Breath and Motion

The flow of yoga mimics the continuous flow of time, space, and the elements of life. It is an ancient practice of India which has since taught physical, mental, and emotional discipline to those who observe, follow, and apply.

Balance is an evident need in our lives. Once again, I point out that stress is huge in this day in age; therefore, it is great to find ways to alleviate that stress for better health.
Yoga has a way of keeping a person grounded and relaxed. The various poses, asanas, and sun salutations work together to purge the body of toxins (both mental and physical ones!)which may be keeping that person from feeling their best. Yoga is not a religion itself, and is therefore accepted across the globe by many different cultures. Although some people do yoga without connecting spirituality, others use it as a form of meditation or prayer. To some, it is solely a form of exercise, but to others, it is perceived as a much more in depth practice. For those who have learned to love yoga and do it often, you'll find that most, if not all of these yogis practice for the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits it can bring.

I was first introduced to yoga when I was a freshman in high school, close to 5 years ago. Once a week, my Physical Education class would be a yoga class for an entire semester. I found that after every session, my mood, mind, and body were somehow rejuvenated and refreshed enough to get me through the rest of my day in school and after school.
Once my freshman year was over, I continued to do more and more yoga. I found youtube videos as well as DVDs that took me through step by step sequences and taught me more and more things I didn't know. It was a great learning experience for me. I was learning how to connect all physical and non-physical parts of me with one another.

I stopped doing so much yoga between mid sophomore year of high school and junior year, but picked it back up again when I realized how much I missed it. If I go even a week without doing yoga, I still feel sore after an intense session sometimes...but I like the art and flow power yoga the most, therefore my body is pushed more than if I were to be doing hatha yoga, which is the traditional form. There are many types of yoga out there. You just need to find which one works the best for you.

Yoga is great for quieting the mind and listening to only your body. It is a wonderful way to connect with all things present and omnipresent. Yoga is for people of all ages, races, ethnicities, etc. The constant and simultaneous flow of breath (pranayama) and movement help us learn that our body, heart, mind, and soul all work together to keep us functioning and well so that we may live long, healthy lives.
"Holding the poses we learn to link the mind's intentions with the body's movements and the breath. Even introducing yoga into life on just a weekly basis offers a respite to free the mind and body from stress, releasing blockages in the muscular, nervous and glandular systems."-yogawarrior.co

My favorite poses are the ones which require a lot of balance, flexibility, and coordination. I personally love the challenge. It helps with concentration as well as with learning how to overcome any given obstacles one may encounter throughout their life.

A few to try:

Scorpion

Kings Dancer

Dancer

Crow/Crane

Side Crow/Crane

And many other arm/leg balances

You can find a variety of poses and sequences as well as much information about yoga and its benefits at http://www.yogajournal.com

I urge you who have not attempted yoga to try a yoga class, video, or group and see what it does for you, and your entire being. You may find that your first time isn't pleasant, but continue to practice, and you will learn to love what you are doing.

Learn to love, and love to learn.

May your week be filled with much love, joy, peace, and many, many smiles.

Namaste,

Ashley