Thoughts on Yoga
Why You Should Do Yoga All Summer Long
2007-05-01
Welcome to Summer in New England! We at Mama Nirvana's love having four real seasons.
As they say, "If you don't like the weather here, wait 15 minutes and it will change."
Of course, we never let the weather interfere with doing our yoga. That's why our studios are a steady 72 degrees all summer long.
So enjoy summer heat to your heart's content and then come over to the studio and relax in cool, dry comfort.
Here are ten other reasons to start up or maintain a regular yoga schedule during the summer:
- If your work is tied to the academic calendar, you have more free time during the summer.
- If your kids are home during the summer you probably need to get a break to recharge. Many of our yoga students' kids will ask "Would you please go to yoga, 'cuz you're a lot nicer afterward."
- Warm weather loosens up the joints and you can really impress yourself with your practice.
- Cool, dry, clean, quiet environment: See "air conditioning" above.
- Yoga will keep your body pain free while you do the outdoorsy stuff. You love to do (check all that apply) golfing, hiking, fishing, bicycling, camping, running, gardening, swimming, waterskiing, yard work..the list goes on and on. Doing yoga makes all the other activities fun and pain free. Most of us who are out of our twenties will develop sore spots associated with our favorite activities. These can get in the way big time. Keep your body tip-top so you can enjoy your life every day ths summer.
- You mind doesn't sit down and behave just because it's warm outside. You know what I am talking about--stress knows no season. When the nice weather comes we imagine how happy and relaxed we will be feeling. Fond memories and soft-focus pictures of fun times fill us with anticipation. But reality doesn't stop: work, bills, family issues, traffic, car trouble, responsibilities, illness, unexpected crises are always with us. Some of the most stressed out moments I can remember took place while I was on vacation. I hate to burst your bubble, but I didn't make the rules of life. Yoga helps us weather the bad stuff and avoid a lot of pain and distress.
- Remember last winter when you told yourself that as soon as the snow and ice were melted you were going to get yourself to a yoga class and start taking better care of yourself? Now it's too: hot/rainy/humid/sunny/beautiful/nasty... With logic like that, you can never find the right time to do anything. Let it all go. See: New England and the Four Full Seasons, above.
- If you can't stand to be in a yoga studio when the sun is shining, just remember it rains a lot of days. And we have classes after dark.
- Despite all our encouragement, classes are still smaller in the summer. We call our summer students "Ye Die-Hards Of Summer--God Bless Ye!" You will get more personal attention from us during the summer than any other time of year. We don't even charge extra for summer classes.
- What is your highest aspiration in life? Think about how acheiving this will make you feel. Contented? Peaceful? Joyous? Satisfied? Hey--that's just the way people feel after doing yoga! Learning yoga you learn how to feel that way almost all the time! Why on earth would you ever want to postpone getting started?