As I revealed in my first post, I started yoga at age 15 because I was a non-athlete. My lack of coordination and agility meant I never qualified for a junior varsity or varsity team and thus I got minimal physical exercise at school.
I innately realized, however, that our bodies are meant to move and stay flexible, strong, and firm. A feature article in Philadelphia Magazine about the wonders of yoga intrigued me and soon after I taught myself basic hatha yoga poses from the books I previously mentioned. In my early years of practice I felt I gained some of the physical benefits of increased flexibility. However, I don't recall experiencing the same surge in energy and bliss that I have experienced during my past year of mindful practice and focus.
I missed some of the essence of yoga. Although decades have passed (don't ask how many....!), I have noticed a dramatic difference in results!
Sure, some people may take up yoga solely to gain some flexibility and to firm their abs and butt. However, whereas other more traditional forms of exercise emphasize certain movements to stretch for the sake of stretching, yoga goes deeper.
In yoga one stretches in a deliberate, scientific way (developed over 5,000 years ago) to promote the harmony of body and mind. If you practice hatha yoga consistently, attentively, and carefully over a period of time, I can almost guarantee that you will enhance not only your physical well-being and appearance, but your energy and spirit will likely soar.
This is what makes yoga unique and is the purpose of the blog. More people need to know about this wonderful ancient system that can improve our modern lives!
Yoga Quote of the Day: "Constant practice alone is the secret of success." ~Hatha Yoga Pradipika
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