For close to three years now I’ve been grunting and groaning my way through a weekly yoga class. Fortunately, it consists of a group of women my age who are making much the same sounds I am.
The creaking and cramping going on in our bodies is a good indication that life wasn’t going to get any better for any of us if we hadn’t found this way to slow the slide down the hill.
Though I’ve far from mastered any of the many poses, I know that physically I’m in better shape than when I started. The challenges of yoga are far outweighed by the benefits.
Last night, our yogini shared some fitness articles that speak to these benefits. Relief of arthritis, fighting osteoporosis, strengthening and toning, improved flexibility, balance, posture and focus add up to make this one of the best activities you can do for your body long term, claimed the expert advice. Given that much of the exercise I had done in the past contributed to a lot of the physical woes I experience now, that makes sense to me.
The condition of my feet and hips has been blamed on years of high impact aerobics, back when Jane Fonda said it was a good idea. Cycling without understanding the importance of a good stretch had tightened my hamstrings and quadriceps to a point of no return, while shin splints and tight calves are leftover from my 1990s speed walks. Step aerobics did nothing to help my knees either.
Since I knew I was to blame for some of this, I took a more proactive approach in determining what options were left to me. Ultimately, I decided that yoga with its strengthening and stretching, its focus and concentration was the right choice. Also, with its cool Eastern vibe it was a good fit for the old hippie in me.
In the three years of practising, despite the groaning and grunting, I’ve realized that this is actually the first form of exercise I’ve loved doing. Though challenged by poses, as of yet there has been nothing I can’t handle. The positive effects were almost immediate. I feel calmer, more grounded and after a good session I sleep like an old dog basking in the summer sunshine.
So in celebration of this positive turn in my life, here are some wonderful collections of yoga clipart:
iCLIPART.com Yoga Illustrations
