it, as stubborn as I was. 🤣Thanks for reading!
It’s interesting, the root of yoga is the Sanskrit word “yuj” which means to unite. Yoga is anything that unities you with universal consciousness.
In Hinduism, there are many types of yoga. Prana yoga is breathwork. Bhakti yoga is devotion to a spiritual deity. Karma yoga is action and selfless service. Raja yoga is meditation. Jnana yoga is self reflection and awareness. And of course, asana yoga which is the most popular.
Sounds like you found the yogic practice that allowed you to reconnect with the divine. That’s great!
Yes! I did a number of Bhakti yoga immersions early on and that really opened my eyes to having a bigger understanding of yoga and how it's more than just poses. Many people come to yoga through poses, but that's just the start of the journey. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Chandni! 🙏💜
"more than just poses" is the tagline to the studio I attend. In addition to asana classes, they have meditation classes, monthly satsangs with philosophy discussions and chanting, seva projects, spiritual support groups, and sober socials! I'm so glad I found it as there is so much more to a yoga practice than just asana.
Thanks for sharing this. My experience was a reversal of this. I finally got sober at age 42, and while I had done yoga before, it was definitely not a practice, nor did I understand or care to understand the philosophy behind it.
I found in sobriety that yoga allowed me to still my mind, which was much needed, especially in the earlier days of not drinking. I started studying the history of yoga and practicing meditation as well. It all felt so good to the body and the mind.
I’ll always be so thankful to the practice of yoga for helping me to move better and work through my thoughts with greater ease. I think once you recognize that yoga is about stillness and sitting with your present state, you find there is no room for numbing out the person you want to find (yourself!).
This is an inspiring (and very well written) personal journey. I feel you've been almost constantly learning and unlearning things about yourself through yoga, and perhaps it is only a journey through yoga that could have taught you these key things. What's more is that sobriety for you isn't a standalone pursuit of quitting something, but a byproduct of a life and its richness that continuously nourishes you. Thank you for sharing.
Exactly. It was a natural extension of my journey toward myself. Alcohol had no place there, so like perfectionism, I set it down and walked away. Thanks for reading!
It's almost as if you were writing about my life - it seems we have a lot in common! I also have found yoga to be life-changing in the ways you describe and it helped me give up smoking cigs first, then alcohol later - neither made sense anymore once yoga became consistent in my life. Thank you for sharing!
It seems every day we have more and more in common! I think yoga does that to many who practice. It helps us lead more healthful lives, in body and mind. Thanks for sharing, Katie!
I’ve seen far too many people who’ve had their lives ruined from alcohol addiction. As a former Union representative we had to represent really good employees who had lost their jobs because of it. It was tough to watch. But we’d almost always get them back to work on the agreement that they enter rehab and agree to an employment contract and random testing. For the vast majority they would tell us it changed their lives. Dealing with that made me also reassess my own relationship with alcohol and there is a story to tell about that. After reading Janine’s story I am going to gather my thoughts and feelings and write it about it as well. What a great forum you’ve provided Dana for us to tell our stories.
Alcohol has ruined many lives, both for the addict and people that love them. I am grateful that I never got sucked down that hole and was able to climb out before I did. Thanks for sharing your story Pete.
Thank you so much for sharing, Janine. Your story makes so much sense to me - my own choice to quit alcohol was in no small part because drinking felt completely out of alignment with my meditation and yoga practice, as well as my health and well-being more generally.
Yes! The more I moved toward health and myself, the more I realized alcohol didn't play a part in my life anymore. Thanks for the opportunity to share my story Dana!
Yes! I reached the point where alcohol no longer aligned with how I wanted to live around 10 years ago. Like you, this happened amidst an immersion into yoga, and other healing modalities. Once I became really attuned to my body, it became a no-brainer to stop shoveling in toxins like alcohol and sugar. I became more addicted to the feeling of clarity, presence and connection 😊
Yes!!! Connection with yourself is what yoga offers and alcohol prevents. It's so much better to feel connected rather than numb or disconnected. Thanks for reading!
What a beautiful exploration of life and living discovering life as lived I call it enlightenment , my story like yours was born out of frustration of the life I lead I discovered Yoga though a teacher at a fitness club I was a member some forty odd years ago my lifestyle changed from a rock and roll to therapeutic one like you eventually got to teaching my own style based on Iyengar flow with a bit of originality I like the breath work for ease of movement found myself working with homeless and vulnerable people who saw the benefits of yoga and kept returning did this for almost 20 years through this my well-being improved immensely I still practice and teach others although well into my my 70’s now thank you for sharing your journey it certainly resonates with me.🙏
Thanks for sharing your journey, Marcel. Yoga is healing for body and mind and often leads us to places we never imagined. Thanks for reading!
