Too many years passed where I ‘thought’ I would benefit from Meditative practices… before actually doing something about it. Now, a similar thing has happened… with yoga!
Yoga: Everything from the ‘wiki’ definition here.
…and my (early days) definition as a layperson is that yoga is a series of taught/learned movements that promote joint mobility, bone density (ergo strength), muscle tone/strength, digestive and endocrine benefits, improved posture, and crucially… wonderful peace of mind!
When demonstrated by an approved instructor, preferably someone who has great knowledge of anatomy and physiology, yoga is available via group classes or via 1-1 sessions. Students receive benefits almost immediately, both in body and mind.
It was serendipity that visited, a chance meeting where all the circumstances came together for me to feel comfortable experimenting with yoga. Just as meditation brought a paradigm shift in my life – for the better, yoga has too, after just 4 weeks. So why did I leave it so long?
Simple. I behaved like a victim!
I spend my life these days encouraging others to act empowered and here I was thinking, that’s it, my body is deteriorating and that is just the way it is. I had even consoled myself and come to ‘accept’ that this was actually okay, because I had found such ‘peace’ in my mind, life is so much richer now than before and as such… I can accept almost anything. And now?
No, that’s not me!
I am so incredibly grateful to my instructor, Chrissie! After just 4 sessions of 1-1, I am a new man! Really, my joints have loosened, I stand and walk taller (which is helpful when you are diminutive!), my back is far less tight and painful and I genuinely feel better than I have for 30 years! Moreover, this is just the beginning!
One of the key reasons I failed to explore yoga properly was because I chose to believe otherwise of those who had previously said my lack of joint flexibility was no barrier. However, yoga hasn’t only improved my joints and posture, it also raises my heart-rate during sessions, is a great workout for muscle groups (and bones) thanks to the load-bearing aspects, helpful for arthritis and rheumatism, digestive system, and more.
I guess my message is to at least explore, and try to achieve your potential! Especially for those who think, as I did, what you ‘believe’ you wish for… is unachievable to you!
Many yoga teachers out there will provide expert advice and instruction, so I will leave the experts to answer any questions you may have around the various types of yoga and so on. What is clear though, is that you are almost certainly ‘capable’, and the benefits have far outweighed my initial naivety and ignorance.
Bob Brotchie is a counsellor, life coach and creator of Conscious Living by Design™. He writes for Anglia Counselling, is featured on various other websites and introduces us to many guest writers all covering topics related to mental health and wellbeing.
Bob provides bespoke counselling services to clients in the privacy and comfort of a truly welcoming environment at his Anglia Counselling company office, located near Newmarket in Suffolk, England. Bob also provides professional online counselling, for local, national, and international clients. The therapeutic models offered are bespoke to the client’s needs, especially those in receipt of 'childhood emotional neglect' (CEN), whilst integrating a mindful approach to psychotherapy and cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) principles. For clients experiencing trauma and/or phobia, Bob offers EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing).