The Flow State: My Yoga Journey Begins
Why Yoga?
This week, I was asked, "Why yoga?" The truth is, it's the only outlet I have. Everyone needs an outlet—a place to find their flow state. The flow state is when you're completely absorbed in an activity, feeling a sense of ease and focus. It's what a softball player experiences when they feel the crack of the bat or what a basketball player feels when they're in the zone on the court. Yoga is where I find that flow.
From High School Struggles to Military Dreams
In high school, I was introduced to yoga, but I was mostly just getting by during my final year. I had no idea what FAFSA was or where to start with college applications. I was directionless and without guidance. Being fairly intelligent, I couldn't just let that potential go to waste, but I genuinely had no plans. So, I settled on the Navy. Since I couldn’t figure out anything else, I thought I had to make some choice instead of none. I didn’t know where to begin with continuing education, and I didn’t have the desire to anyway, so I figured this decision would buy me time. It was a choice that made others happy—a way to make a decision without really making one. I felt it would be good for me to gain discipline, something I had lacked all my life.
But I had conflicting feelings. During my graduation in spring 2015, while being honored for my decision to join the military, I stood there fully knowing that this wouldn’t be my fate. That summer, I was heavily pressured by recruiters, especially after expressing my disinterest. The more they pushed, the further away I felt. Even though I had a date in October to be shipped to boot camp, my apprehensions kept me from taking the leap.
Academic Trials and Yoga Discoveries
In January, I enrolled in university to study exercise science. But I was halfway in, halfway out—distracted by life, unfamiliar with the academic system, and unsure of what I wanted to do. I didn’t know why I was there, other than needing a place to live. Pretty much on my own financially, I soon realized it made no sense to stay. Rather than doing something just to do something, I decided to go to community college. Still unsure of what I should be doing and why, I studied without a declared focus. I discovered a program that allowed me to take yoga as an elective over four semesters, leading to a certification.
This program was designed not only to equip me with a trade but also to help me understand myself and my relationship to life. Meditation, mindfulness, and self-awareness were all introduced to me through yoga, providing me with a space to live in a way I always knew I could.
After getting certified to teach in spring 2018, I began formulating yoga programs, teaching in gyms and studios, and sharing yoga with hundreds of people, both in person and virtually. Yoga has been a part of my life in some way, whether large or small, often helping me define and redefine myself. In the times when I wasn’t as dedicated, there was more turmoil. More balance came at times when I was more committed. My relationship with the practice continues to evolve as I continue to evolve.
Beyond Yoga: Finding True Fulfillment
But yoga alone wasn't enough. There were some truly dark places I ended up in due to my lack of direction and discipline. In 2021, I went through a dark night of the soul. After months of being at my lowest point, I turned to hot yoga as a way to discipline myself and find a way out. While yoga was helpful in pulling me out of depression, I soon realized it was never going to be enough on its own. There's an emptiness we all have that can only be fulfilled by God. We often try to fill this void with material possessions, relationships, and other distractions. But after a real, face-to-face encounter with Jesus, I began shedding every impurity, one by one, from then until now. It is by the grace of the Almighty, True, and Living God that I have been made new.
It was in surrendering to God’s guidance—rather than trying to create my own path—that I found the blessings I had been searching for. In surrendering to His will, I began to understand that true discipline comes from aligning my mind, body, and spirit with His purpose for me. When I communicate with my Creator, I often say, "If there is anything I need to shed, I will shed it. Anything You want me to let go of, I will let go of."
Yoga and the Quest for True Union with the Divine
Yoga is wonderful for many reasons—it promotes deep introspection, radical honesty, and physical mobility. But it’s just one piece of the larger puzzle. Yoga helps me maintain balance in my mind, body, and spirit, preparing me for the sole purpose of life: True union with the Most High. The aim isn’t to perfect the physical practice or adhere to any specific philosophy, but to ensure that I am fully equipped for a deeper connection with the Divine. Sol Soul Sole is a vision from God that, while it may sometimes seem unclear, makes perfect sense to me.
