Originally Published September 8,
2003 -- Your Wellness Guide
Yoga
Is For Everyday People
——————————————————————
|
It
seems like every retail corner has a big sign saying “YOGA” in
gleaming, black letters. And nearly every store, even the
supermarket, carries yoga mats, blocks, and videos.
While
yoga has been around for hundreds of years, the Western world has
now taken it by storm, melding styles and producing products. By
being so exhaustingly available, you may want to consider doing yoga
but aren’t quite sure where to start. |
First you
should know that yoga is for everyday people. And if you’re afraid of all
those stereotyped-contorted positions, yoga is generally not like that.
In fact,
Maureen O'Connell in Stratford, Connecticut thought she would take a look
at yoga after her voice instructor’s recommendation.
“I just
started yoga because I take voice lessons for community theatre. My
instructor thought the yoga would help with my breathing because you ride
the voice on your breath. Through yoga I should be able to sing notes
longer and not need to take as many breaths,” Maureen told me from her
office, whose beginning yoga experience has also helped her to relax more.
Maureen
initially picked up a starter video tape to learn yoga, trying it at the
beginning of the day. She determined that she had too much energy, as a
self-described A-personality, to do yoga in the morning. So, now she does
it at night for relaxation.
|
Because she once studied karate, understanding the benefits of
stretching and lengthening muscles was not foreign to Maureen.
“Yoga
actually builds your energy, and I’ve felt much more relaxed than I
expected.”
From
her perspective, it’s been helpful to dive into yoga slowly. This
month, however, she and her friends will check out a yoga class near
her work as a progression of her increasing interest.
Brooklyn-based Integral Yoga Certified Instructor Tania
Varela-Ibarra says yoga has benefits for both the mind and the body. |
Graphic: Wellington Media
Benefits of yoga include increased energy and
balancing your body. |
“For the
mind, you have more awareness or a larger perspective of your body by
seeing different situations from different angles.”
As one who
believes that yoga isn’t just a trend, Tania told me that the benefits for
the body include “strengthening the tissues, ligaments, and joints;
strengthens the respiratory, circulation, and digestive systems--
especially with the twisting postures; and chemical levels are balanced.”
Tania
believes that when you go out to look for a yoga class, it’s best to find
the right style for you. Some styles are more high energy and others are
restorative. It’s more about knowing yourself and what you need.
Listed here
are some of the main yoga styles with Tania’s recommendations:
 |
Asthanga:
very vigorous type that uses and repeats series; you produce a lot of
heat and sweat, and it is aerobic.
|
|
Iyengar:
this style is named after B.K.S. Iyengar who is a well-known yoga
instructor; it is specific about alignment, not very aerobic, uses lots
of props, and is good for beginners.
|
|
Vinyasa:
this style was created in the West but has its heritage in Asthanga; it
can be more aerobic, doesn’t follow a set series, and is also called
“flow yoga”; it is best to go to a beginner Vinyasa class.
|
|
Integral:
a gentle practice that involves breathing and is meditative using
postures; it is not as vigorous, more restorative, and good for
beginners |
For more
information on these and other yoga styles, check out
www.yogapoint.com.
For more
information on finding a credentialed yoga instructor, go to the Web at
www.yogaalliance.org.
And, for
finding a yoga class near you, try
www.yogafinder.com.
Terra
Wellington
is a
national authority on creating a wellness lifestyle.
www.terrawellington.com
© Copyright Terra
Wellington