Yoga and Your
Life Balance
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After a surge of
interest during the consciousness-conscious
'60s, yoga began to fall out of favor.
Exercisers apparently lost patience with
the activity, which offers slow but steady
results, and turned to the fast pace and
quick shape-up of aerobics.
Now yoga is back-less mystical than
in the past, less reminiscent of gurus
in pretzel positions, and more attractive
than ever to people who are interested
in working out rather than working toward
some spiritual goal.
Once you step out of the metaphysical
atmosphere, yoga is a great stretch and
flexibility program. Yoga is increasingly
being used by those who are having a trouble
in balancing their work and personal life.
A stressful working environment and a
hectic schedule has a telling impact on
the personal lives of the modern day executives
and so they are turning to yoga to bring
about a peace of their mind and to adopt
a perfect work-life balance.
Also, many disgruntled runners, weight
trainers and aerobic dancers complain
that instead of reducing the stress in
their lives, their exercise regimes add
more.
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People rush to work out every day at lunch,
force themselves to keep up and then rushed
back to work. Surely, it does something good
for them, but it is just another pressure. Yoga
is less competitive, less stressful, and above
all gives a wonderful feeling of being.
Indeed, the healing
aspect of yoga is a key to its renewed popularity.
The strained knees, aching backs and neck pains
generated by the push for fitness and the stress
of making it in a competitive world have inspired
a packaged set of a book and audio cassettes.
Some orthopedic surgeons, chiropractors and
neurologists are now referring patients to specific
yogis during treatment.
Growing interest in the mind-body connection
is fueling a major comeback of the ancient practice,
boosted by research suggesting it can reduce
stress and blood pressure, improve work performance,
even slow effects of aging.
Several techniques are now being taught in
mainstream hospitals and businesses; books about
them are brisk sellers and discussion groups
have sprung up on the Internet.
Even the Army is interested - it has asked
the National Academy of Sciences to study meditation
and other new age techniques that might enhance
soldiers' performance.
Details differ, but a common theme is relaxing
the body while keeping the mind alert and focused
- on an object, sound, breath or body movement.
If the mind wanders - and it always does - you
gently bring it back and start again
Stress-related problems account for 60 percent
to 90 percent of U.S. doctor visits, and mind-body
approaches often are more effective, and cost-effective,
than drugs or surgery. For example, 34 percent
of infertile patients get pregnant within six
months, 70percent of insomniacs become regular
sleepers and doctor visits for pain are reduced
36 percent.
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