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Health & Fitness

Yoga: Not Just Great Exercise

Yoga can change your inner self.

What is Yoga?  What does Yoga do for me?

I was looking up on Wikipedia (may not be accurate, but..) and I Googled the history of Yoga and I went to the web-site of The American Yoga Association. I wanted to read a little behind the history of Yoga. I took up Yoga around December of 2010.  I felt I needed to make some positive changes in my life.  I got laid off, I am overweight and I wanted to get in shape.  Getting in shape was one of my major goals.  You hit middle age and things start to fall and shift around unexpectedly. 

What The American Yoga Association states, is “the whole system of Yoga is built on three main structures: exercise, breathing, and meditation. “ It states a lot more too, but I wanted to base this writing on my experience with Yoga. 

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If you know me, I like to play outside. I feel intimidated by going to a gym. It’s hard to watch these young hard bodies work out and because of my own insecurities, I feel like people are watching me and saying why bother coming in. Exercising outdoors by walking and bicycling and listening to great music is more suited for me.  I decided to join a gym against my better judgment, but wow, ever since I started to take up Yoga, an addiction of a good thing has developed.  If I miss Yoga during the week, it feels like something isn’t balanced inside me.  I started to go for exercise, but while you are in the class, you develop these great breathing techniques.  It’s almost like Lamaze approach, without the hyperventilation and without excruciating labor pain. A transformation takes place after attending Yoga classes regularly.

The stretching comes within time. I may not be able to do the pretzel moves, but hey it’s an improvement from creaking and squeaking getting out of bed, to the point where I can actually move and become a lot more limber without the pain.  The balance it helps you with is great also.  The older you get, the more off balance you can become.

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What helps tremendously is if you find a great teacher. I found Betsy Laban. She is not only a serious Yoga instructor, but she has a great sense of humor. She is willing to laugh at herself, and laugh with or at us. As time goes by, I’ve soon discovered, it’s not only enriched my life health wise, but it’s helped tremendously with my inner self.  Betsy always leads us with a positive message and the messages I receive are actually put into play throughout my day and life. One of her powerful messages she imparts is when we say something, is it true, is it kind and is it necessary? Wow, something so little, but extremely helpful.  I have a big mouth and that was something I needed to hear at the time.  I’m not perfect, but it’s a mantra that I’m keeping in my heart to use a positive tool.

Yoga is also a great stress reducer. I’m helping our youngest get ready for her wedding. It is very stressful and fun at the same time, but with the Yoga tools, I can actually stop and take a few deep breaths by using the breathing techniques and actually look at things in a calmer light.  I’m still overweight and chubby (or as my friend refers to herself as fluffy), but I feel lighter.  I urge all of you to take up some Yoga classes.  Monrovia has a lot of Yoga classes to offer.  I know that the has Yoga classes, along with and a few various Yoga studios are popping up in Monrovia.  It does a mind and body good.  NAMASTE!

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