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About What's happening. (Eugene, OR) 1982-1993 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 1986)
■HEALTH & FITNESS YOGA by Ken Rowlett For Health, Fitness and Relaxation Several thousand years ago, Hatha Yoga originated from ob serving breathing and movement patterns of animals and ascetics who long remained strong and healthy. They used deep breath ing and stretching upon awaken ing to revitalize and limber their bodies. The techniques and pat terns of their movements de veloped into yoga postures that were designed to enhance health, vitality, and relaxation. Hatha Yoga is a form of art us ing the body as an instrument. Si milar in form to dance or gym nastics, the effects of yoga pos tures combined with deep breath ing permeate deep layers of the body. Yoga stimulates the internal organs and glands, and develops the anatomical structure through stretching and strengthening mus cles and joints. Yoga means union, and de notes union of the body, mind, and spirit. The literal translation of Ha/tha is sun/moon, symbol izing balance. Yoga postures, or asanas, are the physical aspect of Hatha Yoga. Traditionally speak ing, asana implies posture that is firm, steady, and comfortable, one in which the mind is free of in ternal or external distractions. One of the sources of disturbance to the mind is the physical body, and that is why Hatha Yoga em phasizes stretching and strength ening the body to still the mind. The exercises (asanas) are iso metric in principle and provide an ideal balance between exertion and stillness (relaxation). One uses only the muscles necessary to create movement, while other muscles relax and lengthen. Hatha Yoga is a way of developing body awareness, reaching profound re laxation and promoting health and fitness. Yoga postures massage, stretch, contract, and expand internal organs. They stimulate the diges tive organs, soothe and strengthen the nervous system, as well as strengthen and improve the effi ciency of the respiratory, circu latory, and endocrine systems. Yoga also stimulates acupuncture meridians to balance the energy of organs and glands. Thus, there is balance and harmony between the outer body and the physiological functioning of the inner body. A balanced body that is in harmony with itself functions more effi ciently and enjoys greater freedom of movement. Yoga is gentle enough to accom modate those with injuries or health problems, and can be vig orous enough to give anyone a good work-out. It is an excellent complement to running, swim ming, skiing, or most any form of exercise and sports. Many athletes are turning to yoga and flexibility training for strength as well as correction and prevention of in juries, or to enhance their training program. Others use it to improve the quality of their life. Stretching with alignment de velops strength, flexibility, bal ance, coordination, endurance, and concentration. Asanas func tion to balance the body's struc ture by strengthening weak areas and stretching areas that are tight. In this manner, yoga helps correct misalignments that often precede injuries, lower back and other spinal problems. Correct align ment brings energy to and stimu lates areas that are weak, mal functioning, or lacking aliveness. Yoga is an effective means of relieving tension and reducing stress by stimulating the endocrine system and soothing nerves and muscles. Practicing yoga is a metaphor that can be applied in all aspects of our life. The chal lenge in practicing is to synchro nize breath with movement, re main relaxed, present, mindful and aware of the body, posture, and feelings. From this perspec tive, it is a lifetime endeavor. Asanas practiced with this kind of internal and external awareness in movement. are meditation When you become the pose, you are the doer and the observer, and then the pose unfolds from the in side out. You are the pose, not separate from it, so the messages, thoughts, and feelings are coming from your body, not the brain. Breathing is an integral part of yoga and is central to all physiol ogical functions of the body. Breathing directly influences movement within the body and movement influences breath. Conscious breathing synchronized with movement is an efficient way of influencing the shape of the spine —the single most important structure in the practice of Hatha Yoga. The breath is a bridge be tween the mind and body and is a vital link with emotions. With en hanced sensitivity to the breath comes a sense of well-being and inner freedom. Yoga practice alone does not automatically bring good health, and it is worth considering diet, nutrition, mental attitude, and emotions. Eating habits and the quantity and quality of food we consume is important for health. Whole foods in their natural state are most easily digested and as similated to produce the energy we operate on. Thoughts and feel ings greatly influence bodily proc esses on all levels. Mabel Todd states in The Thinking Body, "We sit and walk as we think. Behavior is rarely rational; it is habitually emotional. We may speak wise words as the result of reasoning, but the entire being reacts to feel ing. For every thought supported by feeling, there is a muscle change. Primary muscle patterns being the biological heritage of man, man's whole body records his emotional thinking." The inner and outer body, down to the cellular level, are influenced by the way we think and feel. Work ing with body posture, as well as attitude, yoga, diet, nutrition, and emotions is a way to create bal ance and harmony that lead to op timum health. [Ken Rowlett is a certified yoga in structor. He teaches yoga for health, fitness and relaxation, has been prac ticing yoga for 10 years, and consults with businesses and individuals in Eu gene. He has personally applied yoga therapeutically to overcome a severe chronic lower back problem. He is a distance runner and ran cross-country at the University of Tennessee.) HakomI is a process of personal transformation based on trust in every individual’s Inner ' wisdom. [ HAKOMI INTRODUCTORY EVENING with Ron Kurtz Sept. 19 Fri. 7-9 pm. Free. Reserve space. 4-DAY WORKSHOP with Pat Ogden, Richard A. Heckler Sept. 13-16. $300 deposit Sept. 2 BODY READING with Ron Kurtz Sept. 20-21 $125 HAKOMI THERAPIST TRAINING . Year long starts Oct 9 Call Nina Cherry 485-8090 NURSERY tit For the freshest herbs—_ Delicious! Market KIVA Mark’s Produce Pasta Plus L & L Produce Fettucine & Company Friendly St. Market The Greengrocer (5th St.) Red Barn Oasis Sundance Served at the finest local restaurants. 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