Thank you Janine! I identify with a lot in your story: former ballet dancer, now an Iyengar student and regular swimmer. I quit alcohol in 2019, later in life, but I don’t miss it at all, and being on the yoga mat gives me a spaciousness I probably was trying to create with a drink. Yoga’s better! Thank you again 🙏🏼
Thanks for sharing, yes, a similar journey. I think the yoga mat is a common place for us ex-dancers to end up. Mentally it's a much healthier place, and I am so grateful I found my way to it, as stubborn as I was. 🤣Thanks for reading!
It’s interesting, the root of yoga is the Sanskrit word “yuj” which means to unite. Yoga is anything that unities you with universal consciousness.
In Hinduism, there are many types of yoga. Prana yoga is breathwork. Bhakti yoga is devotion to a spiritual deity. Karma yoga is action and selfless service. Raja yoga is meditation. Jnana yoga is self reflection and awareness. And of course, asana yoga which is the most popular.
Sounds like you found the yogic practice that allowed you to reconnect with the divine. That’s great!
Yes! I did a number of Bhakti yoga immersions early on and that really opened my eyes to having a bigger understanding of yoga and how it's more than just poses. Many people come to yoga through poses, but that's just the start of the journey. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Chandni! 🙏💜
"more than just poses" is the tagline to the studio I attend. In addition to asana classes, they have meditation classes, monthly satsangs with philosophy discussions and chanting, seva projects, spiritual support groups, and sober socials! I'm so glad I found it as there is so much more to a yoga practice than just asana.
That sounds like an amazing place to practice!
Thanks for sharing this. My experience was a reversal of this. I finally got sober at age 42, and while I had done yoga before, it was definitely not a practice, nor did I understand or care to understand the philosophy behind it.
I found in sobriety that yoga allowed me to still my mind, which was much needed, especially in the earlier days of not drinking. I started studying the history of yoga and practicing meditation as well. It all felt so good to the body and the mind.
I’ll always be so thankful to the practice of yoga for helping me to move better and work through my thoughts with greater ease. I think once you recognize that yoga is about stillness and sitting with your present state, you find there is no room for numbing out the person you want to find (yourself!).
Well said, Kelly. Sitting with yourself is key. You'll never find her if she's numb. 💜
Thank you! 🖤
This is an inspiring (and very well written) personal journey. I feel you've been almost constantly learning and unlearning things about yourself through yoga, and perhaps it is only a journey through yoga that could have taught you these key things. What's more is that sobriety for you isn't a standalone pursuit of quitting something, but a byproduct of a life and its richness that continuously nourishes you. Thank you for sharing.
Exactly. It was a natural extension of my journey toward myself. Alcohol had no place there, so like perfectionism, I set it down and walked away. Thanks for reading!
A journey toward myself. Wow that hit me. Thanks again!
Fellow sober writer and yogi here. Both not drinking and practicing yoga have been life changing for me. Beautiful post!
Thanks Holly! Seems like a trend, I love how yoga has helped so many of us to quit drinking and live more fully.
It's almost as if you were writing about my life - it seems we have a lot in common! I also have found yoga to be life-changing in the ways you describe and it helped me give up smoking cigs first, then alcohol later - neither made sense anymore once yoga became consistent in my life. Thank you for sharing!
It seems every day we have more and more in common! I think yoga does that to many who practice. It helps us lead more healthful lives, in body and mind. Thanks for sharing, Katie!
I’ve seen far too many people who’ve had their lives ruined from alcohol addiction. As a former Union representative we had to represent really good employees who had lost their jobs because of it. It was tough to watch. But we’d almost always get them back to work on the agreement that they enter rehab and agree to an employment contract and random testing. For the vast majority they would tell us it changed their lives. Dealing with that made me also reassess my own relationship with alcohol and there is a story to tell about that. After reading Janine’s story I am going to gather my thoughts and feelings and write it about it as well. What a great forum you’ve provided Dana for us to tell our stories.
Alcohol has ruined many lives, both for the addict and people that love them. I am grateful that I never got sucked down that hole and was able to climb out before I did. Thanks for sharing your story Pete.
Thanks so much for sharing and for being here, Peter.