Yoga an exercise for mind, not just body
By Jennifer Duffy
Arizona Daily Star
May 23, 2006

I have a myth to bust: Yoga isn't exercise. At least, it's more than what Americans call "exercise." Sure, it stretches and tones your muscles, but the ultimate goal of yoga is not a better body, but a better state of being.

Clarity, calm and a conscious connection with each moment — all these things come from successful yoga practice.

Yoga is about the mental and emotional peace you find through looking inward, focusing on the breath and accepting the moment as it is.

"In some yoga belief systems, there's the belief that the asanas (yoga poses) and the physical aspect are really the introduction to yoga, the portal into gaining awareness, calm and connectedness," said Debbie Daly, a 12-year yogi and owner of Tucson Yoga.

This is sometimes a tough concept for the uninitiated to grasp.
I encourage my friends to try yoga, and hear excuses like "I only have a small amount of time for exercise and I have to do cardio" and "I'm too Type-A for yoga" all the time.

Don't think of yoga class as just a way to challenge your body but as an investment in your mind and emotional well-being. Some people even do yoga to relieve the symptoms of depression.

The most important lesson we should take away from the mat is mindfulness. (Ever drive somewhere and then realize you don't recall any of the drive? That's the opposite of mindfulness.)

We learn to use our breath to loosen our bodies and to focus on the exact moment we are in, without being distracted by thoughts of the past or future. We can apply this when we feel stressed out in traffic or when we want to scream and yell when someone upsets us. Breathing and remembering that there's peace inside us will guide us through tough times.

"Our yoga class is a microcosm," Daly said. "The overall philosophy is that your attitude toward difficulty in a pose is similar to the way you handle difficulty in life."

When we move into a pose and find resistance — tight muscles, discomfort or even a rush of anxiety — we have to face the resistance, breathe and find it within ourselves to move through it. Through yoga, we learn to face adversity in life with the same strength, patience and stillness.

There might be times when you move into a pose and feel such resistance from your muscles and body that you want to run out of the room.

Working through the tension and the discomfort ultimately leads to a feeling of relaxation, satisfaction and peace. This happiness can carry you throughout daily life and make you less reactive, more contemplative and satisfied.

By definition, yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. In our harried lives, yoga is not just one more activity to add to our to-do list but, rather, the model for clearing the unnecessary chaos and frenzy from our schedules and being mindful in each moment and breath that we take.

"People who do yoga regularly agree that it somehow makes extra time in your life, extra clarity and awareness," Daly said.

The bliss that we feel after a yoga class is not anything like the high from running or other cardiovascular exercise.

It's contentment and peace of mind that should seep into your very being the more you practice. It's an emotional middle-ground that's neither a rush of excitement nor a depressed lull.

"It puts you in a state where everything you thought was so important to do before class has suddenly dissolved, and you have a general feeling of balance and wellness without having to do the next thing," Daly said.

Contact Jennifer Duffy at jduffy@azstarnet.com. Look for health and fitness coverage each Tuesday in Accent. Find more of my columns online at www.azstarnet.com/sn/health