Yoga time

I have started Yoga.

It makes me feel good. I still think I am million and two miles away from mastery but hey, each night I actually feel I am getting better and better! Nothing ventured nothing gained as I say…

So my Reasons for taking up yoga….

• All-round fitness
• Toning
• Stress relief
• Inner peace
• Improved immunity
• Living with greater awareness
• Increased energy
• Better flexibility & posture 

         (I thought the Splits was something you have with bananas and cream.  If I can do it, so can you.) 

I hadn't really found an exercise I was happy with longterm; jogging was short term, maybe I will get back into it when the sunshine remembers earth. I bought an exercise bike, which I can admit I still use even if its for 3 or 10 minutes of cycling a day, every bit helps right? However, I still wasn't feeling as though my body, mind and spirit were actually benefiting from it though. (Yes I know cycling on a real bike is so much beneficial, but like I Tom Jones once sang; ‘baby its cold outside’.)

I think I was looking on ‘pintrest’ one night and looking at fitness jargon and some funky looking moves caught my eye so much so I turned away from the phone and gave them a go. It felt oh so good.

3 weeks on and I am still sttrreettcchhiinngg and trying new moves.
Sleeping has improved, posture and general well being. I will be starting yoga classes very shortly thank you to my thoughtful husband. A welcomed birthday gift.
If you haven’t worked it out yet….yoga is perfect for budding singers. I have been known to add in a move or two in a lesson because the effects are so great!

Posture
Your head is heavy. About a stone in fact. When it’s balanced directly over an erect spine, it takes much less work for your neck and back muscles to support it. Move it several inches forward, however, and you start to strain those muscles. Poor posture can cause back, neck, and other muscle and joint problems. As you slump, your body may compensate by flattening the normal inward curves in your neck and lower back. This can cause pain and degenerative arthritis of the spine. It looks terrible if you have poor posture whilst singing and the air flow can become restricted which is bad news.

Focus
An important component of yoga is focusing on the present. Studies have found that regular yoga practice improves coordination, reaction time, memory, and even IQ scores! Negative thoughts have no place in a singers mind. (or anyone's for that matter) so the more you practice yoga the better; you will feel positive about yourself and others!  I am a huge fan of Eckheart Tolle. I urge everyone to purchase his book, ‘The Power of Now’ which addresses the present moment more deeply.

Yoga encourages you to relax, slow your breath, and focus on the present. It lowers breathing and heart rates, decreases blood pressure, Ideal for singing since singing is all about keeping a maintained focus relaxed body.
Yoga slows down the mental loops of frustration, regret, anger, fear, and desire that can cause stress. And since stress is implicated in so many health problems—from migraines and insomnia to lupus, MS, eczema, high blood pressure, and heart attacks—if you learn to quiet your mind, you’ll be likely to live longer and healthier. Not bad huh?

And on top of that become a better singer?! Not bad huh?


Now where’s my purple mat?

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