Yoga at Home with Laura, Self-taught Yogi!

Yoga at Home Can Help Mesothelioma Patients

Laura Venecia Rodriguez in the child pose

GUEST POST

Today I am sharing a post written by Faith Franz, writer for the Mesothelioma Center at http://www.Asbestos.com.  Thank you, Faith!

Yoga Practice at Home for Someone with Mesothelioma 

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer primarily caused by asbestos exposure. This cancer affects the thin, protective membrane surrounding the heart, lungs and abdominal cavity.  There are three locations that mesothelioma commonly originates, and these locations are used to classify the cancer into three subtypes:

• Pleural mesothelioma (develops in the lining of the lungs)
• Peritoneal mesothelioma (develops in the lining of the stomach)
• Pericardial mesothelioma (develops in the lining of the heart)

Yoga’s benefits are physical, mental, emotional and even spiritual for some practitioners who wish to connect with their personal faith during practice. Yoga can help patients sleep better and feel more energetic when treatments such as radiation therapy cause fatigue. Additionally it is a great way for individuals going through treatments to exercise and increase their appetite. 

While yoga can be practiced in a studio with a trained instructor, yoga can also be practiced in the comfort of a home.

For mesothelioma patients, at-home yoga may be more convenient. Instead of worrying about driving across town and meeting a studio’s schedule, patients can enjoy their practice on their own time, whenever they have a burst of energy. Practicing yoga at home is also cheaper than attending a studio. Individual yoga classes at a studio can cost between $10 and $20 each (depending on where you live), while materials to practice at home can be purchased once and reused as long as desired.

The only things required to set up an at-home yoga space are:

• A space at least two feet wide by six feet long (outside works well!)
• A yoga mat
• Optional: candles, instructional yoga DVDs and/or a CD of relaxing music

Once they have created a space for their practice, yoga students can flow through their favorite poses at their own pace or follow along with an instructional material. Countless yoga DVDs, podcasts, YouTube videos and instructional books are available for those wishing to take their practice to their home.

People who are just beginning their yoga practice may wish to take a few introductory classes at a yoga studio before practicing at home, or ask a yoga teacher for a private session at the patient’s home. This allows patients to learn some of the traditional poses and ensure they are practicing safely. After their initial sessions, patients may feel more comfortable flowing through the postures at home.

Simple Yoga Routine for an At-Home Yoga Practice

Several simple yoga postures can be practiced at home for a balanced practice. These include:

• Child’s pose
• Mountain pose
• Cat/Cow stretches
• Downward dog
• Forward bend
• Warrior I and II

Yogis can end their sessions with a few minutes in Savasana (lying down) for quiet reflection. Using this time for meditation can help mesothelioma patients leave their practice feeling less anxious and stressed about their medical condition.

Author bio: Faith Franz is a writer for the Mesothelioma Center. She combines her interests in whole-body health and medical research to educate the mesothelioma community about the newest developments in cancer care.

Yours for improving your health with yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach 

 

Yoga at Home: You Don't Do Yoga Because...XYZ? Think Again!

 

 

Of course, I am a biased person and think everyone should practice some yoga daily. But, I di recognize that it may not suit everyone's personality (but, I still can't imagine why!).  However, there are many people who have considered yoga but then come up with myriad reasons to justify why they cannot do it. The excuses include a lack of time (I offer many tips in my book and in other blog posts on how to overcome that hurdle), excess weight, a super lack of flexibility (that's WHY they should do it), an odd bone structure, old injuries, certain medical conditions, and so on.  Well, these excuses are pretty much groundless in my not so humble opinion.  The key is to take baby steps, listen to your body, and practice consistently.  

The other day I received an inspirational video via email from yoga instructor Lucas Rockwood. Every aspiring yogi should invest 5 minutes to watch this awe-inspiring story! Lucas emphasized that this video demonstrates the massive transformation that yoga can create in a person's life and that is true.  I also found that the video underscored:

1) the power of persistence;

2) the willingness to fail and fall over and over; and

3) the possibility of gaining tremendous results from practicing at home.

