I stumbled into yoga almost by accident, I walked into a studio one morning knowing absolutely nothing about yoga. By the time my first class was over I was addicted. I signed up for unlimited classes and attended daily, sometimes twice a day for over 3 months.

It’s funny but soon after starting yoga I realized that I was carrying a lot of emotional baggage, you know, the things we like to keep in the closet, the sometimes silly things that keep our minds running and running all day, the “why me” syndrome. Years of bad habits in eating, drinking, and attitude weren’t making things any easier either. In fact they were only making my life more stressful and frustrating, both physically and mentally. One day I was informed that I had some serious digestive issues and if I continued down that road I was going to have some major problems in my later years, that’s all it took. Now I am relieved and happy to report that a good, strong, healthy dose of yoga has eradicated most of these issues and as an added bonus I am in the best shape I have ever been in my entire life, physically and mentally.

I’ve come to realize that yoga is not just a workout, it is a lifestyle that has taught me how to take care of my body through diet and excercise, how to clear my mind of all the “noise”, and how to approach life, myself, and others with patience and respect. I can say without any doubt or hesitation and with a smile on my face, that I am a completely different person today than I was that day when I saw the “Yoga” sign and wondered what it was all about.

I now teach regularly at Park Cities Yoga.

“Oh, no! What have I done to my leg?!” intones Liz, a yoga practitioner since 1998, a single mom of two teenagers, and the managing director of a financial services office in Dallas. “Did I re-injure my leg?” She has come to Park Cities Yoga Thursday afternoon after work seeking to address unexpected pain in her leg and back.

Many Americans associate yoga with the practice of poses called asanas. These poses with names drawn from nature and India’s history may be practiced at a variety of paces, sequences, and in a variety of settings. At the foundation of the asanas lies an understanding of wholeness and unity linking the physical body, its breath, the senses, and the manifestations of one’s mind. Read the rest of this entry »

“I feel like I’ve just had my first yoga class, “says Fran, a mom of three and a well-toned yoga practitioner of some experience. “I feel great.” Fran is sensing the immediate benefits of her yoga practice, currently based at Park Cities Yoga on Lovers Lane.

As a mother of three, Fran is like a lot of people. Working moms juggle getting their kids to school on time, meeting deadlines, business travel, soccer practice, ballet, groceries, visits to the vet and dentist . . . you know the routine. All this running around doesn’t mean simply that they’re busy; it means that their minds are racing ahead or behind nearly constantly. It means worrying about the cascade of events triggered by your first grader forgetting his lunch. It means anticipating the necessary daily care for your invalid mother. It means fighting to maintain an even keel in the face of overwhelming demands and information.

For more than 16 million Americans, yoga is their not-so-secret weapon to help them do what needs to be done. Whether you are a working mom or a working man, whether you drive a Benz or a bus, whether you perform surgery or Beethoven, yoga is a way to simplify your life. For yoga devotees, yoga is the tool to transform regret and worry into the comfort of the here and now. Read the rest of this entry »