My eyes close and I imagine the possible fountain of youth that comes as a result of practicing yoga. When I started running many years ago, not as a young woman I may add, I felt a lot of benefits then that I now receive from yoga. Something positively magical happens! Yoga opens the body to release stress, anxiety and tightness found in every day living. It undoes stiffness, tension, and soreness in my neck and shoulders from sitting hunched over a computer, from standing or from the pounding of a competitive tennis match.

Yoga stretches me out so that I am once again flexible. Balance, strength and better posture are due in part from a steady diet of yoga, I am certain.

But that’s not all. This physical restoration keeps me very interested in returning to class over and over. What I have also discovered are other subtle benefits to staying consistent. Sometimes a spiritual or creative mindset takes over my thoughts and my open heart begins to explore what I might be feeling: joy, pain, excitement, grief or simply peace. It’s a softer endorphin rush than what I experienced with running. It is nevertheless a physical and emotional plate of feel-good! Yoga is delicious; don’t just try it out, give it a long term commitment and enjoy the many benefits.

As my eyes open I am refreshed, invigorate and relaxed after my one hour Vinyassa session. I leave class feeling that aging just slowed a little, if even for a day.