The video is the story of Arthur, a disabled Gulf War veteran who returned home with major injuries to his back and knees. Arthur's numerous jumps as a military paratrooper had taken their toll. Doctors told him he'd never be able to resume walking unassisted.  He gained more than 100 pounds of excess weight.  He was barely mobile.  For a while he accepted his fate.  But, then he checked into learning yoga and was turned down by all instructors except one.  And that one, it seems taught him yoga poses that he practiced on his own at home.

The video shows clips of the evolution of Arthur's yoga practice in his home. It is heart warming because at the beginning he would seem to be an unlikely candidate for doing yoga because of his weight and injuries.  But, he prevails despite falling on his face numerous times while attempting the headstand and other challenging poses.  Over time, he becomes more limber and the pounds start dropping off.  He loses 100 pounds in  6 months and more! I won't spoil his story for you.  Check it out now and roll out your yoga mat tomorrow.  Whatever excuses you have had - they're just no longer valid after you watch Arthur!   After watching this video, I am going to start trying to master the headstand - a pose that I have feared trying!

 

 

Yours for obliterating all excuses for not doing yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

Yoga at Home: Flexibility - Yoga Motivational Maxim

A few years ago I found a delightful yoga quotation - or maxim to be most accurate.  In a few words, It capatures what you gain from a regular yoga practice.  The quotation is:

"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape!"

A frequent (preferably daily, in my not so humble opinion/view) gentle yoga practice increase your fleixibility not only in your body, but also in your mind and spirit.  Why is this so important?  Well, I believe it's because flexibility  leads to overall resilience!  

Consider the willow tree as shown above.  Willow trees can withstand high winds better than virtually any other trees. Their branches don't snap off as frequently in the middle of severe wind storms as other types of trees because willows have more "ecological resilience," a quality that allows them to maintain and renew themselves in the presence of stressors (the strong winds).  Willow trees bend and sway but rarely break in the midst of strong winds because their branches are more flexible.

When you practice yoga regularly, your flexibility increases as does your resilience to the often chaotic or stormy world around you.  Events and experiences that used to "get you all bent out of shape" no longer do, or to a much lesser extent.  You often find it easier to just let them go and move on and stay calm and happy as the willow tree allows the strong winds to pass through without damaging its limbs.

Just another tip to keep you motivated to do your yoga practice consistently.

Yours for staying resilient and flexible with yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Mentor

 

 

Yoga at Home: Niños, adolecentes y yoga

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, en sus casa, haciendo el egg roll calentamiento

Greetings! Saludos!

I thought I'd take a break from English and share a post in Spanish for Spanish-speaking yogis and readers. With my Spanish surname, I'd love to claim that I wrote the following in Spanish.  However, I cannot lie.  My Spanish is not good enough to do that and translation into a foreign language is a high-level skill.  The truth is that two years ago I wrote an article for an online health magazine.  A few months later, the magazine editors had the article professionally translated into Spanish.   So here it is - it's about the value of yoga for children and teens.  I love reading my writing in Spanish!

Hasta luego!

Niños, adolecentes y yoga

Por:Laura Venecia Rodriguez
Green Monkey

Cuando el yoga se empezó a hacerse popular en Estados Unidos, yo tenía 15 años y aprendí un tipo de Hatha Yoga, obtuve muchos beneficios, entre ellos la flexibilidad a través de la práctica diaria, así que la he seguido practicando con el paso de los años.
La infancia y la adolescencia son un excelente momento para empezar a adquirir hábitos saludables, así como un cuerpo alerta y en tono de por vida. Los beneficios pueden ser grandiosos.

Por ejemplo, en uno de los artículos que publicamos anteriormente en el boletín de Green Monkey, escrito por un joven yogui : Charlie Nelly de 18 años, quien empezó con el yoga para ayudarse en su entrenamiento para una competencia de escalar. Además de hacerse fuerte como escalador de rocas, el hacer yoga y meditar dos veces por semana, le han permitido a Charlie enfrentar presiones de examenes finales, aplicar para los examenes de la Universidad, todo con mas equilibrio y calma.

