YOGA? JUST START!

I can’t tell you how many times I've heard it: 'Oh, you teach yoga! I'm not bendy enough for that!' Or, 'I'm too fat to do yoga!' Or, 'Yoga is for young, flexible people. I'd hurt myself.'

It's too bad that there are such misconceptions about this life sustaining practice. The truth is that yoga is for every person, every body type and every day. Anyone can do yoga? It's not just for the pretzel people! Just ask Matthew Sanford, an inspiring yoga teacher who is also a paraplegic.

It's about so much more than the physical practices. After all, asana is just one of the eight limbs of yoga outlined by the sage Patanjali. The goal of yoga isn't to get your foot behind your head, although that can be a small, novel benefit of long term practice. The goal of yoga is to find out who you are.

So, start where you are, whatever your particular needs, strengths and limitations. And be realistic: Just because yoga is for everyone doesn't mean we all belong in a Bikram or Ashtanga class, especially at first.

With a little searching, it's actually pretty amazing what a wealth of specialized Dallas yoga classes are out there. Prenatal yoga is available practically everywhere yoga is taught. But, for example, there are also yoga classes specially tailored for people recovering from cancer, people struggling with depression and addiction issues, people with back injuries. Specialized classes like these often focus more on breathing and meditiation, making for a more well rounded yoga practice.

Here are just a few Dallas yoga offerings that might surprise you and prompt you to do a little more searching of your own!

Yoga for Back Care? Yoga for Life, a studio and shop located at the southwest corner of Preston and 635, offers Yoga for Back Care classes twice a week, Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. Among their offerings are also two weekly Yoga for Stress Relief classes, held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.

11th Step Yoga? This monthly yoga series at Move Studio is specifically for individuals from any 12 step recovery program who would like to explore the practice of yoga as part of the spiritual journey of recovery. Liz Tucker leads this class from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the second Saturday of every month.

Candlelight Yoga?Surya Yoga of Coppell offers a short, relaxing Candlelight Yoga class every Wednesday evening at 7:15 p.m. This restorative class is gentle and slowly-paced, and props are used to support the body for relaxation and comfort. Candlelight Yoga is perfect for beginners, people recovering from illness or injury, those with physical limitations, or just anyone in need of some stress relief.

See individual studio Web sites to confirm days and times, as yoga studio schedules are subject to change. And stay tuned: I'll keep you posted on any special Dallas yoga offerings I come across.

By Liz Davis

THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA