Your meeting runs late. Or your kid just threw a temper tantrum you had to navigate before leaving. You finally make it to the car, but you’re fighting traffic, snow, and an endless stream of red lights. Desperation hits – just hoping that you make it in time, that a parking spot magically appears and that you have just enough time to put the car into park and run across the street. It’s 5:28pm when you reach the top of the stairs. You scramble to put all of your belongings away in the change room, fill up your water bottle, and then walk through the studio door.

All of a sudden, time stands still. The familiar smell hits you. You unroll your mat, your toes hit the surface, and you breathe in a sigh of relief.
You made it. You have arrived.

There’s nothing greater than that moment when your hit the mat for the first time since your last practice. It’s like a coming home, a letting go, and a feeling of complete ease…no matter what challenges lie ahead. The traffic, the early morning alarm, the mountain of snow at the end of your driveway, or the pile of laundry that really just needs doing…it can wait. The stress of it all becomes worthwhile.

If you’re a yogi, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You may have been nodding along in agreement while reading this up until now. Right? Nod again.
We all appreciate that sometimes it’s a real struggle to make it onto our mats. But when we do, it’s like the whole world stops for just an hour, and we find the time to hit that reset button. On our yoga mats, we tune out what we don’t need and tune in to what’s going on inside. And even on the most stressful of days, when our minds can’t stop, won’t stop, there’s the physical practice, the asana, that keeps us grounded and present. Even for just a fleeting moment. We go inside, we slow down, and we find that internal peace, clarity and acceptance. Not every day is going to be the best damn day of your life, but you can at least make it a good one by finding the time to let go of what you don’t need and just breathe.

We all have different reasons for practicing yoga. Some of us found it through the deepest, darkest depths of ourselves, where nothing else could pull us out of that rut. Others tried it out of curiosity or a desire to build strength. But what unifies us, what keeps us coming back again and again is that feeling.

This photo essay is meant to demystify this thing called “yoga”. Yoga is not just for the bendy, hippy, spiritual soul. Yoga is not just for women. It is not about chanting, it is not a religion. It’s about taking what you need from the practice, and leaving out the rest. It’s about connecting to yourself in a more meaningful way, because lets face it, you’re awesome. And you, my awesome friend, should be so curious about who you are. What makes you feel alive, what inspires you and what drives you to be a better person. And while you are not going to discover all of this the first time your toes hit the mat, you are one step closer to discovering yourself. Your true self. That awesome soul that lives inside of each and every one of us.

My hope with this photo essay is that it sheds some light into the life of a yogi. And that even the most unassuming people can use this practice as a tool towards something greater.

So let’s get this thing started.

Meet Doug.
Dedicated yogi, husband, father and police officer.
Regular student at Yogatown, he is a quiet soul with a big heart. When I first started brainstorming about this photo essay, he was the first person I thought of. But due to the nature of his job, I didn’t think it would be possible to get what I needed out of the photos to make this work. But I asked him anyways, and without hesitation, he said yes.

So, off we went to Yogatown in Stittsville to start off our day. From yoga class, lunch and then onto the police station, I asked Doug some questions about his yoga journey.

When did you walk into your first yoga class and why?
I’d been exposed to yoga in my college days, about 15 years ago, to balance out the bumps and strains of a high intensity martial arts practice and all the wear and tear associated with that. My serious practice only started about 4 years ago now. My mother dragged me to Yogatown to off-set the stress and excitement of work…she didn’t last long, but I was hooked!
What do you remember about your first yoga class? How has your practiced evolved?I remember the physical and mental intensity of the practice surprised me…and I remember loving the challenge. The practice has morphed into a tool to improve my health and fitness and has become key in managing stress and off-setting the demands of shift work.