El también se siente mas confiado en todas las areas de su vida. En sus palabras el se siente “magnífico” y en situaciones estresantes Charlie dice: “Tengo la seguridad de no caer en el stress, tengo el yoga.”
Charlie Nelly no dice donde y como aprendio el yoga, pero las oportunidades actualmente son muy extensas para aprender esta práctica ancestral. A partir del año pasado, he encontrado mucha información de clases de yoga enfocadas a niños, desde infantes de 12 semanas hasta adolescentes.

En Marzo de 2010, Lil Omm Yoga, un estudio enfocado a enseñar a los niños junto con sus papás, abrió en el noroeste de Washington D.C.- Las clases de yoga que ahí ofrecen, ayudan a los papás a crear una unión con sus hijos y aprenden a relajarse. Algunas simples poses que enseñan a los infantes como aliviar la incomodidad de los gases, tan comunes a esa edad.

En adición a estos estudios de yoga, la técnica del yoga también se enseña en algunas escuelas. Hace un año leí que en aproximadamente 26 escuelas en Estados Unidos se usa el yoga en los salones de clase para aliviar el stresss. Algunas escuelas ofrecen cuidado a los niños despues de la escuela con clases de yoga para adolescents en riesgo, con dificultades de concentración, que sufren baja autoestima y que viven en casas plagadas de violencia. Los estudiantes están aprendiendo como enfocarse mejor y relajarse a través de sumergirse en un ambiente pacífico.

Rita Geller, una maestra de 3er. grado de la escuela Parkside Elementary School en Coral Springs, Fla., incopora 5 minutos de ejercicios de yoga dentro de su sistema, para ayudar a sus estudiantes a concentrarse, ¡maravilloso! Cuando le pregunté acerca del uso del yoga en su clase Ms. Geller me dijo: “El yoga es una herramienta poderosa para estudiantes y maestros, ayuda a soltar el stress y adquirir fuerza interior y concentración. La sesión es corta pero específica y efectiva y se utiliza según se necesite, una vez que los niños están concentrados, te ahorra tiempo.”
Solo imagínate mas escuelas siguiendo ésta práctica todos los días!! Es gratis y toma solo un poco de tiempo, esto estimulará a los estudiantes en su concentración. En una nación donde el deficit de atención parece ser una epidemia, en lugar de rellenar a los niños con Ritalin o Aderall, enséñales yoga, ella aconseja que se guíe a los estudiantes a la técnica del yoga de relajación que los beneficiará dentro y fuera del salón de clase.

Si tú tienes hijos, también los puedes introducir de manera simple, divertida y efectiva a la práctica del yoga en casa. Yo tengo un hijo de 13 años, ha estado recibiendo calladamente a través mío la meditación varias veces por semana.
Las siguientes son técnicas de calentamiento y ejercicios faciales, como ejemplo, de éstas técnicas te recomiendo el libro que uso con mi hijo: “Yoga for the non-Athlete: Savy steps for you to become Slim, Supple and Serene”.- Es lo suficientemente simple para enseñar a tu hijo rapidamente. Hazlo como un “momento especial” entre tu (s) hijo (s) y tú. Recuérdales el cuento de Aladino cuando hizo salir al genio de la lámpara a través de sobarla de una manera especial. Diles que juntos van a aprender y a hacer técnicas, movimientos y ejercicios de respiración, para ayudar a sus cuerpos a liberar al “YO FELIZ” que vive dentro. Crea con ellos un momento divertido y ligero y verás como responden.

EGG ROLL CALENTAMIENTO/DESCANSO:
Objetivo (partes del cuerpo) : Espina dorsal, hombros y muslos.

