Is Yoga for Me?

While yoga classes have become ‘all the rage’ in fitness and wellness centers around the country, have you ever wondered, “Is yoga for me?” Perhaps, you’ve already decided that yoga is not your ‘cup of tea’ since you can barely reach your knees let alone your toes! Or maybe you were intimidated by the long, practically-unpronounceable Sanskrit names for most yoga poses. I know what you were thinking, “How can I do something I can’t even say?!” Whether you have pondered or predetermined, allow me to briefly suggest here just some of the reasons it would be worth your while to give yoga a try. Did you know that yoga…

• Helps relieve pain, soreness and/or stiffness of muscles by improving blood and oxygen circulation to those areas of suffering.

• Increases overall body strength and tone as many yoga postures involve muscles and organs that are overlooked in typical western work-outs.

• Increases range of motion of joints and strengthens the muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding joints.

• Improves respiration and includes breathing exercises that can help reduce asthma.

• Increases circulation leading to greater energy and vitality.

• Can help to lower blood pressure if high.

• Helps to improve digestive functions and can address symptoms of IBS.

• Improves quality of sleep.

• Increases focus and clarity by teaching you how to still the mind.

• Promotes self-awareness and self-acceptance.

• Can reduce symptoms of depression by improving mood and promoting positive outlook; thus reducing dependency on medication.

• Induces the relaxation response in the body to instill a deep sense of calm and relaxation.

Just ask yourself, how many of these things apply to you? And the beauty of yoga is that there are so many styles of practice for all shapes, sizes and age groups! So it really doesn’t matter if you can touch your toes or not – it simply isn’t necessary. There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to yoga. In fact, doing yoga is actually one of the most personally unique forms of exercise you could do since it involves so much self-acceptance, self-awareness and self-discovery.

The fact of the matter is that a consistent yoga routine – practiced at any level of intensity and flexibility – is a perfect complement to today’s hectic lifestyle. Yoga goes way beyond mere physical exercise to become a personal practice of holistic well-being.

So, going back to the question with which we began… “Is yoga for me?” Give yourself the opportunity to experience its benefits – if you were a skeptic, you may be surprised by your answer!