| ou know that over fifteen million people practiced yoga | | | | are – so it is adjusted to the student’s |
| in 2003, according to a landmark study by Yoga | | | | level and capacity. That doesn’t mean it is |
| Journal Magazine. And the numbers are expected to | | | | particularly easy or particularly challenging – it |
| increase dramatically in subsequent years. Your own | | | | can be either or both on any given day. |
| experiences probably confirm this study – | | | | Then there is the therapeutic component. Yoga can be |
| maybe you practice yoga, know someone who does, | | | | used successfully with conditions such as insomnia, |
| or just take a walk along any busy main street - your | | | | back problems, digestion problems, asthma, improving |
| bound to see someone carrying a yoga mat. In fact | | | | circulation, anxiety, weight loss, just to name a few. |
| you can’t even open a magazine or | | | | Basically yoga is non –competitive; it is not about |
| newspaper without finding an article about yoga. So, | | | | winning or losing – you can go at your own rate. |
| how does a 5000-year-old spiritual practice become | | | | Of course people still compete with themselves though |
| today’s hottest mind/body trend? | | | | and compare their posture to others in class. |
| Perhaps the best way to understand yoga’s | | | | In addition many of us are yearning for something |
| popularity is to go right to the people who practice it. If | | | | more. Many of us have shied away from organized |
| you ask them why, some of the more common replies | | | | religion yet seek a spiritual practice that connects us to |
| you might hear are “flexibility, increased energy, | | | | ourselves as well as something larger – a |
| improved focus, reduction of the symptoms | | | | spiritual practice that is non-dogmatic, without many |
| associated with stress, and an overall good | | | | rules. While most of the yoga practiced in health clubs |
| feeling.” The fact is that yoga can have a | | | | is primarily the physical aspects of yoga – the |
| rejuvenating effect on all systems of the body | | | | philosophical side seeps in. And for those that want to |
| including the circulatory, glandular system, digestive, | | | | learn more about the philosophy of yoga information |
| nervous, skeletal/muscular, reproductive system and | | | | and classes are readily available to them. At its |
| respiratory system. | | | | simplest level yoga quiets the mind and opens the |
| On a physical level – according to the U.S. Dept. | | | | body – setting the stage for withdrawing deeper |
| on Aging there four components to good physical | | | | inside oneself – to a place of peace, a place of |
| health: Strength, flexibility, balance, aerobic capacity. It is | | | | balance, a place of health. It is here where the divine |
| interesting to note that yoga can accomplish all these | | | | within us can be more easily discovered. |
| things and no fancy piece of equipment is needed | | | | There are many different styles of yoga and it never |
| – other than your own body and a yoga mat. | | | | needs to be boring - it can be slow and gentle, it can |
| Over the last 100 years our lives have become very | | | | challenge your strength, it can be aerobic or vigorous |
| fast paced: cell phones, computers, internet, television. | | | | or it can be very introspective. There is as style to |
| This along with a strong work ethic often results in | | | | match most personalities. There is yoga for seniors, |
| people out of balance – people experiencing a | | | | pre-natal yoga, postnatal yoga, power yoga, gentle |
| lot of stress. Consequently, there is a strong need to | | | | yoga, etc. There are classes that focus on back care, |
| de-stress - to quiet our minds and rejuvenate our | | | | yoga done in groups and one-on-one, privately with an |
| bodies. And yoga helps achieve this – helping us | | | | instructor. The yogic scriptures say there are some |
| return to a state of balance and health. | | | | 84,000 postures and variations. The field of yoga is |
| Yoga brings us into the moment – it is very | | | | huge and there is always, always something new to |
| difficult to practice and be thinking about what | | | | learn. |
| happened at work today or the party tomorrow night. | | | | The media has also helped spread the message of |
| Becoming presentin itself is a great release from | | | | yoga and the fact the celebrities like Madonna and |
| stress. At its best, yoga meets the student where they | | | | Sting practice yoga doesn’t hurt either! |