Yoga for mature people

Yoga for mature people, as they reach the latter trimester of life is of great use. Many people of this age feel they should "take it easy" and slow down the movement of the body. This is actually very far from the truth and the saying "use it or lose it" is by far closer to the truth.

Long periods of sitting can bring about muscle weakening and shortening. People lacking in weight_bearing activity can develop osteoporosis. No movement and lack of stretching can bring about joint deterioration and loss of flexibility. The less they move the body the easier it is to succumb to a variety of ailments. It becomes a difficult cycle.

A lack of balance for senior citizens which can arise from sitting rather than standing can lead to falls which are a major problem for the mature aged person. Complications can arise from these falls and yoga can help to align the body and a greater sense of balance can be restored.

Yoga has been found to slow or sometimes slowly reverse the aging process. Senior yoga classes are now to be found in most towns and are growing rapidly. The breath awareness and gentle movement of yoga make it a beneficial and achievable practice for the aged.

Practicing yoga at this age is definitely beneficial for the body but should be practiced with awareness and gentleness if starting yoga for the first time. Always be aware of health concerns and talk to your teacher about any ailments you may have. A good teacher will take this information on and guide you where necessary. Reducing the length of time an asana is held is also a good idea. There is nothing to be gained by stressing the body the first time in a yoga class and then feeling sore and not wanting to come back. Strength will build relatively quickly and it is better to walk before running in yoga.

A consistent practice of yoga will help the aged to gain flexibility rather quickly and this flexibility does not only work on the physical body. The flexibility gained in class through the physical asana work will then transfer to life in general. Flexibility at this age to welcome the changes and cycles that inevitably come will be a big help and the yoga practitioner will grow to soften and surrender to changes in life in general. Yoga promotes a feeling of bliss and calm and for the aged what better time to experience the joy of just being!!

A good meeting place for senior citizens is also the yoga class. Bringing together like minded individuals, it is a way for people of this age to create a lasting social peer group. Many aging people can come to feel isolated as life goes on and going for a cuppa after class can lead to lasting friendships.

Enjoy yoga, feel the bliss in life and the joy in your breath, it is never too late to start!!!