Como hacer ésta pose :
1. Acuéstate en tu tapete en posición relajada: las piernas juntas y los hombros relajados.
2. Inhala y jala tus rodillas a tu pecho.
3. Envuelve tus rodillas con los brazos.
4. Inhala y mécete suavemente adelante y atrás sobre tu espina dorsal, jalando tus rodillas más cerca de tu pecho.
5. Exhala y empuja las rodillas lejos de tu torso, así tu cuerpo se puede enrollar hacia adelante.
6. Mécete y enróllate varias veces suavemente y despacio sobre tu espalda de 3 a 5 veces. Mantén una respiración constante en un mismo ritmo de inhalaciones y exhalaciones relajadas.
7. Después de completer de 3 a 5 Egg Rolls, suavemene retira tus brazos de tus rodillas y estirando tus piernas, regresa a la posicion inicial sobre tu tapete.
8. Suavemente estira todo tu cuerpo alzando tus brazos hasta atrás sobre el tapete y e-s-t-i-r-a tus brazos hacia atrás como si fueras un nadador haciendo nado de espalda. S-i-e-n-t-e el suave estiramiento reforzado por entrelazar tus dedos y estirar tus brazos hacia atrás una pulgada o mas.
9. Dobla tus dedos de los pies adelante y atrás para reforzar el estiramiento de tus piernas.
10. Inhala y exhala profundamente.

Los beneficios de esta pose:
1. Es un calentamiento efectivo antes de la sesión de Yoga.
2. Ayuda a trabajar el stress de tu cuerpo, especialmente en tu espalda y piernas.
3. Es divertida!! Te sientes como un niño haciendo ésta técnica.

Tips especiales:
Como ésta pose require que te mezas con tu espalda, trata de conseguir un tapete grueso o una alfombra, nunca sobre el piso directamente o superficie dura como la madera.

LEON:
Aunque esta pose la usan los adultos para cuidar su complexión y disminuir las arrugas, también es magnífica si tus hijos sienten que el dolor de garganta les va a atacar, generalmente hará que tus hijos se rían.
Objetivo (Partes del cuerpo) : Cara y Garganta

Como hacer ésta pose:
1. Siéntate en una posición cómoda en tu tapete, en posición de medio loto o Japonesa o en una silla con tu espalda derecha.
2. Arquea tu espalda ligeramente hacia adelante y estira tus brazos, estira los dedos de las manos y sepáralos.
3. Inhala profundo y después exhale fuertemente, forzando todo el aire de tus pulmones.
4. Abre tu boca tanto como puedas y abre los ojos tan grande como puedas.
5. Saca la lengua lo más que puedas como si quisieras tocarte la barbilla.
6. Sostén ésta posición por 10 segundos sin moverte.
7. Despacio, mete la lengua, cierra la boca y relájate completamente. Permite a tus manos relajarse sobre tus muslos. Inhala y exhala profundo.
8. Repite el ejercicio.

Tiempo de práctica: Comienza por sostener la pose 10 segundos, agrega 5 segundos a la semana hasta que llegues a 30 segundos.
Número de repeticiones: 3 en una sesión de practica. También se puede hacer a cualquier hora del día para despertar tu cara!!

Beneficios de esta pose:
1. Incrementa energía y vitalidad en la cara y garganta. Estimula la cara.
2. Incrementa la circulación y estimula los nervios de cara y cuello.
3. Puede parar o aliviar el dolor de garganta.

Tips especiales y experiencias de Laura con ésta pose:
Exhala completamente cuando saques tu lengua. Puede parecer chistoso (a los niños les encanta), pero algunos maestros de yoga, sugieren rugir y sacar la lengua para crecer la pose. Mantén tus ojos abiertos durante la pose.

LAURA VENECIA RODRIGUEZ es la autora del libro “Yoga for the non-Athlete : Savy Steps for yo to Become Slim, Supple and Serene”. Para más informacion, visita www.laurasathomeyoga.com
Ella se considera una mala consumidora ya que solo aprendio a ser yogui. Y dice que si ella pudo hacer yoga, tu también puedes.

www.greenmonkey.net

Mucho éxito con yoga!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, Beginners' Home Yoga Coach

 

 

Yoga at Home: Yoga Proves More Effective Than Walking to Alleviate Depression

 

This past week I learned the exciting results of a recent medical study comparing yoga with walking to change moods and alleviate disorders such as anxiety and depression.  On occasion, I wake up in a funk, feeling down for no obvious reason.  Although often, if I think carefully, I can usually pinpoint the catalyst for my emotional descent.  Fortunately, I have found that when I practice yoga, the negative mood almost always dissipates rapidly.

