The Power of Tuning Inward
In today’s pre-occupied, fast world we live in, it’s easy to lose ourselves in the noise. We are encouraged to stay busy, to keep moving, to always be producing more. Yet yoga offers a radical, necessary invitation for each of us to: pause, breathe, and turn inward.
Today, I want to explore the profound therapeutics of yoga and how it nurtures the many layers of our being — physical, energetic, mental, intuitive, and spiritual.
A Culture of Distraction
We live in a society that idolizes distraction. Our attention is pulled in countless directions — toward the past with regret, toward the future with anxiety. Rarely are we encouraged to simply be here — in this moment. To be present and breathe before we respond. To take time each morning to observe before a day full of work & self care.
Yoga is a sacred practice rooted in presence. Different lineages of this practice were discovered many centuries ago, mainly in Southern India through ancient texts like the Vedas, Upanishads & Yoga Sutras.
This culture of distraction isn’t as prominent in the countries that practice the whole yoga. What I meant by whole yoga, is a perspective where each limbs of yoga is honoured, not only the physical postures. People honor stillness & slowness & taking care of oneself. This is real yoga.
Asking us to gently bring our awareness back to our body, to our breath, to the sensations unfolding in real-time. Yoga invites us to listen to the quiet cues our body offers, to honor its wisdom rather than override it in the pursuit of constant doing.
Yoga Is Not a Performance
It is important to remember that yoga is not a performance.
It is not about achieving the perfect pose or keeping up with anyone else's practice.
While the physical aspect of yoga can strengthen and energize the body — and may indeed be a crucial part of healing — the deeper work lies beyond the physical.
Yoga is a practice of being rather than doing.
It teaches us to meet ourselves exactly where we are, with compassion and curiosity.
Each person's journey is unique, and what resonates with one practitioner may not resonate with another.
As a yoga therapist, I am here to support the curiosity to explore — to offer practices as invitations, not commands.
Unity Over Individualism
In the modern Western world, the focus is often placed on the individual — on personal achievement, success, and independence. Yoga, however, teaches us the beauty of interconnection.
One translation of the Sanskrit word yoga is "to yoke" or "to unite." Yoga is the practice of weaving together the mind, body, and spirit — but also of weaving ourselves into the larger fabric of humanity and the natural world.
Through yoga, we are reminded to attune ourselves to the natural cycles of the Earth — the changing seasons, the phases of the moon, the rhythms of growth, rest, and renewal.
We are not separate from these cycles; we are intimately connected to them.
Yoga therapy emphasizes this interconnectedness. It is not about isolating ourselves in pursuit of perfection but about healing within the community, and remembering that we are all part of something greater than ourselves.
The Journey of Self-Realization
When we commit to tuning inward through practices like yoga, meditation, and mindful breathwork, we embark on the journey of self-realization. We begin to peel back the layers of conditioning, expectation, and distraction that obscure our true selves.
This process is not always easy — it requires courage to sit with discomfort, to listen deeply, and to release old patterns.
But the reward is profound: a life lived with authenticity, compassion, and connection.
Through regular practice, we develop a relationship with our inner landscape. We learn to trust ourselves. We recognize that our worth is not tied to our productivity or our achievements, but to the simple, sacred fact of our being.
Why Slowing Down Matters
Our world is in urgent need of slowing down.
We are witnessing widespread burnout, disconnection from nature, and an epidemic of loneliness and anxiety.
Yoga offers a pathway back — a way to reconnect not only to ourselves but also to each other and to the living Earth that sustains us.
By practicing yoga, we engage in acts of profound healing:
> We reclaim our right to rest and restore.
> We rebuild relationships with our bodies, learning to treat them with care rather than criticism.
> We reawaken our sense of awe and reverence for the natural world.
> We remember that we are not alone; we are part of a vast, interconnected web of life.
When we take the time to slow down and tune inward, we engage in revolutionary work.
We remember who we are.
We reconnect with what truly matters.
We heal — not only ourselves, but the world around us.
Yoga offers us a blueprint for this healing journey: a path back home to ourselves, to each other, and to the Earth.
May we all have the courage to pause, breathe, and tune inward.
About the Author
Abby Verigin is a Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) and the founder of How to Flourish, a practice rooted in supporting whole-person healing through movement, mindfulness, and connection. Abby brings over ten years of personal experience in yoga and five years of teaching to her therapeutic work, offering a trauma-informed, heart-centered approach that meets people exactly where they are.
Her work is grounded in the belief that we heal not by striving or performing, but by tuning inward—listening deeply to our bodies, our breath, and the quiet wisdom within. Drawing from ancient yogic philosophy and modern therapeutic practices, Abby supports her clients in cultivating presence, nervous system regulation, and embodied self-awareness.
In addition to private yoga therapy, Abby offers seasonal workshops, group sessions, and community gatherings—inviting people into practices that honour rest, rhythm, and reconnection with nature. Her approach emphasizes compassion over correction, curiosity over judgment, and unity over individualism.
Her mission is to help others remember that flourishing is not about fixing ourselves, but about returning to what has always been whole.
