Affirmations Based on My Yoga Practice

When I first learned about yoga in my early 20s, I was impressed by the spiritual aspect of it. I had been introduced to a form of martial arts called Jiu Jitsu when I was twenty and found the stretching, breathing, and focus to be both exhilarating and empowering.

My opportunity to practice Jiu Jitsu slipped away with some other changes in my life, and I was left wanting something that met both my need for physical activity and spiritual balance. When I turned on the television one early morning and discovered the woman who would become my Yogini, Kathleen Hitchcock, I stumbled upon a practice that would be a part of me for the rest of my life.

The reality is that my practice was sporadic through most of my adult life. Consistency depended upon what was happening in the rest of my life — what I was doing for a living, who I was in a relationship with, how much energy and time it took to raise my children. However, no matter how long it might have been between practices, it was always a big part of me.

After Mrs. Hitchcock’s show was no longer on the air, I used other television shows — and later YouTube — to remind myself of anything I forgot or felt I wasn’t doing correctly. While I took jazz dance, ballet, Pilates, and belly dance classes, I never wanted to go to an in-person yoga class.

I enjoy keeping my practice private, at my own pace, and at my own level of ability. I’ve learned how to safely modify my asanas (poses) to meet my needs as I’ve grown older, had a hip replacement, and dealt with arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Now that I am not working outside the home full time, I am able to keep my own practice schedule. I’ve created a routine based on the one I originally did along with Mrs. Hitchcock. I’ve added a dance move I saw in a Bollywood movie (I’m calling it "One-foot Utkatasana" because it resembles Utkatasana), as well as a Pilates exercise. I also use a modified asana as an exercise which I learned a hundred years ago from Jane Fonda.

At the end of the physical movement, I have dedicated time to sit in meditation.

Not long ago as I sat in that meditation time, I had an idea about some affirmations that could be associated with my asanas. It seemed that each asana might suggest an affirmation to elevate, empower, and enlighten.

I want to share those affirmations with you. As I do so, I will also be sharing my complete yoga practice with you. I am not a yogini nor a yoga instructor, so I won’t be telling you how to do the poses. If you are interested in it, you can find all kinds of information on the internet. Be careful, and make sure to talk with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine.

I always practice to Craig Pruess and Ananda’s version of the Devi Prayer, which means a lot to me. However, simply going through the moves and thinking about them and the associated affirmations are a way to help me focus on my own positive growth.

Following is a list of each asana by its Sanskrit name followed by an English translation and the affirmation. When I put together the list, I was shocked to find how many asanas I was actually doing! I generally go through my practice in about 21 minutes, though at the end I spend varying amounts of time in meditation.

If you practice yoga, or even if you don’t, perhaps you’ll find something inspirational here.

I invite you to join me in focusing on positive growth in your lives, whether it be through yoga, stretching, exercise, walking, meditation, prayer, or simply finding a moment of peace before you begin your day.

Peace to you.

You can enjoy my morning Goddess meditation here:

This article first appeared in Brigid's Arrow on Medium

(c) Suzy Jacobson Cherry 2023