sandeyeThe benefits I have felt myself
January 4th 2008 22:34
When I first seriously began a yoga practice, around a year ago, the two main reasons were that I suffered from an arthritic back, which additionally caused cramping in my leg and hip, and was expecting a very dramatic and stressful year to occur in 2007. Doctors had given me pills and no hope for my back and I was not satisfied with that. I did not want to get annually worse, suffer winter through, and become an invalid in the coldest weather. Nor did I have sufficient finances to allow me to obtain temporary assistance in the recommended forms of physiotherapy or chiropractic help. I had heard that yoga was helpful and I was hopeful. Certain financial, career, and family situations were expected during 2007, that would be testing my patience and ability to cope with life. I knew they were coming, and yoga was the best preparation I could think of - a chance - to lessen the anticipated impact.
2007 is now ended and 2008 started. Reviewing the results, I would have to state that I definitely made the right choice when choosing to take up yoga. This past winter, I have felt no cramping of hip or leg whatsoever. Nor have I felt any pain in my back at all. I felt mild stiffness in my back on two, maybe three, occasions, and that is the sum total of back problems for 2007. I had an even worse series of life events than estimated. The year was exceedingly tense and full of major changes. Whereas I attribute some of my success in managing to get through the entire year to my newly arisen studies and practice of Buddhism, the rest is definitely due to yoga. One of the major contributions yoga has made to my health, is my new look upon breathing; this has mostly been responsible for carrying me through the tough times without being endlessly caught in the net of stress.
There have been many other benefits that have arisen, in addition to the release of back torture and survival through stressful times. The improvements in my breathing have made me feel much fitter than I have felt for many years. I had no idea that my breaths had been so shallow and short, rushed and rapid, for so long. Now, I mostly breath deeper, calmer, slower and stronger. It really makes a major difference in overall health. Also, I bend further and am improving my flexibility. I was fairly supple due to dancing and aerobics for a while, but broke off from my routine for a few years when my back problems arose. I am beginning to get back my movement! Whereas yoga has not cured the sprouting of many silver hairs upon my otherwise dark head, it has definitely brought back the feeling of youth to me. I was feeling my age and felt it must get worse rather than better as I got older still; however, yoga seems to have thrown out a decade and I appear to be growing younger still, healthwise if not lookswise. My sinus problems may not be fully cured, and I doubt they ever will be. They do not stem from dietary problems or an allergy to something avoidable, but from a reaction to the air pressure. However, yoga has assisted the problems to be less severe. The combination of assistants in the form of better breathing and use of a neti pot both stemming from yoga.
Looking back at my first year of seriously practicing, I can firmly state that this coming year is going to be filled with just as much yoga as was 2007! Over the next twelve months, I hope to cover some of the poses that I do not currently use in my routine, along with some theory and history, accessories, and also to discuss some of the literature I have read on the subject - both helpful and shudder-causing, in my blog.
2007 is now ended and 2008 started. Reviewing the results, I would have to state that I definitely made the right choice when choosing to take up yoga. This past winter, I have felt no cramping of hip or leg whatsoever. Nor have I felt any pain in my back at all. I felt mild stiffness in my back on two, maybe three, occasions, and that is the sum total of back problems for 2007. I had an even worse series of life events than estimated. The year was exceedingly tense and full of major changes. Whereas I attribute some of my success in managing to get through the entire year to my newly arisen studies and practice of Buddhism, the rest is definitely due to yoga. One of the major contributions yoga has made to my health, is my new look upon breathing; this has mostly been responsible for carrying me through the tough times without being endlessly caught in the net of stress.
There have been many other benefits that have arisen, in addition to the release of back torture and survival through stressful times. The improvements in my breathing have made me feel much fitter than I have felt for many years. I had no idea that my breaths had been so shallow and short, rushed and rapid, for so long. Now, I mostly breath deeper, calmer, slower and stronger. It really makes a major difference in overall health. Also, I bend further and am improving my flexibility. I was fairly supple due to dancing and aerobics for a while, but broke off from my routine for a few years when my back problems arose. I am beginning to get back my movement! Whereas yoga has not cured the sprouting of many silver hairs upon my otherwise dark head, it has definitely brought back the feeling of youth to me. I was feeling my age and felt it must get worse rather than better as I got older still; however, yoga seems to have thrown out a decade and I appear to be growing younger still, healthwise if not lookswise. My sinus problems may not be fully cured, and I doubt they ever will be. They do not stem from dietary problems or an allergy to something avoidable, but from a reaction to the air pressure. However, yoga has assisted the problems to be less severe. The combination of assistants in the form of better breathing and use of a neti pot both stemming from yoga.
Looking back at my first year of seriously practicing, I can firmly state that this coming year is going to be filled with just as much yoga as was 2007! Over the next twelve months, I hope to cover some of the poses that I do not currently use in my routine, along with some theory and history, accessories, and also to discuss some of the literature I have read on the subject - both helpful and shudder-causing, in my blog.
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