Yoga is a mind and body practice with a 5,000-year history in ancient Indian philosophy. Various styles of yoga combine physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation or relaxation.
It has since become a popular as a form of exercise based upon poses that promote improved control of the mind and body and enhance well-being. Here are some reasons to try Yoga, if you haven't already:
1. Yoga will increase your core strength and as a result make you stronger all over. In many Yoga poses, we engage the core to stabilize the body. The core is not only the abdominal section, but also the low back and glutes. When you have a strong core your extremities become stronger and as a result so does your entire body!
2. Yoga can decrease stress and anxiety - who doesn’t need that in their lives? Yoga combines physical poses, controlled breathing, and meditation & relaxation which can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure and lower your heart rate. Enough said!
3. Yoga helps with the mind-body connection. We are so used to ignoring our bodies and the signals our bodies often send us. Or we try to mask signals from our bodies, for example, we get a headache and we take an aspirin, or when we’re stressed out we can grab a cocktail, we eat something and get a stomach ache and don’t make the connection that what we consumed doesn’t agree with us. In Yoga we bring our awareness within to pay attention to our body and the signals our bodies send us so we are better able to serve our bodies so they can be as healthy as possible!
4. Flexibility. Kind of obvious I know, but when you’re more flexible you are less likely to get injured. It’s easier for you to move around and navigate the world and everything you need and want to do in life.
5. Balance. This one is so important especially as we get older. How often do you hear of older people losing their balance, falling, breaking a hip or an arm and that’s the beginning of the end. We can’t expect to be good at balance unless we practice it. Many poses in yoga require you to stabilize the body to find balance by engaging the core, rooting down and connecting to the earth, and finding a steady still spot to gaze at.
These are only five of SO many benefits of yoga! Give it a try! Just remember, go at your own pace, listen to your body, do what’s right for you, and enjoy the journey! Hope to see you in class!
Namaste,
Kimmarie, Yoga Instructor
