BREATHE
One of my favorite reminders during any asana practice is the simple but powerful cue: breathe. This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to attend a TRAP Yoga class—an experience that always feels deeply rejuvenating. There's something incredibly affirming about moving to music I connect with, surrounded by a community that shares similar lived experiences.
I was elated when I stumbled across the study but stretching or moving to music that’s familiar can significantly enhance both the physical and emotional benefits of the practice. Familiar rhythms activate the brain’s reward system, triggering sensations of pleasure and emotional safety. This, in turn, stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system—our rest-and-digest mode—where the body can soften, restore, and expand its flexibility.
Familiar music also offers a sense of predictability that helps the mind settle into the flow state being curated through the yoga practice. Without needing to process something new or unfamiliar, we can turn inward, breathe more consciously, and move with greater intention. In this grounded state, the body is more willing to release tension, allowing for deeper connection to mind, body, and spirit.
Music has always been a fundamental thread in my life. Since childhood, there’s been a beat I’ve danced to—sometimes loud, sometimes soft—but always present. Yoga has become a bridge between that rhythm and the path I’m walking now. It helps me find meaning in my past, anchor into the present, and hold my vision for the future. It’s a gift to witness how all of it—every step, every song—has shaped who I am and who I’m becoming.
Taking genuine moments with your breath can come with it’s challenges. There is so much life that has happened and continues to happen. We all have to do lists and expectations that we feel we have to meet and take priority. I often find myself trying to create the perfect time to meditate or get into a breathing practice or doing every single thing that I have on my to do list to never complete it and in-short avoid honoring the time I need, even if it’s only five minutes to be with myself and with my breath.
