Get Healthy with Yoga
Carolyn Postura
http://www.fgyoga.com
Mysterious.
Eastern. Far-out. Balanced. Long limbs. Gentle stretching. Quiet. Calm.
Lotus position.
The term "yoga" brings to mind all of these
words and all of them apply to each and every individual.
It's mysterious because of the correlation between
certain physical motions and brain functions. There- fore, it has
been practiced since antiquity -- again, in one form or another --
and produced physical, spir- itual and emotional benefits.
Something that has been practiced since ancient times
is pretty hard to be skeptical about. Yoga's appearance looks kind
of "contrived" and it is very strange to many westerners.
Yet it is a very good way to mentally and physically express yourself.
There are many different styles and practices of yoga.
If you go to a book store and look around you'll see for yourself.
Specifically go to the "Health and Spirituality" section
of your local bookstore and find the books on yoga. And, the books
are very popular and moving from the shelves.
It seems that westerners are getting more interested
than ever in Yoga if market research is any indicator of it. Anything
that is this relaxing, gentile, artistic, and exercising will be popular
among folks today. This is something considering how ancient the art
is.
The exercises have some pretty elaborate titles that
are indicative of the refinement of Yoga. These exercises are titled:
"Climbing to Heaven" (raising your arms
and simulating climbing a ladder);
"Tree Pose" (hands folded like you are praying
and balancing on one foot);
"Warrior Pose" (stretching one leg behind
your back and on the other leg bend you knee, looking up and lifting
both hands towards heaven);
"Opening the Heart" (put palms together
in prayer position, reach up, and extend arms out to each side);
"Breathing" (needs no explanation -- just
what is says).
Gyms and health clubs borrow heavily from the yoga
tradition, but an essential difference between doing exercises and
practicing yoga is the level of atten- tion and awareness you bring
to the work of yoga. The idea is to develop a relationship to breathing
-- easy as that -- with the intention of bringing body, breath and
mind into one single awareness in the present mom- ent.
Focus is important in Yoga. You have to make yourself
have focus on your breathing. Yoga is not intended to build your muscles
so you will not see those. However, Yoga poses are done with strong
attention to detail and care is taken to do them very slowly. If done
properly, you will finish a session with better physical balance and
a clear head.
There are some other benefits to Yoga too such as
you'll get rid of the "slumping" posture. And, you will
be able to take a refreshing break into a brief period of peace and
stillness. You will be able to make yourself comfortable in you skin
and in the world you live in.
Now, go find your local Yoga class and sign up. What
are you waiting for?
