Yoga for Wellness
by Keith R. Holden, M.D.
In the recent past, yoga in America was looked upon as a New Age practice for yuppies. We have now come to learn through scientific study that this ancient mind-body practice, which originated in India, has powerful health benefits.
I used to dabble in yoga going to a class here and there at my gym. It wasn't until I began a regular yoga class, that I realized how much better my body felt in general. The combination of breath work, stretching, strength moves, balancing, channeling of the body's energy, and visualization is incredibly powerful.
My favorite part of yoga is called Shavasana where you lie in a very relaxed "corpse pose" at the end of the session and let yourself wind down and observe as the relaxation response of your body takes over. It was in Shavasana one night where I realized what yoga is all about - honoring the body. We must honor the body and its energy, including spiritual energy, for good emotional and physical health. It is through mind-body practices like yoga where we can combine or "yoke" together our Mind, Body, and Spirit. Integrating that sacred triune helps formulate optimal health.
I'm blessed to have two very good friends, Dennis and Kathy Lang, who happen to be fantastic yoga teachers. I team up with them to give Chakra Yoga Workshops throughout the Jacksonville area. They are teachers in more than just the physical aspects of yoga. They speak and act their Truth, teach by example, and approach life from a holistic viewpoint. Most importantly, they walk their talk and honor their body daily through healthy diet, spiritual practices, and yoga. As teachers of Truth, they are non-judgmental, humble, and ever so kind.
Dennis and Kathy are the only yoga instructors in the area to offer Yin Yang yoga. This is how they describe it: "Classes may include inspirational reading, yoga philosophy with contemporary and personal applications, energy balancing techniques, a balanced practice leading to a peak energy or targeting a specific issue (e.g., hip opening) or meridian channel (e.g., liver). Emphasis is placed on alignment, breath control, inner awareness, and sensory observation.
Yin and Yang are commonly understood in terms of solar and lunar energies or the sun versus moon. As in life and nature, from a Taoist perspective, our tissues and organs are also Yin or Yang. In fact, yoga, anatomy and physiology, and various yoga techniques, are characterized in terms of yin and yang. The most relevant aspect is the elasticity of the tissues involved. Yang tissues like muscles are more fluid-filled, soft, and elastic; yin tissues like connective tissue (ligaments, tendons, and fascia) and bones are dryer, harder, and stiffer.
Exercise that focuses on muscle tissue is yang; exercise that focuses on connective tissue is yin. This Yin Yang class will integrate our teachings and styles emphasizing energy balance, targeting energy channels and centers, as well as address specific health issues."
All I know is that Yin Yang yoga leaves me with a feeling and a knowing that I have honored my body, and in doing so, has bettered my health.
The Divine in me honors the Divine in you. Namaste.
To learn more about Dennis and Kathy Lang, click on the following link:
Dennis and Kathy Lang, Yoga Instructors
