When writers refer to ancient forms of exercise like Yoga they often use the noun “discipline” to describe them. In this instance, it is meant to describe “a field of study.” And in the long run isn’t that what discipline is?
We look to learn how to discipline ourselves in many areas of our lives and often that examination involves techniques that give us confidence. Confidence in turn gives us strength and a positive outlook on challenges in our lives.
Yoga is one such discipline; it builds physical strength, mental strength and stability in areas outside the exercise.
When I started performing Yoga on a regular basis I found I felt better mentally and physically. Discipline in other areas of my life became less difficult because I used the same Yoga techniques to achieve self-control. Discipline is a muscle and needs exercising regularly just like any other part of our bodies.
Yoga forces us to see each part of our body as a separate, yet integral part of the whole and thus, must be taught how to remain flexible and strong so as to contribute to the overall health of our body. The different pose each target different individual muscles in the arms, neck, legs, and back to bring them into alignment through slow stretching, balance and strength moves.
The same mental disciplines can be applied to other aspects of our lives and aid us in decision-making. Indecision can paralyze us and keep us from moving forward in our occupations or avocations. The confidence gained through Yoga enhances and strengthens your mental processes in work and play.
If you need to face a particular challenging decision in a relationship, you can apply Yoga principles to evade: denial and avoidance of the problem altogether; making a decision that doesn’t empower you to move forward; choose a hasty decision that will cause more difficulties or create a angry situation that solves nothing and may perpetuate the problem.
Yoga was first used by the ancient Hindu yogi’s of India to obtain self-control and elevate their consciousness to an enlightened state of awareness. When you apply that philosophy to your world outside Yoga, you can add meditation to achieve a calm mind to work your way through a problem at work or home.
When you think about it, Yoga has been around for thousands of years and is still a viable solution to staying healthy, physically and mentally; there must be some positive rewards to the practice that keeps attracting followers. Not only do you acquire good health, but also the strength to tackle other situations that require discipline and mental fortitude.
In today’s modern and fast paced life, we often need to reign in our habits surrounding food, drink, emotions, relationships, money and spirituality to achieve balance. When our lives are out of balance, it’s just like a tire on your car that needs balancing, it vibrates through the steering wheel telling you it is wearing poorly and won’t last as long as it should.
Our bodies are the same, when they need balance they often fall ill with poor blood pressure, a heightened sense of stress and unhappiness, and bad eating habits that throw our systems into a tail spin of obesity. Yoga will help you balance your mental and physical accounts and the rest of your life will take on a new sheen as well.
If you are lacking discipline in your life give Yoga a try for several months, easing yourself into the poses with a class twice a week and see if you don’t feel better and have more energy. The discipline to attend the classes and the discipline learned in each class will enhance your life in many ways.
Any way you look at it, it’s just one man’s opinion…mine.
Keith Edwin Renninson is co-owner, along with Jeffrey Forman, of Golden Years Videos, LLC a production company dedicated to offering exercise videos for those over 50 or of any age who are rehabilitating from an accident or illness.
Renninson is an avid exercise and yoga enthusiast. Now in his late 50’s; he still races bicycles and regularly skis the black diamond runs in Colorado where he lives. For many years, a bona fide gym rat, Renninson still loves to lift free weights and use exercise machines.
You can contact Renninson or read more about his company and the videos they have available at: [http://www.goldenyearsvideos.com]
