Yoga Articles

What Do You Want 50 to Look Like?

By Susan Winter Ward

How will the baby-boom generation reshape the definition of middle age? According to demographers, economists, and sociologists, this generation has a major impact on all aspects or society as those in it mature: so how will the "Boomers" redefine aging?

Getting older doesn't have to mean getting old. We certainly don't have to accept the traditional concept that aging means declining strength, health and quality of life. We can choose to maintain and create healthy, strong, vital bodies and minds.

For 5,000 years, yoga has been a path to health and living consciously in these bodies we inhabit. We're just discovering what has been known in India for thousands of years: that yoga is a personal "fountain of youth" because of its rejuvenating effects on the body and its calming influence on the mind. It's a pathway to heightened awareness of ourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Yoga is adaptable to any age or physical condition, and it's more effective than pumping iron for building strength and flexibility. It's more effective than aerobics for building stamina and breath control, it's more relaxing than jogging, and it has been clinically shown to lower blood pressure, increase circulation, build muscle tissue, increase flexibility, relieve stress and stress-related symptoms, and strengthen the respiratory system. Yoga offers relief from symptoms of menopause, it can counteract osteoporosis, cleanse internal organs, energize the nervous system, balance out the digestive system, and relieve headaches and lower back pain.

As a spiritual practice, yoga can be a pathway to greater enlightenment. It benefits the body mind, and soul Yoga is an adventure into ourselves and into our health. Health is a choice, and attitude, a state of mind. What do you want 50 to look like? It's all up to you. Through yoga we have the opportunity to redefine ourselves at 50, and at any age.

Try a few asanas! A yoga practice begins with just a breath, the basis of life. Try inhaling deeply for five counts, hold your breath for five counts, and exhale slowly for five counts. Repeat three to five times. Maintain an awareness of your breath throughout the yoga practice. Allow your breath and your body to move together. Be aware of the process of moving from one pose into the next, pausing in a pose for three to five breaths, and flowing gracefully and gently into the next pose.

Pose 1: Standing Mountain Pose with feet together, lift and lengthen your body. Inhaling. raise your arms overhead, shoulders relaxed, keeping your back flat. Take three to five breaths. Inhale deeply and exhale completely. Benefits: Lengthens and stretches the body, aligns posture. strengthens respiratory system, arms, shoulders, abdomen and back.

Pose 2: Standing Forward Fold From the Standing Mountain pose, exhale as you sweep your arms out to the sides and rotate forward from the hips keeping your back flat, letting your hands swing down to your toes. Keep your knees soft, head and neck relaxed, arms loose. Breathe deeply. Benefits: Increases spine strength and flexibility, stretches hamstrings. brings increased blood supply to head, relaxes neck and shoulders.

Pose 3: Arch From the Forward Fold, inhale as you press your chin out in front of you. Drop your breastbone toward the floor arching your back up. Reach forward with your chin and back through your tailbone, keeping your knees soft. Benefits: Strengthens back and increases spinal flexibility. Stretches hamstrings, tones nervous system and internal organs.

Pose 4: Down Dog From the Arch, place your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart. As you exhale, step your feet back behind you to bring your body into an upside down "V." Press the floor away from you with your hands as you drop your heels gently toward the floor. Let your chin drop toward your chest and breathe deeply. Benefits: Strengthens arms, legs, back, and shoulders. Stretches hamstrings, tones circulatory and nervous systems, massages abdominal organs.

Pose 5: Lunge From the Down Dog, inhale and step your right foot forward between your hands; slide your left leg back behind you, knee resting on the floor toes pointing away from you. Breathe deeply as you lift through the crown of your head, lifting your ribs away from your thigh. Benefits: Improves balance and posture, strengthens back and legs, strengthens spine. opens hips, tones arms. Tones digestive system.

Pose 6: Modified Pyramid From the Lunge, inhale and straighten your right leg. Keeping your back flat. exhale as you lean forward over your right leg. Extend out of your hips, breathing deeply. Try to keep your back foot flat on the floor. Keep your hands on the floor and step your feet together behind you as you exhale back into the Down Dog. Take several breaths, then, inhaling, step your left forward to repeat the Lunge and Modified Pyramid Poses on the other side. Exhale back into the Down Dog and take several long, deep breaths. Benefits: Strengthens neck and back, stretches hamstrings and abdominal muscles.

Pose 7: Child's Pose From the Down Dog, exhale as you bring your knees to the floor arms down along your sides, forehead resting on the floor. Try to keep your hips on your heels and breathe deeply. Benefits: Relaxes neck, arms, shoulders, spine, and legs. Stimulates digestion.

Pose 8: Spinal Twist From the Child's Pose, sit up and rock over onto your left hip, extend your right leg and cross your left foot over it. Inhaling, extend your right arm and wrap it around your bent left knee, twisting toward your knee and to the left as you exhale. Bring your left arm around behind you and breathe deeply as you twist. Then change sides. Benefits: Lubricates and nourishes spinal column, promotes circulation through internal organs used for digestion and elimination.

Pose 9: Upward Facing Boat From the Spinal Twist, extend both legs in front of you. Inhale, lift your legs, and find your balance point. Lift your chest upward, flattening your back. Support your legs lightly with your hands behind your knees, if necessary. Keep breathing deeply. Benefits: Develops balance and abdominal strength, tones back, thighs, and nervous system.

Pose 10: Seated Forward Fold Extend both legs out in front of you on the floor and flex your feet. Inhaling, raise your arms overhead, extend forward as you reach forward and down toward your legs. Keep the back of your knees dropping toward the floor. Benefits: Stretches spine and hamstrings, increases circulation in the spine, stimulates entire abdominal area and organs.

End your practice with a period of relaxation. Just lay down on your back, arms by your sides. Take two or three deep inhalations and complete exhalations, then let your breath become soft and natural. Tune in to how your body feels: more relaxed. centered. and peaceful. Allow yourself to fully experience and enjoy the benefits of yoga.

Thanks to www.yogaheart.com for permission to reprint this article.

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