Blog: To Baby Boomers and Prime-of-Lifers: Why I Practice Yoga

I am a baby boomer with a yoga practice of many years. In the last year I have become very serious about it. I devote hours every day and teach. Surprisingly I have come to the realization that whether it is a daily routine or a once a week class, yoga will improve the quality of your life. In yoga you start where you are and stay true to your own journey. It is for everyone.  

The relief of suffering has been a principal aim of yoga for thousands of years. According to Hindu Philosophy, the chief struggle of humankind is that of self mastery.  The young, the old, the extremely aged, even the sick and the infirm obtain perfetion in Yoga by constant practice.  Success will follow him who practices. (Hatha Yoga Padipika. Chapter 1, verses 64-6)

There are many forms and styles of yoga, and this can be confusing. There are also many Sanskrit terms for different poses. Yoga, having its origins in India, has an entire culture and language of its own; but here is one definition of the word yoga.  

Yoga is an Indian and Hindu word which represents the realized union between pure individual consciousnes beyond ego(Atman) and the universal cosmic consciousness (Brahman). The word Yoga tranlates to "yoke" and the to the word "union". Yoga is also a system of practices, physical, psychological and spiritual which lead to the state of awareness and entry to this union between the individual and universal cosmic samadhi.  Yoga is a discipline of psycho-physiological behavior that is the permanent basis of Indian culture.

A primary reason that I have this practice in my life is that it offers me a way to get off the wheel of chatter and endless movement that may otherwise permeate my day.In yoga I enter a space where breath, body, heart and soul synchronize through a series of postures (asanas). My physical being is enhanced and challenged and I connect to states of serenity and calmness that lie within me. In Hatha Yoga and its many styles, we seek this union through practicing poses and sequences, strengthening our bodies through the release of tension, opening our hearts, developing suppleness and strength. There is also intentional awareness of anatomy, proper alignment in postures, breathing, and self awareness. Yoga takes us on a journey.

Yoga succeeds by offering an enormous variation of asanas(poses), as well as sequences of postures that flow together. Yoga is not competitive. In the practice of Yoga we become present within our own bodies, our challenges, our edges, our rhythms, our breath and over time learn to expand our physical and spiritual dimensions based on self mastery, self knowledge and trust. We are loyal to our personal awareness of our own abilities and find inspiration from the connection with a deeper sense of who we are, and ultimately our connection to the universe. In the best of worlds we work with teachers who lead us and accompany us in these discoveries, and always, we cultivate our own personal practices.  

Another beneficial contribution of yoga is its therapeutic benefits. It is deeply effective in conditions of chronic pain and stress. I will discuss more in later posts.

There are hundreds, maybe thousands of links for information, free videos, etc. on yoga.  

Here are a few I have found really useful in the last year:

• http://www.yogajournal.com
• http://www.discover-yoga-online.com/what-is-yoga.html
• https://www.facebook.com/EkhartYoga
• http://jasonyoga.com/

Some books on Yoga:

• Eknath Easwaran(translator), 2007, Bhagavad Gita,  Nilgiri Press
• Hewitt, 1977,  The Complete Yoga Book, Schocken Books, New York 
• Iyengar, B.K.S. 1966, Light on Yoga, Schocken Books, New York
• McGonigal: 2009,Yoga for Pain Relief , New Harbinger Publications, Inc.  Oakland, CA. 
• Prabhavananda, Isherwood, 1953,1981,2007  How to Know God:  The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali,   Vedanta Press, CA.
• Vishnu-Devenanda, 1960, 1988. The  Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga,  Three Rivers Press, New York. 

In the weeks following , I continue a self-led practice, teach individuals, and complete plans to work with local studios and Health Care Providers. I am also talking with local non-profits and organizations who may be interested in including a yoga practice in the programs they offer to their clients or workers. With the necessary credentials and years of teaching, directing and organizing experience, sharing my Yoga practice with others is a process I am inspired by. I am truly grateful to studios and organizations who are offering me these teaching opportunities.