- Image via Wikipedia
Yep, September is National yoga awareness month. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to educate everybody about the many benefits of yoga.
Yoga is a vast subject and there is something in it for everyone, no matter how old or young, no matter how in shape (nor not) you are. From a physical standpoint, yoga tones and strengthens muscles. But, there are other physical benefits: standing postures can help structural alignment and strengthen the spine. Forward bends can lower blood pressure and relax the nervous system. Yoga also can benefit your mental health by increasing concentration and helping to manage stress (and who couldn’t use some of that?!).
Not convinced?
Here’s my yoga story: I was a college student living in New York City and my roommate had discovered yoga over her summer vacation, and now she was ALL about yoga. She would always try to get me to go to class with her and sometimes I’d come home to find her in a weird pose. I didn’t pay much attention to all her “yoga talk” and for exercise I went to the student gym and strapped myself to a treadmill like everyone else (which I disliked, but I did it anyway).
I finally gave in and agreed to give yoga a try; to my surprise, I enjoyed not only the physical part, but the meditation part too. So, I came back again. During my second class, while struggling to get into a pose, the teacher told me to stop and try an easier way. When I asked her why, she said “if you are in pain, it is your body’s way of telling you that something’s not right and you need to modify the pose.” This made complete sense to me and I’ve been devoted to yoga ever since (I also avoid treadmills like the plague now). Honestly, yoga really helped me to get through my stressful pre-med studies and medical training.
We’re all used to thinking that exercise means endless hours of sweating and painful weight-lifting at the gym, but this is not the case with yoga. In fact, the saying “no pain, no gain” is the opposite of what yoga is all about. Yoga is gentle and feels good. Yoga teachers will always show you how to modify a pose in a way that is best for your body – it’s not about doing exactly what your teacher does or looking like the model in a book.
Yoga can be done anywhere and it is inexpensive; to start, all you need is a mat and blanket. You can do it alone, in a group, or with your spouse, and many kids love yoga. What do you have to lose? And the benefits can be tremendous: improve your mood, flexibility, stamina, and reduce the aches and pains.
So…yoga is something you might want to look into for you and your family – and September is as good a time as any to do this. Take advantage of this wonderful way towards better mental and physical health! If you’re looking for a place (for beginners or advanced), check out Summa Wellness Institute.
What kind of yoga do you do?
Dr. Lara
I love yoga and I always forget how good I feel after I do it. I usually just do flow yoga and an occasional relaxation yoga. I haven’t tried any classes in awhile, but I usually have a DVD I can pop in!