Yoga's gentle, healing nature can alleviate stress. Sitting, lying or standing on a mat forces the body to slow down and moves the brain away from life's distractions to a point of mental clarity.
'The human brain does not multi task very well,' says Carlyle Chan, professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa, Wis. 'The people who say they do so are not exactly accurate. When you are at the office and your phone rings, you get distracted. That's just the way the brain is structured.'
'Yoga focuses the mind on something else and helps you reset,' Chan says. 'The more you do it, the more effective it is.'
In today's frenetic world, where finding time to visit a studio might multiply the stress, an at home practice could be good medicine.
Before flowing through poses in your living room, take a few classes with a certified yoga instructor. The more confidence you have in the poses and postures, the better chance you'll be able to focus and practice with safety.
To ensure you have props for yoga at home, invest in a mat, strap, blocks (either wood or foam) and a thick, woven blanket. Practice in your bare feet and wear comfortable, tighter fitting clothing.
'Start today. Don't wait until you have the perfect setting,' says Marietta Pucillo, owner of Yama Yoga in Milwaukee's Third Ward. 'As long as it's a place to give you peace, it will be OK. Accept that wherever you are today is perfect. That's the principle of yoga, anyway.'
By Kristine Hansen
THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
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