Wednesday, October 7, 2009

yoga does a body good

This week has been incredibly long (I realize it's only Wed.), but last weekend we had a very popular student commit suicide. It has been so sad to work with and see so many teens devastated by this loss. All week, I've been very aware of my body absorbing much of the sadness and pain, and the last two nights I've gone to bed by 8:15 p.m. completely exhausted.

Tonight, I taught my usual Wed. night yoga class, and at the end of class, we did some slow and deep stretching. All that stress, sadness, and emotion by body has been absorbing this week has literally just melted away. I so wish that all people who live in a state of constent stess, anxiety, and/or sadness understood their physical bodies are absorbing all that emotional stress, and it has to be released. Yoga is the perfect anecdote. It truly does a body (mind and soul) good!

Here is your yogathought for the day from Kripalu Yoga: A Guide to Practice On and Off the Mat:

"Dr. Dean Ornish made headlines by proving that a lifestyle regimen of yoga, meditation, low-fat vegetarian diet, aerobic exercise, and support groups can reversee coronary artery disease. Since then, numerous researchers confirmed yoga's ability to reduce high blood pressure. Without a doubt, yoga is good for the heart....Ornish and many others believe that regaining the ability to access emotion is an integral part of the healing process for cardiovasular disease. Yoga 'opens the heart' by helping us regain the ability to feel."

Namaste'
Leslie

1 comment:

The Depressed Yogi said...

Oh Leslie, so sorry to hear that. :( Suicide is... well it's probably one of the most difficult things to understand or deal with. Lots of positive thoughts, hugs and love to you and your students.