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East Aurora Yoga
Things You Might Wonder About:
What if I don’t look like the pictures of yoga I see?
Gone are the days when yoga students donned leotards and tights. You can wear any comfortable clothing to class. Make sure you can tuck in a t-shirt, or wear a body hugging one, so that it doesn’t ride up and get in your face as you practice. If you would like to purchase clothing designed for yoga, it is available everywhere: Target, Old Navy, every department store. But don’t feel you need to. Sweat pants and a t-shirt work just fine. Wear what makes you feel comfortable.
All classes will include an opening relaxation to relax and focus the body and the mind. Then, movements and breathing exercises to warm the body up will be done. A variety of postures, or yoga poses, will follow. These will include standing poses, balancing poses, seated poses, twists, and inversions (don’t worry, not headstands and handstands – unless you are in advanced class and feel ready to try). All these different poses are designed to gently stretch the muscles, tone the body, strengthen the body, increase balance, increase joint mobility and flexibility, improve breathing, provide relief from tension and stress, and make you feel good. Sounds like a tall order? Well, it is, but yoga delivers all this.
What if I don’t look like the pictures of yoga I see?
Relax. You do not need to be super flexible or to be super athletic or to be superwoman or superman to practice yoga. A yoga class is not about feeling the burn, working harder, pushing yourself further, or doing things faster. It is about working at your own pace, moving in your pain free range of motion, and allowing the body to slowly change and develop at its own unique pace. There is no competition in a yoga class. It is a practice. An enjoyable, thoughtful, gentle, and thorough system of sustained practice that brings about lasting change in body and in mind as well.
How Often Can I Practice Yoga?
As often as you like! Once a week practice will bring noticeable results. Twice a week will bring even greater benefits. This includes not only practicing with a teacher, but practicing yoga at home as well.
Here are some good books to read and help build your understanding and practice of yoga.
These books can be ordered from The Bookworm right here in East Aurora. The Bookworm is located at 34 Elm Street. Visit their website at www.eabookworm.com for more information on how to order.
Yoga Mind &Body by the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center
This book offers clear pictures and descriptions of all the essential poses, as well as information on all the dimensions of yoga. An excellent book for beginners or more advanced practitioners to use as a reference.
Yoga The Spirit and Practice of Moving Into Stillness by Erich Schiffmann
Erich Schiffman describes the practice of yoga and its many benefits in a clear and moving manner. Lovely descriptions and pictures of the postures. And an excellent introduction to meditation.
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other important information: