During my youth in Germany I would rise at 5:50 am to get ready for school. Many mornings, as I walked through the dining room on my way to the kitchen, I would find my mother on an exercise mat doing yoga.

A good portion of our neighbor ladies took yoga classes on a regular basis. They were offered through a college extension in our small community of 2,500 people.

At the time I had no idea what impact my mother’s daily yoga practice and her participations in yoga classes would have on me. Here I am 20 years later in a small town, several thousand miles away in another country, an ocean in-between, practicing and teaching yoga myself.

Why yoga? Through yoga I feel healthier in my body and mind. My regular yoga practice enables me to keep my spine and its abnormalities in check. I’ve been able keep back pain at a minimal level. I have learned to embrace the ups and downs of life with greater ease. I do feel calmer and more in control of myself. It has helped me to better accept my limitations and imperfections as a human being. In short: It simply makes me feel better.

With its beginnings rooted in ancient India, yoga has been evolving over the past 5,000 years. The core of the teaching consists of an eight fold system of techniques to rebalance body and mind. The word yoga comes from Sanskrit, the classical language of India. It best is translated as “yoking” or integration - the integration of body, mind, and spirit.

In the West when referring to yoga we mainly are talking about hatha-yoga. So, when you hear someone talk about “taking a yoga class” the person most likely refers to hatha-yoga. There are many forms of yoga, of which hatha-yoga is just one. It consists of the physical conditioning of the body through the practice of asanas (postures) and breathing & meditation exercises to focus and still the mind. In the beginning hatha-yoga was for the most devoted practitioners who needed a well-trained body for their deep meditation, which required them to sit still for hours, even days on end.

Nowadays yoga has found its way into the mainstream work-out landscape of America. Gladly, it can be found not just in metropolitan areas, but also in small towns. So what do we want with this old stuff?

Let’s take a look at present-day living. The pace of life has become faster than ever with modern technology leading the way, towering expectations infuse our work, our relationships, even our spare time. Daily life is full of challenges driven by a highly competitive society. The result: STRESS in different appearances and its related health issues. Worries and various forms of fear find their way into our longing for fulfilled and happy lives.

That is where yoga comes into play.It offers a whole–person approach through asanas (body poses), breath work and observation of body and mind. Yoga lets you tune in, chill out, shape up – all at the same time. Certain poses are specifically designed to restore and rejuvenate our sometimes so frazzled existence, while other poses build strength, stamina, and work on increased mobility. It’s in the mix where you can find balance. All you need to do is to give a try and see for yourself.

Next time find out how yoga compares to many fitness-related activities.

Martina Maxfield