Finding Balance

I started doing yoga in high school. My mom would ask me to do Rodney Yee and Nicki Doane yoga tapes with her at home and that's where I began. I have really come a long way in my practice. I wasn't flexible back then and just enjoyed doing it for the stretch, but didn’t think much about it. However, I continued to practice, and tried hot yoga for the first time and fell in love. I loved the hot room and the rejuvenating, cleansing feeling when after. The heat allowed me to deepen my stretches and breathe into them more.

Ever since then, I have continued to do yoga on my own and attend classes. Yoga has taught me a lot about myself and listening to my body. I know when I come to my mat, it is a place of ease where I can be free to flow and make mistakes. Yoga has helped me to slow down in everyday life, deepening my breath and becoming aware of my surroundings. In today’s fast past society, it’s important to bring mindfulness into everyday life, as health is not just about eating right and exercising; we need that mental clarity as well.

It can be hard to get started, but once you’re in the flow, it feels great to release into the poses, bringing awareness to the entire body and areas that may not get much attention or have a lot of tension.

One of my favorite poses is Bridge pose. It opens the chest, heart, and shoulders. It stretches the spine, the back of the neck, the thighs, and the hip flexors. This pose also stimulates the abdominal organs and thyroid glands, which improves digestion and can help regulate metabolism. Another one of my favorite poses is Cat-Cow. My lower back tends to carry a lot of stress and this pose always helps relieve it and helps stretch after sitting at a desk all day. Additionally, the asana flow helps relieve stress from menstrual cramps, lower back pain, and sciatica. Cat/Cow Pose increases flexibility of the neck, shoulders, and spine. Low Lunge, or Anjaneyasana, is a great hip-opener. As a runner, I have tight hips and this pose great to release into. Step the left foot back into a lunge, bending the right knee directly over the right heel and bringing the left knee to the floor. Bend the left knee and grasp the ankle with your hand or a strap to deepen the hip stretch (repeat on opposite side).

Just 5-10 minutes a day of stretching can make a big difference and you will feel so much better!