Top 10 Reasons to Try Yoga

Top 10 Reasons to Try Yoga

© Yoga Alliance 2006
1. STRESS RELIEF: Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the body. By encouraging

relaxation, yoga helps to lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Related benefits

include lowering blood pressure and heart rate, improving digestion and boosting the

immune system as well as easing symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression,

fatigue, asthma and insomnia.



2. PAIN RELIEF: Yoga can ease pain. Studies have demonstrated that practicing yoga

asanas (postures), meditation or a combination of the two, reduced pain for people with

conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, auto-immune diseases and hypertension as

well as arthritis, back and neck pain, and other chronic conditions. Some practitioners

report that even emotional pain can be eased through the practice of yoga.



3. BETTER BREATHING: Yoga teaches people to take slower, deeper breaths. This helps to

improve lung function, trigger the body’s relaxation response and increase the amount of

oxygen available to the body.



4. FLEXIBILITY: Yoga helps to improve flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movement

and reducing aches and pains. Many people can’t touch their toes during their first yoga

class. Gradually they begin to use the correct muscles. Over time, the ligaments, tendons

and muscles lengthen, increasing elasticity, making more poses possible. Yoga also helps to

improve body alignment resulting in better posture and helping to relieve back, neck, joint

and muscle problems.



5. INCREASED STRENGTH: Yoga asanas (postures) use every muscle in the body, helping to

increase strength literally from head to toe. And, while these postures strengthen the body,

they also provide an additional benefit of helping to relieve muscular tension.



6. WEIGHT MANAGEMENT: Yoga (even less vigorous styles) can aid weight control efforts by

reducing the cortisol levels as well as by burning excess calories and reducing stress. Yoga

also encourages healthy eating habits and provides a heightened sense of well being and

self esteem.



7. IMPROVED CIRCULATION: Yoga helps to improve circulation and, as a result of various

poses, more efficiently moves oxygenated blood to the body’s cells.



8. CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONING: Even gentle yoga practice can provide cardiovascular

benefits by lowering resting heart rate, increasing endurance and improving

oxygen uptake during exercise.



9. FOCUS ON THE PRESENT: Yoga helps us to focus on the present, to become more aware

and to help create mind body health. It opens the way to improved concentration, coordination,

reaction time and memory.



10. INNER PEACE: The meditative aspects of yoga help many to reach a deeper, more

spiritual and more satisfying place in their lives. Many who begin to practice for other

reasons have reported this to be a key reason that yoga has become an essential part of

their daily lives.

This is from www.YogaAlliance.org

Soul Shine Yoga and Wellness

Soul Shine Yoga & Wellness is located only 2 miles from Interstate 85, off of Highway 53 – very convenient location in a peaceful, beautiful studio dedicated to Yoga and Wellness for everyBODY.

159 Towne Center Parkway

Hoschton, GA 30548

http://www.jacksoncountyyoga.com/

404-213-9182

Blood, Hot Showers and Breathing

My sis, Hailey, finally went home after recovering in the hospital from chemo for a week. She finally got the blood transfusion that she needed. She was not even making red blood cells anymore, her white blood cells were long gone. She had the biggest racoon eyes I have ever seen, and she had no color to her skin. She looked like a vampire, minus the sexy. After she got the blood she looked better. She perked up and was ready to GO. My hubby and I wheeled her out of the hospital at 10:30 PM and she was so happy to be free. We called mom to make sure that the heaters were on in the bathroom so she could take a really hot shower when she got home. Unfortunately, her beautiful hair is starting to fall out already. I hate that. I love her hair, I always have. She hasn't but that is what happens when you have wild curly hair and all you want for it to be is straight and shiny. Believe me, she loves it now. She hates being bald and she is going to need a lot of sock hats for the winter. Poor baby.

There are some interesting things I am noticing through this process. There are 2 common denominators in our life, no matter who you are, what color you are, sex, creed, age, etc...

1. Blood - I find it fascinating that my sister may have been getting blood from a man, a man of a different race, that grew up in a totally different city, with totally different parents...and her body just accepts it. It makes me think that our brains should be the same way. God made our bodies to accept just about anybodies blood, the life force in our veins, in order to keep us alive - and when it comes down to it all the other junk and funk we get so tied up in as people just dissapears when it really matters. We are all the same underneath. Makes me think of the U2 song One "we are one, but not the same, we carry each other...one"

2. Breath - you guys know that since I teach yoga, I focus on the breath a lot. I tell Hailey to just keep breathing, just keep breathing. I know it hurts, but just keep breathing. When all else fails, our breath is still there. Its automatic, but so vital yet we never think about it. Practicing pranayama (breath exercises/control) will show you how very important and life changing our breath can be.

3. Sometimes a really hot shower is the best thing on the planet.

Just Breathe...

How many of us think about our breath on a daily basis? Unless you have some kind of breathing disorder like COPD, you probably do not think about your breath too often. It's automatic, natural and we do not have to think about it. However, our breath is the bridge between our mind, body and spirit. So, our breath is vitally important to our inner being. In a yoga class you typically hear the teacher reminding you to breathe through the poses and make sure you do not hold your breath. Sometimes, more detailed instruction such as when to inhale and when to exhale in a pose are used as well. We also have something called pranayama in yoga. This is breathing exercises you can do either while performing a yoga posture (asana) or after your asana practice while seated. Pranayama is very powerful. It affects our deeper structure, our organs, helps with anxiety, depression and can balance our entire system. Think about it, when we get all frazzled and really stressed - our breathing gets all out of whack and we breathe faster, shallower and we may start sweating etc... When we are relaxed, we tend to breathe slower and feel a sense of calm. Also, animals that live longer, take fewer breaths per minute than animals that have a shorter life span. Take an elephant vs. a dog, a dog pants and breathes faster than an elephant, the elephant takes much fewer breaths per minute and lives longer. To see a great blog on this topic click here.

The breath is of utmost importance in yoga. The breath is called our prana, our life force. Without it, we will die. There are no ifs ands or buts about that fact. Our breath is a gift from God.

The breath is very important in the Bible as well. Take this passage from the book of John:
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
In the KJV of the Bible the word - breath - appears 42 times, breathe - appears 4 times, breathed - appears 4 times, breatheth - appears once, breathing - appears twice.

So, take a deep breath, relax and possibly live longer. Sounds nice, right?

Namaste and deeeeeeep, long, cleansing breaths to you all.