“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 »