The New Yoga for Healthy Aging: Living Longer, Living Stronger and Loving Every Day

by Francina, Suza

• ISBN13: 9780757305320
• ISBN10: 0757305326
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-03-01
• Publisher: Hci

Summary

A step-by step guide for the millions of baby boomers who want one simple practice for feeling and looking great--yoga!"The New Yoga for Healthy Living" is filled with clear instructions. including the use of yoga props and modified poses, plus crisp follow-along photographs. The "New Yoga for Healthy Aging" takes readers step by step throught the asanas (poses) that can prevent or lessen ailments such a osteoporosis, hip fractures, chronic pain, arthritis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.With heartfelt interviews and tips from some of America's most active yoga teachers and their older students--each sharing wisdom, insights and successes--readers will discover a source of inspiration that will help their practice evolve into more than just those moments they spend on the mat.

Excerpts

Excerpts from The New Yoga for Healthy Aging At the age of eighty-seven, Iyengar joked that he invented props when he was a young man so that he could still practice yoga in his old age. I still recall the words of my first yoga teacher, nearing sixty, telling me that she started yoga because she was looking for ôexercise without exhaustion.ö When we are young, the physical energy of youth seems inexhaustible. Even if we wear ourselves out, we quickly bounce back. Around midlife, sometimes sooner, we become more aware of the depletion of our natural energy reserves. Our bodies begin to show signs of wear and tear. While the natural aging process cannot be halted, yoga offers a way to slow it down, conserve health, and rebuild our precious energy reserves. Yoga is the art and science of spiritual, mental, and physical transformation. It is a classical Indian discipline that is as relevant in the twenty-first century as it was when it was developed thousands of years ago. Yoga is a nonviolent way of life that encourages each individual to feel whole and to realize his or her inner potential. The word yoga comes from a Sanskrit root that means yoke, join, unite, or make whole. This ancient discipline cultivates the union between individual and universal consciousness. The exact origins of yoga are uncertain, but its practices and principles predate written history. In the Indus Valley (now Pakistan), archaeologists have uncovered 5,000-year-old carvings of adepts in yoga positions. The science of yoga was originally passed down orally from teacher to student and was codified in written form about 2,000 years ago. The Yoga Sutras, by Patanjali, form the foundation upon which the structure of yoga has been built. Yoga is not a religion, but its teachings have been influenced by various religions, traditions, and sacred scriptures. Ancient texts present holistic views that encompass the physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions of the practitioner. Over the ages, different forms of yoga have emerged to blend with particular philosophical and religious beliefs practiced by the people of those times and places. Today, millions of people worldwide practice many diversified yoga styles that stem from a common ancient source. Yoga Asanas: Practical Tools for Life A yoga pose is known by the Sanskrit term asana. The terms, pose, asana, and posture are used interchangeably in this book. Asana is the positioning of the body in various standing, lying down, upside-down, or seated postures. Asanas are one of yogaÆs most significant and practical tools for integrating all aspects of a human beingùbody, mind, and spirit. The word healing comes from the root ôto make whole.ö Among the many health benefits that set yoga apart from other forms of physical exercise is the effect that yoga postures and breathing practices have on the vitality of our organs and glands. This book describes the effect that asanas have on all the systems of the body. Yoga

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Excerpted from The New Yoga for Healthy Aging: Living Longer, Living Stronger and Loving Every Day by Suza Francina
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