Yoga does wonders for me

27.5.07

Last summer, I never experienced a pain in my joints excruciatingly and my legs felt stiffer whenever I climbed stairs, I had to stop dancing. This had been my crazy hobby for last two years. Since then, my feeling had been so emotionally and physically drained that I felt as if I’d aged years in one. At that moment I was dreaming of any medicine, therapy or what ever exercise which could strengthen my vulnerable legs or at least reenergise me to live back to normal.

One day, my mother tried Yoga in a class for the first time in her life. She couldn’t wait to tell us the magic she experienced – she had the most decent sleep for years after the session. She had trouble sleeping but now it only takes a few minutes to sleep. Most importantly, the quality of her sleep has been improved overwhelmingly thanks to Yoga.

Despite having been fascinated by Yoga’s many other incredible effectiveness for ages, I had to say that I was apprehensive - Was Yoga a boring exercise compared with dancing as I heard of before or as some people believe a sophisticated, tough training which may not suit for every one? I had not made up my mind until I received a mailshot three month ago. It was a coupon in cheque form for the fee of a Yoga club in Causeway Bay.

Something inside me pleased me to try. I signed up immediately. The first three sessions really have made a difference to me, putting my life in prospective.

First, I didn’t expect Yoga is a life science in spite of its ancient and holistic history. Yoga is a process of training the body and mind. Its goal is to make it easier for people to remove all destructions in the state of mind and body through various practices. The physical training is to bring the body under complete control in such areas as the regulation of breathing and flexibility of muscles. The mental training is to release the stress, remove obstacles and all disturbances though controlled breathing and meditation and internal massages.


As a result, how to breathe in Yoga way is foremost step I needed to learn – a way which alter my way I think and feel. Every simple breathe, pose or even yourself image can be disparate from what you were aware of before –following instructions, I was immersed in a complete inner, peaceful, cosy, relaxing inner universe. My body and mind were softened. I had this feeling of great power.

Amazingly, a regular breathing system can generate unbelievably mighty energy to support a series stretching, bending, balancing… With deep and full inhalation and exhalation, I can gain much more energy to do poses that I didn’t expect I would be able to. I’m sure the more I practise it, the more flexible my body will be. And, hopefully, my rheumatism/arthritics will be gone.

Another wonder is its mental training through breathe and meditation. This practice can clean our head to achieve a pure self-world in which you will experience a self-discovery journey – to be aware of your existence – a state of being alone with a person you may be too familiar with to really understand. To my astonishment, I’ve never felt my existence so intimately – it is a sense of feeling of your internal body movements – a series exercise in regulation of pulse, blood circulation, release of strain of eyes, massages of toes and hair, intestine and gain maximum concentration. What a tranquil, intriguing world.

Inspired by yoga, I’m imaging how to practice its spirit and theory into my daily life – to transform myself into a person with great endurance, more stamina, a clear head, a peaceful, broad mind, high concentration during studying and working…

Yoga is way to increase inner peace and wellbeing. Everyone can reap the benefit of taking up as daily exercise. Honestly, I’m becoming addicted to it. It’s likely to be my life hobby.