The study I just heard about a few days ago, conducted by Dr. Chris Streeter of the BU School of Medicine and medical researchers from McLean Hospital, revealed that the practice of yoga was more effective than walking in helping to allevaite depression in a group of test subjects.  A twelve week experiment was done in which participants either practiced yoga for an hour 3 times or week or walked for an hour 3 times a week.  At the end of the study, the particpants were given MRIs to measure their brain activity and particularly to examine their "GABA" levels.  GABA stands for "Gamma-aminobuytric acid," a neurotransmitter that hepls induce relaxation and sleep as well as manage stress."  Prescription drugs such as valium and prozac help raise GABA levels.

The study found that participants who did yoga for the 12 week period had higher levels of GABA and as a result, enjoyed better moods and a dissipation of anxiety and stress.  Dr. Chris Street believes that the results of the study may suggest include yoga as an adjunct to medical treatment of depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders.

I was was pleasantly surprised to learn about yoga's superior benefits to walking for elevating one's mood because brisk walking helps me feel invigorated leading feeling better emotionally and physically.  But, once again, new revelations about yoga indicate that its benefits exceed mere stretching... ''

Below is a brief interview with Dr. Streeter so that you can listen to the evidence yourself!

Yours for keeping your spirits up with yoga!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez

 

 

Yoga at Home for Beginners: "Yoga is strong medicine but slow medicine"

Stated by Dr. Timothy McCall in his book Yoga as Medicine:  The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing," the title of this blog means that yoga is not a quick fix.  However, (and this is a big however), yoga practiced consistently (daily in my view) over a long period of time creates tremendous healing benefits that deepen and accrue like "compound interest."

In Western culture, we tend to be impatient and look for instant results.  While it's wonderful to notice immediate benefits from taking a particular action such as beginning a yoga practice, it's best to trust and have faith in the results that the process will bring over time  Just as the jaded but nonetheless accurate analogy of planting a seed, watering it, and having faith it will blossom into a plant or flower over time without digging it up to check on it, I agree with McCall that yoga's benefits should be evaluated over the long term.

Recently the press has reported the results of a 12-week study concerning people with back pain and the experiments conducted to compare a control group who did nothing with two other groups one of which did "regular" stretching and the other which did yoga stretching.  Apparently, little difference was found in the benefits gained in alleviating back pain between the group doing regular stretch and the group doing yoga stretches.

I suspect that more meaningful results would be noted if the results were compared over a six-month or better yet a 1-year or 2-year period.  Also, it wasn't clear if the study compared changes beyond the alleviated back pain between the two groups that did stretching.

Because I have practiced yoga at home virtually daily over an extended time, I have noticed that the energy, flexibility, and serenity I experience exceeds that of friends and colleagues who attend yoga classes once or twice a week and cease practicing when there is a break in the class schedule between sessions. I am not sharing this to brag, but to impress upon the significance of consistent practice.

To gain maximum benefits from a yoga regime, commit yourself to making it a daily, permanent part of your life.  It may be slow medicine, but it truly is powerful medicine.

Yours for reaping fabulous results from yoga over time,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, The Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach for "Real, Regular People"

Yoga at Home for Beginners: Why Yoga is so Fantastic & Sage Wisdom from the Sixties!

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

Yoga for Beginners: "Yoga is the Dance of Life" Says Amazing 92-Year Young Yogi!

Are you over 45 or 50 and think you're too "over the hill" to begin a yoga practice? Are you talking about how "old" you are? Frequently? Stop right now and "Think Youfully Now!" which is the title of a book written in the 1960s that I keep close by on my personal library shelf.And, I just found a wonderful video about a 92 (did you get that? - NINETY-TWO) year young yoga instructor, Ms. Porchon Lynch who exemplifies and exudes youthful vitality.

What is so touching about Ms. Lynch's story is that she can do poses like the crow and the full lotus which I still haven't mastered. Yet, she considers herself to still be a "beginner" even though has been teaching yoga for 40 years!  She was a female maverick in her earlier years because she grew up in India and saw young men doing yoga and was told it was not a practice that women should engage in.  She didn't listen and she certainly demonstrates the benefits  of a lifelong practice.  Yoga is the "dance of life," says Ms. Lynch and she emphasizes the importance of the energy you put into a practice.

Ms. Lynch's smile radiates her beauty inside and out and she is serene, humble, energetic, and giving.  She admits to learning as much from her students as they do from her.  She is also wise because she recognizes that people's physiques differ and that not everyone can do a particular pose the same way. She is not one of those drill-sergeant type of yoga instructors that some yogis have told me about!  She revels when she hears her students say they are surprised at what they can do that they first thought was beyond their ability.

What an inspiration!  My intention is to follow her lead and be able to continue to be vital, sharp, strong, and as genuine as she is 40 years from now!

Think you're too old to start yoga?  Watch Ms. Lynch and give me a break!  Change your attitude!

 

Yours for beginning a yoga practice at any age,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the beginner's yoga at home coach

 

 

Yoga at Home for Beginners: Keep Your Spine Flexible!

Really, why is it so important to keep your spine flexible?  Well, chiropractors certainly make their livelihoods by helping people restore the normal position and functioning of their spine. And, according to the late yoga instructor/writer Richard Hittleman, an ancient Yogic adage touts that "You are as young as your spine is flexible."  If your spine is stiff and inflexible, your mobilty is impaired and you will look older.

Haven't you noticed this? I certainly have! I ride the metro daily to work and I see dozens of people of all ages, sizes, and shapes.  Those who slouch or look stiff and rigid can much appear older than their biological age.  In contrast, people who stand tall (no matter how many inches they are in height) and appear flexible exude a much more youthful demeanor.  But, it's not just about looks. If your spine is stiff and rigid, you will also have less energy because it stays trapped in a compressed spine and joints.

So, got stiffness and rigidity in your spine?  Do yoga!  The stiffer you are, the more you need to practice this ancient system! The cobra pose shown in the photo above is just one of various yoga exercises that helps increase the flexibility of your spine.  Don't wait - keep your spine flexible with yoga!  Remember to take baby steps, though.  Never push, pull, or strain your body. Your spine will increase in elasticity with consistent yoga practice over time.

Yours for maintaining a flexible spine with yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the beginning yogi's at home yoga coach,

Yoga at Home for Beginners: How Yoga Differs from Other "Stretching"

I love the following quotations on serenity (that I paraphrase) from the early 1900's spiritual classic, "As a Man Thinketh" (I also have the "As a Woman Thinketh" version!) by James Allen:  "Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom...The more tranquil a person becomes, the greater is his/her success, influence, and power for good. The strong, calm person is always loved and revered.  He/she is like a shade-giving tree in a thirsty land, or a sheltering rock in a storm."

Herein, I believe, lies the key difference between yoga and mere "stretching" exercises. I am basing this on my personal experience.  Because yoga emphasizes synchronizing your breath with your movements and keeping your focus within, it cultivates serenity in your mind, body, and spirit - your essence. Sure, some yoga poses appear to differ little from other types of stretches such as forward bends and alternate leg pulls that professional athletes do to warm up before a game. But, in mainstream stretching the emphasis is on getting your muscles to warm up and to enhance performance. In contrast, according to the late yoga instructor/writer, Richard Hittleman, "yoga is concerned with the health and beauty of the organism as a unified whole."

The intention differs and so the yoga's results can far exceed just becoming more flexible and toned. You also become more serene and tranquil, better able to handle the "storms of life."  (Although my 15-year old son sure tests my ability to the max!) And you become more attuned in your body, mind, and spirit. Yoga practiced properly is holistic.  That's the difference!  

Yours for cultivating serenity along with flexibility through yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the beginning yogi's at home yoga coach,