By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500
Are we ever too old to start practicing Hatha Yoga? What is the definition of old? Are we old when we get stale in our thinking? Are we old when we are 50, 65, 80, or 95 years of age? There are many myths about life after 65, and the state of retirement.
Some people never retire because they love what they do, or they simply cannot afford to exist on a fixed income. There is also a myth that Yoga is only for the young. People who think, “I am too old to practice Yoga,” have been misinformed.
Photographs of young pretzel bodies doing a “mission impossible” pose are splashed over the covers of every Yoga and wellness magazine. When was the last time you saw a picture of someone, over 65 years old, practicing a Yoga posture on the cover of a magazine?
The public image of Yoga can be discouraging to the average person who is over 65, even though Yoga is an activity for people of all ages. Seniors often remark how Hatha Yoga makes life worth living. They feel healthier, expand their knowledge, and open the flood gates to Yogic consciousness. Hatha Yoga is a balanced activity, which can be modified for people who have difficulty getting up-and-down from the floor.
In fact, Chair Yoga classes accommodate people of all ages, who have difficulty with mobility. Those students, who are wheelchair bound, appreciate the finer points of Yoga practice. Many of them are interested in the deeper healing aspects, such as – Pranayama, Meditation, Relaxation, Mudras, and Mantras.
© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
To see our complete selection of Yoga teacher training courses, please feel free to visit the following link.
http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/Teacher-Courses/
FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”
FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul
Tags: chair yoga class, chair yoga classes, hatha yoga, practice yoga, practicing hatha yoga, practicing yoga, Yoga Teacher Training, yoga teacher training courses
Good article Paul…In the senior years one needs yoga more than ever. If practiced with devotion yoga is like the fountain of youth…
Aum Shanti
I am 69 years old and I love my yoga — it balances my life in all respects One of my students asked “what would your life be like if you had not practiced all these years?” I replied, “i’d probably be dead already from the high stress years of working and raising a family. Thanks for your informative and inspiring articles. When the news arrives it learning time once again. Thanks to Dr. Rita too!
I am 65 years old and do Hatha Yoga but have to modify myself so as not to strain …hard to not compare myself to younger people in class. Also high blood pressure issues make it necessary to skip postures with head below heart…
wish teachers were more knowledgable about issues around aging.