Yoga Basics: Mind, Body, Spirit Aligned

Yoga

OK, so we hear and see a lot about yoga these days, but for the over 50 crowd, it may not be something we really understand, or even feel comfortable asking about.

Many of us think that yoga is only for trim people in their 20s and 30s, and primarily practiced by women at that.  Not so.

That’s why we’ll start at the beginning and first highlight a few outcomes associated with yoga.

  • Increases flexibility
  • Builds muscle strength and tone
  • Improves posture and balance
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Contributes to better respiration, energy and vitality
  • Releases tension
  • Contributes to better sleep
  • Boosts your immune system
  • Gives you inner strength and poise
  • Maintains a balanced metabolism
  • Helps reduce weight
  • Energizes your cardio and circulatory health
  • Definitely improves athletic performance and reduces recovery times
  • Helps to protect you from injury
  • Encourages self-care.

If these sound pretty good, remember, you don’t have to be particularly flexible or need to wear great-looking, tight-fitting outfits to reap plenty of bounty from your own, personal yoga practice.

Just know that you are participating in activity that most likely developed around the sixth century BCE in ancient India and that today, many of the world’s fittest and most accomplished people practice— and here we emphasize the word “practice” — regularly.

So, let’s move on to the next step — basic poses.

Never Stop