From a resounding Ohm to a grateful Namaste, a yoga practice can bring wellness on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. The word “yoga” is derived from Sanskrit and literally means the union of body, mind, and spirit… sounds very holistic to me. As a dedicated yogini myself, I can still remember my first yoga class almost eight years ago. Stumbling and bumbling, I maneuvered my way through up dog, down dog, and other unfamiliar positions. The stretching felt good but the breathing and meditation were the last things on my mind. Although, I had faith that the dichotomy between relaxation and challenge would eventually converge into something amazing. And so the journey began…
I enrolled in an introductory series of classes to learn the basic moves. As my confidence increased, I began integrating the various components within my practice. I started to understand that the experiences on my mat could transcend into my everyday life. Learning to stay calm in an intense stretch or precarious balance position was a skill I could use during professional and personal challenges. The breathing and meditation became easier. This was the space and time I dedicated to my intentions and myself. My 68” X 24” mat was all I needed. I was hooked! And the rest is history.
I did a quick online search and found a recent study published last month in the Journal of General Internal Medicine regarding the results of a national study on the characteristics of yoga users. I thought this was an interesting thing to find in the mainstream scientific literature, so of course I read the abstract. The results from the 2002 National Health Interview Study estimated the prevalence of yoga users in the U.S. to be over 10 million adults-wow, that’s like the population of Beijing, China! Their general conclusions were that most yoga users were young, educated, white females. They also found a high use for musculoskeletal and mental health conditions, with most reporting an improvement from doing yoga.
How amazing that yoga is a healing modality now worthy of well-designed research studies-although the Hindu priests and their Swamis have known its value for thousands of years. I am grateful for my yoga practice, primarily for the healing and peace it has brought into my life. Plus, it really is a great workout! Hopefully as acceptability and accessibility of yoga increases to other demographic populations, even more people will benefit from this practice. I invite you to close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths, focusing on your intentions for today. See, you can do yoga too!
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From a resounding Ohm to a grateful Namaste, a yoga practice can bring wellness on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. The word “yoga” is derived from Sanskrit and literally means the union of body, mind, and spirit… sounds very holistic to me. As a dedicated yogini myself, I can still remember my first yoga class almost eight years ago. Stumbling and bumbling, I maneuvered my way through up dog, down dog, and other unfamiliar positions. The stretching felt good but the breathing and meditation were the last things on my mind. Although, I had faith that the dichotomy between relaxation and challenge would eventually converge into something amazing. And so the journey began…
I enrolled in an introductory series of classes to learn the basic moves. As my confidence increased, I began integrating the various components within my practice. I started to understand that the experiences on my mat could transcend into my everyday life. Learning to stay calm in an intense stretch or precarious balance position was a skill I could use during professional and personal challenges. The breathing and meditation became easier. This was the space and time I dedicated to my intentions and myself. My 68” X 24” mat was all I needed. I was hooked! And the rest is history.
I did a quick online search and found a recent study published last month in the Journal of General Internal Medicine regarding the results of a national study on the characteristics of yoga users. I thought this was an interesting thing to find in the mainstream scientific literature, so of course I read the abstract. The results from the 2002 National Health Interview Study estimated the prevalence of yoga users in the U.S. to be over 10 million adults-wow, that’s like the population of Beijing, China! Their general conclusions were that most yoga users were young, educated, white females. They also found a high use for musculoskeletal and mental health conditions, with most reporting an improvement from doing yoga.
How amazing that yoga is a healing modality now worthy of well-designed research studies-although the Hindu priests and their Swamis have known its value for thousands of years. I am grateful for my yoga practice, primarily for the healing and peace it has brought into my life. Plus, it really is a great workout! Hopefully as acceptability and accessibility of yoga increases to other demographic populations, even more people will benefit from this practice. I invite you to close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths, focusing on your intentions for today. See, you can do yoga too!