So you’re not sure about this yoga thing. Maybe you’re intimidated by the poses. Or maybe you’re unsure about whether the exercise is really helpful or not. Regardless of where you’re coming from, there’s probably a lot you don’t know about yoga. Bottom line: yoga is not just about poses. There are many physical and emotional benefits to be gained from giving it a try.
Practicing yoga is like being an architect of your body. You connect the dots between your mind and body, while cultivating well-being and happiness.
In the last ten years, yoga has become a great way to “get fit”, flexible, balanced and toned. We’re motivated by celebrity beauty and glamour and we fear aging and death like the plague.Those would be reasons enough for anyone to leap into yoga and seek the fountain of youth.
But what‘s really happening when you’re doing yoga?
The deeper benefits, whether you feel them or not in the beginning, far surpass asana (poses).
You can easily get physically injured if yoga becomes yet another thing you have to “win.” The mind is really what we are all up against. And the center of yoga is your relationship to perception and your mind.
How do you slow down the mind long enough to feel in sync with your body?
The mindfulness of a yoga practice acknowledges that your body, heart and mind are like a river. How are you going to relate to this river that is constantly in flux? What awareness do you need in order to cherish, love and forgive your body, your self, others and the world?
Yoga provides the basic structure for four important daily life practices:
1. Inspiration: Inspiration is the foundation of change and growth. It helps you understand and expand your ever-evolving self.
2. Attention: What you focus your attention on impacts your mind. Feed the mind thoughts of victimization and fear and that’s what you will see. Feed the mind thoughts of trust and love and that’s what you will see.
3. Intention: Growth and transformation can only be fulfilled if you are willing to allow new thought and action. These new thoughts and actions can help you create new experiences that result in improved health, well-being and love.
4. Choice: Choice is the key ingredient to well-being because, as we all know, excuses are plentiful and an easy way out. Choosing to commit to your intentions opens up new worlds of opportunity and friendships.
These past eight years of Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer have been an incredible testament to the power of inspiration, attention, intention and choice, not only from women affected by breast cancer, but from all the participants who join together to meditate, acknowledge life as it is and celebrate unstoppable optimism.
Regardless of whether you’ve tried yoga or not, come join us on the steps of the Art Museum May 16th!
Interact with other participants by visiting our Facebook page and following us on Twitter!
Posts
Hi,
ReplyDeleteYou've got an incredibly wonderful blog. Most people usually do not recognize what mind power can do to one's achievement.
Yoga helps me a lot! I have never thought that yoga system of breathing is so effective!
ReplyDeleteща course it much bigger than just a poses, wwho think the same is a fool. It's a whole philosophy, life style I'd even say!
ReplyDelete