What's New in the World of Yoga:
"To understand water is to understand the cosmos, the marvels of nature, and life itself."
~ Masaru Emoto in "The Hidden Messages in Waters"
As children we are drawn to the water. We love to splash, to be submerged, to float. We rejoice in the lightness we experience when we allow our bodies to simply glide and flow. So it is no wonder that as adults we are often drawn to creating ways to return to this childhood enjoyment.
For individuals dealing with injuries or ailments, water aerobics and yoga are rapidly becoming known as solutions to more strenuous exercise choices, and it would therefore seem a natural choice to combine the two.
Cynthia Blalek created her Yoga Afloat® program as a way of alleviating her two-year struggle with chronic fatigue and fibromyalsia, which had left her unable to participate in regular land-based activities such as yoga. By relying on the therapeutic and buoyant properties of water, she found it not only assisted her in reducing the strain on her joints and muscles, but also gave her the ability to achieve the necessary flexibility and balance.
Yoga Afloat® focuses on a combination of breath work and Hatha yoga poses, and occasionally includes the use of floating equipment to accomplish various standing poses. The program provides similar results as that of a traditional yoga practice in a studio and, because of the water's buoyancy, it is safe for individuals of every fitness level.
As Cynthia explains, "…practicing yoga in the water was like nothing else I had ever felt." It is a one on one experience with nature. The water's energy suddenly becomes your own when you have none. You become accepting of this as you feel yourself slowly being restored. It is not a miracle. You have to "let go", relax and learn to be passive and receive a little at a time."
Whether you have an ongoing injury and are looking at ways to regain your strength in a gentle way, or you are trying to relive a youthful pastime of playing in the water, a water yoga class can be a fun and restorative experience to participate in.
Updates from the Blog:
The Water Yogi
Gopal Chandra Adak was raised in Jhalalsi, a village in West Bengal's Howrah District that was often barraged by floods. Seeking a way to survive in his environment, he began practicing floating for hours in the water. Even though he was only ten years old when he began, he soon discovered that he enjoyed this activity and decided to take it further by trying various yoga poses in the water. Continue Reading...
A Gentle Journey
There is often a great deal of controversy surrounding yoga when it is offered in church centers. This is due to the perception that yoga is being promoted as a "religious" practice. However, many people of varied faiths have found a way to understand and accept yoga for its physical benefits while managing to infuse their own spiritual practices. Continue Reading...
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