Yoga as a Mirror and 7 Ways Your Yoga Practice Can Help You Get to Know Yourself
- Brainz Magazine
- Jun 13
- 5 min read
Written by Lisa Mechler, Yoga Teacher, Reiki Master
Lisa Mechler is a yoga instructor, Reiki master and speech-language pathologist who offers a unique perspective on wellness by incorporating science, Spirit, and personal experience into her teachings. She is the founder of Lisa Mechler Wellness and offers a blend of yoga, Reiki, somatics, breathwork and meditation to serve the whole person.
Whether you’re new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, you may have heard that the practice is “not just exercise.” It can change how you view yourself, your relationships, and even the world. Keep reading to find out how you can use your practice to learn more about yourself and your patterns, beyond the physical.
Yoga isn’t just exercise
In the West, yoga has been commercialized beyond recognition in some communities. It has become a platform for companies to sell clothing, people to gain social media followers, and for some studios to sell classes in the name of a “yoga body.”
It’s essential for us to acknowledge that the practice of yoga originates from various lineages in India, encompasses ancient texts that guide us in understanding yogic philosophy, and provides a platform for us to become the best individuals we can be.
One way yoga does this is by acting as a mirror. It can highlight our patterns of how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world around us. It’s not only about what pose you can master (although that part can be fun), but it’s also about the mental and emotional journey you experience along the way.
Yoga as a mirror
Over time, yoga can begin to hold up a mirror so that you can get to know yourself a little more intimately. This may seem far-fetched for what can appear to be just a physical practice, but strip away the expectations of what yoga should look like and instead tune into how it feels, and things may begin to shift.
Below are just some ways that your practice can help you get to know yourself a little better.
1. The way you talk to yourself
The way we talk to or about ourselves during our yoga practice is often a reflection of how we talk to ourselves off the mat. Fell out of a pose and you said something mean to yourself? Expect “perfection” in your dancer pose? (Btw, there is no such thing as perfection in yoga, but that’s a whole other conversation). Keep an eye on how you speak to yourself during your practice. It’s probably not far off from how you relate to yourself in daily life.
2. You need to keep moving
Some people need to constantly move (any vinyasa flow enthusiasts out there?). This isn’t necessarily “bad,” but simply a tendency to be aware of. If you have a hard time being patient in a slower-paced class, dislike the stillness of child's pose, or consistently skip Savasana, you might inquire why it’s challenging for you to slow down and rest for a little while.
3. Your reaction to challenges
A yoga class often presents some physical challenges for many of us. And a posture that is gentle for one person might be challenging for another, so the degree of challenge varies across individuals from posture to posture. It’s interesting to explore how you respond in the face of your challenges on the mat. Do you expect yourself to be able to jump into a new, physically demanding pose the first time you attempt it? How do you respond if you can’t hold a pose as long as it’s offered? You may want to explore the expectations you set for yourself and the amount of grace you offer yourself, in the face of challenge, both on and off the mat.
4. Your acceptance of new ideas
No one class nor teacher is exactly the same (thank goodness!). And this means a teacher may suggest an alignment cue that differs from what you typically do. Or maybe your favorite teacher is on vacation and a sub walks in the room who offers a whole new approach to downward-facing dog, gasp! Can you stay open to these new ideas with a sense of curiosity, or do you immediately shut them down, refusing to try something new? Your response in class may be insightful when evaluating how you respond to new ideas, perspectives, or people in your daily life.
5. Your response to variability
Every time we step on our mat, we are different. Yesterday was not the same as today, and tomorrow will be different as well. One day we might find tree pose with ease and the next day we might topple within moments. These variabilities in our practice are natural and can provide us with information about how we are doing at that moment. They can also begin to shine a light on how we experience the ebbs and flows of being a perfectly imperfect human. This might be particularly relevant if you hold yourself to a standard of perfection or continued growth without setbacks.
6. If you play the comparison game
Are you comparing yourself to others in class? Maybe it’s your not-so-cute yoga outfit that has you feeling like you don’t belong. Or your flexibility is “terrible” compared to the person next to you, so you’ll “never be good” at this practice. So many of us are often playing the comparison game: sometimes it’s overt, but other times it can be ever-so-subtle. These comparisons are our subconscious way of keeping ourselves small and they keep us believing false narratives that we are separate from one another. Luckily, yoga isn't about how a pose looks, but rather how it feels. And everyone and everybody are welcome in yoga, so when we play the comparison game, we all lose.
7. What your response is to stillness
Many people in the West are conditioned to stay busy, whether it’s physically or mentally. There are plenty of people who, consciously or subconsciously, stay busy because it’s safer or more comfortable not to be alone with their thoughts or emotions. Yet yoga begs us to do just the opposite. In the ancient text The Yoga Sutras, Patanjali wrote, “Yoga Citta Vritti Nirodha,” meaning the purpose of yoga is to quiet the chatter of the mind. It’s interesting, then, to notice how you respond when things do get quiet internally. Or perhaps there is a deep-rooted resistance to the quiet. How do you respond to this calling of the practice? And how does this response feel? Your answers to these questions can be quite informative.
These are just some of the ways that yoga can help you get to know yourself a little more intimately. Some of these insights might come readily, while others may be more subtle or difficult to pinpoint. It is with grace and compassion for ourselves that we can begin to peel back the layers of our self-protection to see ourselves clearly through the lens of yoga.
If you are interested in diving deeper, reach out to Lisa here. May you live in peace and with ease.
Read more from Lisa Mechler
Lisa Mechler, Yoga Teacher, Reiki Master
Lisa Mechler, RYT500, RPYT, CCC-SLP, is a Reiki master, yoga teacher with additional specialization in Prenatal yoga, licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, mom, and animal lover. She was drawn to yoga in 2006 as a form of exercise, but after continued practice, she noticed her inner dialogue shifting: she was kinder to herself, and life began to feel more peaceful. She has completed extensive training in yoga, energy work, and somatics, and has a passion for sharing their physical, mental and Spiritual benefits with others.
