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Athletics - Yoga
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 Healthy Living…Yoga
Style
Westerners tend to have many misconceptions about the practice of
yoga. Most people avoid practicing yoga because they believe it to be
the art of contorting ones body due to extreme flexibility. Contrary
to many people’s beliefs, it is not required that one be a member of
Cirque-du-Soleil to enjoy practicing yoga. Quite the contrary, yoga is
the practice of not judging or anticipating our strength, flexibility
or emotions on any given day. It teaches us to be observers rather
than participants of our body’s feelings at any given time. The word
yoga is derived from the ancient Sanskrit language and its root
meaning is "to yoke" together. The practice of yoga helps one become
more centered by uniting mind, body and spirit. Every sensation we
have experienced in our lifetimes whether emotional, physical,
positive or negative has been stored in each cell of ones body. We all
tend to have areas of negative energies stored in different parts of
our bodies from past experiences that can cause us dis "ease" and
sickness. Yoga is the practice of linking breath with movement to help
unlock these areas of stress that we carry with us everyday while
awake or at sleep. Yoga teaches us to become less reactionary and
judgmental. It is preferable as a beginning student to keep our eyes
shut as we breath into different poses (asanas) so we can resist the
temptation to compare ourselves with others. As we breathe into
different poses we regain balance between muscles and tendons as we
strengthen and lengthen our muscles. The Chinese have a saying that
our minds and bodies are like a river, we are never static, we are
constantly changing or in flux. Yoga helps us minimize our reactionary
minds and avoid projecting any state of being as we practice yoga.
Wherever our minds and bodies are on any given day is always
acceptable. Yoga is also the practice of defining our "edge", the
place where we can do no more or less in our poses (asanas) without
losing our breath or our cool. This ability to not judge and remain
calm and focused on our breaths will filter into our every day life.
Every aspect of a healthy life is derived from learning balance in all
things we experience. If you have not experienced yoga due to your
preconceived notions regarding this 5000-year-old practice, now is
your time to give it a try. I guarantee you will leave class feeling
refreshed with a unique "piece of mind". I look forward to seeing you
all soon. |
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