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Taking Care - Taking Charge With Yoga
by Mary Jo Ruggieri,
Ph.D., RPP
The journey begins with
ourselves. Understanding that our mind and body are connected, is the first
step. Taking care means being aware that our body is our temple and how we treat
it will determine our state of health. Taking charge simply means doing
something about the things that affect our health. Such as stress!
Many of those aches and
pains could very well be the result of the stress in our lives. Some research
even suggests that stress causes many diseases such as cancer, arthritis and our
course high blood pressure.
What can we do about this
stress?? Try Yoga
Yoga has been called the
science of healing. It is a system of combining easy exercises and stretching
while using different breathing patterns. Yoga works all the muscle groups in a
very balanced way. When doing yoga exercises you will learn how to focus and
relax the tension in your body.
Start by sitting in a
comfortable chair, rest your hands on your knees and slowly begin to breathe in
and out of your nose. Keeping your eyes closed, slowly drop your head forward,
then rotate to the right then to the left. Stretch your neck as you roll to each
side. Do this several times then end by rolling your shoulders forward and back.
This is a simple yoga balance set that can be used any time.
Participating in a regular
yoga program will bring joy and balance to your daily life.
Hatha is one of the most
popular forms of yoga. It is a 3000 year old system that combines both physical,
mental and emotional training. It uses various postures and deep breathing
exercises to relax the body.
Yoga practiced on a daily
basis eliminates negative thinking patterns as well as improving movement and
easing pain.
Yoga can be a good partner
on your journey to health and happiness.
Mary Jo Ruggieri, PhD,
RPP, a former faculty at Ohio State University, is the Director of the Columbus
Polarity Center. A center for energetic studies and bodywork. She teaches yoga
and stress management classes as well as having a private polarity therapy
practice. (614) 299-9438 maryjo@columbuspolarity.com
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