If we asked you to share your number one reason to practice yoga, what would your response be? Answers run the gamut from spiritual enlightenment (Samadhi) to physical mastery of asanas like handstand or Hanumanasana, to mental health benefits like stress relief. Whether you step onto the mat for the spiritual, physical, or mental aspects of yoga, you are receiving all the benefits. What if we suggested you regard yoga as life insurance?
Consider your yoga practice through the lens of preventative healthcare, a tool to ensure you’ll continue enjoying a long life to the fullest. Yoga helps keep our bodies strong and supple, our minds alert and open, and our hearts softer and more compassionate.
To sustain a lifelong yoga practice, check in with yourself. Are you doing the same things out of habit, but it no longer gives you the same joy or energy?
When we learn to adapt our practice to the seasons of our lives, we maintain our strength and flexibility, and balance for as long as possible.
Physical: Your yoga practice will change and transition throughout your lifetime. A practice that is appropriate and nourishing for a twenty-two year old may look completely different than one for a forty-two year old. The key is to listen to your body––the answers are contained in your tissues. If your sweaty Ashtanga practice feels great, keep going! But if jumping back into chaturanga is creating pain in your shoulders, perhaps it is time to consider a different transition.
Mental: Yoga has always been about learning to direct your thoughts where you want them to go. As we age, we can begin to lose mental acuity. Through mindful yoga practices we learn to quiet our minds and filter out distractions. We strengthen our brains. Pranayama or breath control is a valuable tool to manage stress levels and calm us when we are anxious and energize us when we feel lethargic. Adding in yoga practices specifically for longevity, like Yin and gentle slow classes specifically designed to soothe the nervous system can keep us young.
Emotional: To maintain Santosha (contentment) in life requires regulating our moods. Emotional strain impacts every single one of us––on both professional and personal levels. Yoga provides a tool to release feelings that may be weighing us down. It helps us lighten our moods which in turn helps relieve health-related issues stemming from stress.
The sum of all practice is vibrant health inside and out, like a long-life insurance policy. This wonderful Yoga for Longevity program is designed to support a healthy lifestyle, whether you are new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner. Through sustainable practices that promote joint health, improve mobility, and relieve stress, these classes will keep you feeling your best now and far into the future.