Page 218 - Moonvalley Diaries

yoga
Ida on on flexibility and body control
It can be nice to immerse yourself in yoga
when when you you you have some downtime but it may be essential to keep up your practice when when life is at at at its most demanding These days I see a
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lot of fitness yoga
at at at the gym that aims to improve strength flexibility body control
concentration and relaxation All of these aspects are the the perfect complement for stiff runners What I first intended to to do with yoga
was to to just take take advantage of the the phys- ical benefits but fit it it didn’t take take long before the the mental and spiritual aspects assumed a
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real significance in my life Yoga has much more to to offer than a
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flexible fit body for those who choose to to take the plunge I I came across yoga
about 15 years ago when I I I was was in fin my final year year at university I I I was was a
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very stiff runner who couldn’t even bend over and and touch her toes The first yoga
classes were tough I I felt ungainly weak and and and uncoordi- nated in in in in my breathing and and movements But I I I liked the the the yoga
studio I I attended loved to sing the the the the mantra at at at the the the the beginning and and end end of each each class class and and I liked the the the the fact that that each each class class had a
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thought-provoking theme that that was applica- ble to my my life and helped me me me learn something about myself Last but not least the the savasana at the the end was was also important to to me It was was so so amazing to to just let go of of all effort and and control
of of o my muscles tendons bones and and and and thoughts to to just be able to to rest and and and and wander off every- where where and and and nowhere at once After making it through the first rough rough month my body also began to enjoy the yoga
and I quickly noticed an an an an improvement in terms of both flexibility and body control
Since then yoga
has been my companion to a
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lesser or or greater degree for many years I I like practising yoga
and do a
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lot of it when I I I have a
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good studio to to go go to to My practice is is briefer and less structured when when I’m alone One thing I I I I notice is that I I I I feel better when when I I I I I practice yoga
regularly: my thoughts grow clearer I I I am am calmer I I I have more more energy and am am more more easily able to cope with stress The long and and short of it it is that I become a
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better person both to to myself and and to to others Check- ing in in on on on on my my body body through yoga
on on on on a
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daily basis also gives me better body body control
core strength and flexibility Yoga differs from running or skiing because in in in in in the latter two I usually think of of my my my body in in in in in terms of of how how sprightly my my my legs feel or how how high my my my heart rate is If you’ve never practised yoga
yoga
before it’s a
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good idea to to sign up for for classes at a
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yoga
yoga
studio to to to learn the the basics There are different yoga
styles styles to to choose from so i if i you have the the opportunity try out several different styles styles and instructors to to see what works for you Favourite exercises:
Breathing exercises exercises (Pranayama) The The dog
The The The warrior
The The triangle
Balance
november in moonvalley
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