On February 25, the hospital will be hosting a wellness activity focusing on yoga. The first class will be held at 10 am at the billing office and the next will be held at 1 pm at the hospital’s meeting room. Bring your yoga mat or towel and come learn more about yoga and experience for yourself what it can do for you!
Yoga is: “any of the methods or disciplines prescribed, especially a series of postures and breathing exercises practiced to achieve control of the body and mind, tranquillity, etc…” (dictionary.com). People who aren’t familiar with yoga tend to think it’s bending your body in crazy ways and shapes–which it definitely can be! But the truth is there’s so much more to yoga. Yoga keeps us physically and mentally healthy. It helps us journey inward to understand ourselves better. It helps us find peace and serenity in our lives.
I’ve been practicing yoga for over four years now and have come across many people who are intimidated by yoga. Something I often hear is, “I’m not flexible enough to practice yoga.” Or, “yoga is only for girls.” Although I can understand these sentiments, I have to say I disagree! “If you can breathe, you can do yoga”, Krishnamacharya used to say. He is often referred to as “The Father of Modern Yoga”
Yoga is about progression. Not only is it about physical progression, the excitement of perfecting new asanas or poses is motivating and exhilarating. But it’s also about mastering your thoughts, learning how to quiet your mind in the midst of a bustling world after a hectic day. As you move from pose to pose, you are always breathing and focusing on your inhales and exhales. This is what helps calm your mind. It can help de-stress, calm depression and anxiety, and can make you happier.
There are so many ways we can practice yoga, it doesn’t matter if we have five minutes or an hour and a half. You can do yoga whenever and wherever as there are various mediums of practicing. You can go to a class, you can look up videos on Youtube, or you can read books on yoga. I personally follow a lot of yoga instructors on social media and try to figure out how they get into certain poses. No matter how you choose to learn, I promise if you give it an honest try that you will see an improvement in your life.