Photo printed with permission by Marci Zaroff, www.fasethefuture.com
Eco-fashion trailblazer, Marci Zaroff, shown above beaming in a meditative pose, epitomizes, in my opinion on showing how fantastic you feel if you engage in a regular yoga practice. In the 1969 edition of "Yoga-28 Day Exercise Plan," yoga instructor and author Richard Hittleman shared the following viewpoint:
"Interest in yoga is at an all time high-and with good reason. During the past decade millions of Americans have come to recognize that the benefits of physical yoga are very great. (Note from Laura: I didn't think "millions of Americans were doing yoga back then!) Not only do they far surpass those of any system of self-improvement for the body (calisthenics, salon programs, jogging, isometrics, competitive sports), but they extend also to the emotional and mental aspects of the individual. Yoga is concerned with the health and beauty of the organism as a unified whole."
Yes, indeed, I have experienced an enhanced sense of wholeness in my mind, body, and spirit through my daily practice of yoga. And, this has occurred when I have practiced yoga focusing on oneness and really being present every moment of my practice with how I felt in my limbs, muscles, ligaments, and joints.
A few weeks ago, the media reported the results of recent research done on a number of people with back pain. Three groups were tested over a 12-week period - a control group that did nothing, a group of people who did yoga, and a group of people who did some other kind of stretching. Reportedly, the results of the research revealed that the group of people practicing yoga and other kinds of stretching had similar results in alleviating their back pain. However, what seemed to be ommitted from the study, I believe, was a comparison of the overall well-being of all the participants who did yoga versus those who did some other form of stretching. I strongly suspect that those who did yoga would have not only alleviated their back pain, but have also felt more blissful, energized, and serene. But, I'd like to know from those of you who read this blog, what's your opinion on this?
Maybe I am biased (well at least slightly), but I think at least that the gentle form of yoga I practice and that Richard Hittlma taught is especially fantastic for you because it works you from the inside out and the intense focus on your movements results in amazing energy, flexibility, and serenity!
Yours for feeling fantastically whole with yoga,
Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach
Couldn't agree more. I started my practice at home with Richard Hittleman's 28 day plan & it was amazing! I've been practicing for 40 years & teaching almost 20! Great blog!
Posted by: Nancy Long | December 02, 2011 at 06:14 PM
That's wonderful, Nancy! How did you learn to teach? We're probably around the same age. I started 41 years ago in high school with Jess Stearn's book, Yoga, Youth, and Reincarnation plus Yoga for Beauty & Health by Eugene Rawls and Eve Diskin.
Feel free to contribute a guest post sometime to share how yoga has benefitted you.
Best,
Laura
Posted by: Laura Rodriguez | December 02, 2011 at 06:47 PM
Yoga contains amazing health benefits if we doing yoga regularly than it will really beneficial for us. It helps in preventing lots of disease related to our body and mind.
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