As the month of September comes to an end, so does National Yoga Month. As noted on www.yogamonth.com, September is the official month for yoga (a national observance designated by the Department of Health and Human Services) designed to build awareness of yoga’s proven health benefits and provide people with the motivation guidance and tools to enhance their own well being.
The word “yoga” comes from the Buddhist, Hindu and Jainism religions meaning “spiritual discipline” and it is way more than just mastering poses and strengthening your body. Specialized yoga author Georg Feuerstein says, “The traditional purpose of Yoga, however, has always been to bring about a profound transformation in the person through the transcendence of the ego.”
This grassroots awareness campaign inspires both youths and adults to take responsibility for their well-being by focusing on healthy lifestyle choices. In 2011, Yoga Month actively moved towards a global campaign by initiating ‘Time for Yoga” practices all over the world!
Today, modern yoga is based on five principles:
- Proper relaxation
- Proper exercise
- Proper breathing
- Proper diet
- Positive thinking and relaxation
Yoga is a form of exercise that you can start at the most basic level and work your way up to yoga guru. Because yoga is based off of meditation, it is up to the yogi (individual performing the yoga), to deepen the stretches and increase the intensity of each pose. Your body will tell you when it is time to start going harder and you will be surprised at how quickly your body wants to get into shape! After just a few sessions, you will be in positions you never imagined your body could be in! The best part is that you get to relax, all while being physical!
Meditated breathing is key to yoga. Pranayama, or the art of yoga breathing, is one of the most vital parts of yoga. It may seem funny at first, but your concentration on your breathing throughout yoga is crucial. This is what allows your mind to escape and allows your body to relax.
Unfortunately, yoga sessions can be quite pricey! But lucky for us college students, yoga is offered at most recreational centers. At JMU’s University Recreation Center, yoga is offered for free with your JAC card! UREC offers different yoga classes at different performance levels. This is how I jumped on the yoga bandwagon – and now I’m obsessed! UREC offers a Yoga 101 class intended for those with little or no experience. Yoga Fit combines traditional yoga postures and modern fitness for an incredible mind and body workout increases strength, endurance, and flexibility using basic to intermediate poses. And Power Yoga Known involves dynamic flow from one pose to the next. You’re guaranteed to sweat in this faster-paced style of yoga that will leave you feeling much stronger, both mentally and physically!
One of my favorite parts of a yoga session is the spiritual ending. At the end of a session, the yoga instructor concludes the class with the saying “Namaste.” “Namaste” can be interpreted a few ways; “the spirit in me respects the spirit in you,” the divinity in me bows to the divinity in you,” and JMU’s instructors see it as “the light in me sees the light in you.” What a great way to end on a positive spiritual note! Namaste collegiettes™!