Yoga IS For Wussies, Too!
When I met with my friend, Jenn for lunch the other day, I began telling her about my experience with yoga so far. I told her about my blog post, Yoga Ain’t For Wussies and she got a real kick out of that!
She kindly agreed to offer her experience with yoga in a guest post for me today! Introducing, my friend, Jenn….
Yoga IS for Wussies, Too!
For some, the word yoga calls to mind gentle stretching, balancing, meditation, and mindfulness. For others, yoga means bootie kicking, body transforming, muscle quivering, sweat inducing strength and endurance training. The truth is, all of these things are elements of yoga. Just as is the case with everything in our lives, with yoga, we find what we seek.
And so, at the risk of sounding contrary, I would like to suggest that yoga IS for those just beginning their fitness journeys, as well as anyone else who has the goal of finding and exploring the mind/body connection.
For me, this journey began about seven years ago when I started practicing yoga when it was offered to employees at the museum where I was working at the time. I was already in reasonably good shape, and I had been accustomed to pretty strenuous workouts: dance and step aerobics, Tae Bo, treadmill, elliptical trainer, etc. Yoga would be, I thought, simple for me and probably boring, but I decided to try it as a way to do a fun activity with my co-workers. I had no way of knowing that that decision would not only eventually lead me to be in the best shape and have the healthiest lifestyle, both physically and mentally, I have ever had, but would inspire me to teach other people how to begin that journey as well.
Yoga is unique as a form of fitness because it encourages mindfulness and presence in the moment. Students of yoga practice poses which can be modified to accommodate every fitness level and nearly any limitation or challenge students may face. Often, this attention to the body, the focus on oneself in the moment, leads to mindful inventory of other things like stress levels, anxiety, restlessness or anger. Noticing and acknowledging these feelings is, in many cases, a first step in understanding ourselves and why we do what we do—why perhaps we continue to sabotage our own health by over eating or making poor choices, or why we keep having the same exact argument with the important people in our lives over and over.
So, for those of you looking to get fit in mind and body in 2010, I would suggest starting where all amazing journeys start—at the beginning. Remember that any challenge we face in our lives will have successes and failures, and that starting something new, including yoga, requires us to relinquish a bit of control and accept being less than perfect.
Namaste.
Questions? Email me! aloserforlife@gmail.com
11 comments
I’ve always been hesitant to try yoga because it never seemed to be enough of a “workout” for me. Until last week when I did a 45 minute yoga video and sweat the entire time! It really is a peaceful way to concentrate on balance…not only physical but emotional!
I especially like the last part of your post, “requires us to relinquish a bit of control and accept being less than perfect. ”
That is where most of it is for me. I do enjoy yoga and need to add it back into my life. Thanks for the great post!
What I like about yoga is that you can do as much as you CAN do- even if you have physical limitations there is a position that works. You hold it as long OR short as you can!
A few years ago when I picked up a DVD my BF chuckled and said, “how hard can that be”- I made him try it with me…lets just say he did not last very long! lol 
Thanks for the yoga post. I’m one of those people that does hight cardio stuff, running, advanced step aerobics, all the cardio machines. Even though I think that yoga may not be as high intensity of a workout as I’m used to, I also am afraid I’m not flexible enough and can’t hold the positions. I’ve done a few yoga moves but that’s all. I just think it’s I don’t know what videos are good for me and what instructors might be good at the gym. I need to just try it!
Beautifully written and inspiring. The mind – body connection is something I have been working on. This makes me want to get out my yoga for dummies Dvd and get to work! Progress not perfection is what I keep reminding myself of.
What a great post on Yoga! This is something I need to add to my daily routine! I’m all for helping my mind and body relax and get stronger along the way
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Perfect timing for me to read this post–I am going to my first yoga class in a while tomorrow morning. I have done DVD’s before but only a few classes, and I really want to explore yoga more to see if it’s for me.
I’ve been doing the wii fit yoga and loving it
Great post.
It truly took me THIRTY YEARS to realize how powerful yoga is.
Until then if it didnt make me sweat like a banshee (this was before bikram was popular in the usa) I scoffed at it
oh
how
wrong
I
was.
Hey Marissa, I just did the drawing (an hour early) for my $50 safeway gift card giveaway and you won! email me your address and I’ll get it sent to you!