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Yoga- Come For The Sooper Kewl Poses, Stay For The Non-Physical Health Benefits


 Wednesday, September 23, 2020 (Part I), 

Like many, I was initially drawn to yoga by the breathtaking physical poses/Asanas.  I had to try it, and wanted to learn to be more like these magnificent men and women who showed physical strength, endurance, and beauty, all in one. 

However, as I began to grow into my practice, and into the understanding of what yoga is, and what it can do to a human, the benefits to my "non-physical" being (my head, my heart, my soul, etc.), have kept me coming back for more. 

The physical postures, formally referred to as Asanas, are one of the eight limbs of yoga.  You could study one limb of yoga for the entirety of your life, and still only scratch the surface of it (in my humble opinion).  

Today's practice will begin, as all of my practices do; sitting on my mat, meditating, praying, and beginning breathe techniques (formally called Pranayama), to prepare myself for my Asanas, and the day ahead. 

Time to begin...  

Wednesday, September 23, 2020 (Part II) 

In total, a light, mini-practice (which includes prayers, meditation, breathing/pranayama, followed by Surya Namaskar A and Surya Namaskar B/Sun Salute A and Sun Salute B, followed by a closing sequence of backbends, inversions, handstands, and Savasana), takes about 1 hour.  My full practice, which follows the same sequence as above, but includes a longer list of Asana after my Surya Namaskar sequence, takes anywhere form 1.5 to 2 hours total.....this is why I get up at 4:15am.

Today's practice was similar to yesterday's in that, there wasn't much in the way of enlightenment of connection.  A practice is still better than none, and, as joggers say, "no matter how slow you're running...you're beating the people on the couch". 

Namaste   

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