The Unique Art of Yoga

By Leonel Franco In honor of the magnitude of benefits the practice of Yoga has provided the masses, I will keep this blog simple and sharp. A comfortable read so that you may take something with you to contemplate.  Stretching alone, two times a week for 20-60 minutes per session yields great benefits. Anything extra is a sweet cherry on top. Heck, even less than 20-60 minutes 2x/week is better than nothing, but let’s aim higher. Whether you have the time or not is a silly question. We all have the same amount of time in a day. How we use that time is what we have to question. Stretching alone however, isn’t yoga. It’s just not. This isn’t a Leo fact, it just is what it is. Does this mean that all the postures you’ve been rocking all these years were for nothing? Of course not. Don’t be silly. Increasing your range of motion is a good thing. That feeling after a stretch session, that light and relaxing feeling is a good thing. Is it yoga? No. It’s stretching. It’s a release of tension and stress. This is good. Stretching is good. Remember that. What then is yoga you may be asking yourself?  Yoga is a daily practice involving self-reflection, introspective observation of ourselves and our responses to forms of stress, and a practice of postures to improve physical fitness. Yoga is a long practiced method of learning and knowing yourself through physical activity and self-reflection. If you’re not already practicing yoga, why is it that you have yet to try Yoga? Define your intentions so you may find the right product. After that, commit to your purchase and dedicate yourself to the work so you may reap the rewards. The rewards are many! I am confident you will find your own Yoga practice within time. While there are guidelines and methods which make Yoga unique, you are free to express your practice as you please Explore it. Live it. Breathe it. Keep it.