An Exercise Program For All Ages:
Yoga has been shown to help alleviate or reduce many of these health challenges, making it an increasing popular exercise choice for our senior population. The many benefits of Yoga have been said to slow-or even slowly reverse the aging process. The practice of Yoga has been around for thousands of years, which undoubtedly is a good part of the reason that Yoga practice has survived had flourishes today!
The Term Yoga: Meaning “to join or to unite” is a union of the mind, body, breath and self awareness. At the heart of Yoga is the message that every human being is, by nature, balanced and whole, and that this balanced inner self cannot be permanently destroyed or damaged. When the body and mind are healthy and when personal conflicts have been resolved, the mind is freed for deeper concentration and reflection.
As we age, we stop breathing fully. Yoga reminds us that it is important to exhale as fully as we inhale. As we grow older, we lose flexibility in our ribcage and sometimes suffer from spinal deformities, creating less room for lung expansion. Mindful breathing takes into consideration the three purposes of breathing; replenishing, warming, and cleansing. Focusing on full inhalations and exhalations serves to slow down the heart rate which improves focus and increases concentration
The Sanskrit term “Asana” is translated as a pose or posture. The final positioning of an Asana is achieved when all body parts are positioned correctly and mindfully. The goal of the position of an Asana is that a balance is realized between each side of the body and that no undue stress is placed on any particular organ, muscle, joint, or bone.
