Why consider yoga?

​​I began practicing yoga consistently when I was 54.  My middle-aged body, which has never been lithe and lean, has seen its share of challenges: breast cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, insomnia, and the range of typical issues facing middle-agers and beyond.    While I have never had what is typically considered a “yoga body,” I have learned that anyone who breathes can do yoga. That lesson has led to what I hope will be a lifelong practice for aging well.

As I move more deeply into my yoga teaching, as well as my personal practice, I often find myself engaged in conversations about the benefits of yoga. Frequently, when the subject of yoga is raised, I hear responses like:   “Oh, I tried yoga years ago and it hurt.”  Or, “I’m not flexible enough to do yoga.”   Or “I don’t have the time/I don’t like my gym’s yoga/I don’t have a yoga body,” etc.   It has become a theme of my conversations to ask people to consider yoga.
 
Since people “of a certain age” typically are already dealing with a variety of health issues, one of my goals as a yoga instructor is to help my students (current and prospective) understand that they can do yoga in spite of physical challenges, and that yoga can potentially improve these conditions, or at least help people live a fuller life with them. 

I hope you will consider yoga!