Yoga isn’t just for thin and fit young women… ohh nooooo! Why then, would you be scared of Yoga?
If you’ve ever walked into a yoga studio and been made to feel anything less than beautiful, no matter your age, weight, skin tone, gender, hair color, or personal style, then honey, that group wasn’t for you anyway.
Or, if you’ve ever thought that you’re just not flexible enough to do yoga, think again! Only with practice does flexibility come. No one has ever became a yoga guru overnight! And no one will expect that perfection from you. It’s all about the progress, not perfection in yoga. No one is born a master.
In a yoga class, each of us are so busy working on getting into a posture and breathing in it, that we aren’t looking at you anyway. Sure, there may be the occasional glance, but our purpose in class is to focus on self, breathe and connect with our own mind and body, all the while feeling the support and building our confidence by feeling supported by a caring teacher who will guide us.
This is why I delightfully invite you, if you’re anywhere near the Tampa Bay area of Florida, to meet Dr. Ronald Porter and come to one of his uplifting classes.
I attended Dr. Porter’s “Yoga FUNdamentals!” class yesterday (one of the series of experiential learning classes he offers on a monthly basis at Miracles Metaphysical bookstore in St. Petersburg, FL) and he did a brilliant joy (er, job) of leading an older group of us (many of whom had never moved their bodies much at all, much less had done yoga before) in yoga. Plus, he taught us how he came to learn and teach yoga, the proper way the positions (asanas) are done, the Sanskrit words for each asana, and how to modify it for our body and ability. We moved very slowly, breathed, and held the asana for 3 to 5 minutes.
I woke up this morning feeling ten years younger, lighter, and with no muscle soreness at all! In fact, yoga can help you live longer, because with a flexible spine you’ll be able to do more, and not hurt when you bend over and pick something up from the floor. With practice, yoga will enable your body to flex, thus allowing you to feel younger! Yoga is a process. But, it won’t take long, with consistent practice, for you to feel, and then see, a transformation in your body.
In the Fundamentals playshop, Dr. Ronald K. Porter lead us in an exploration of the basic philosophy and fundamental poses of yoga. We all learned and practiced right along with him. We smiled, and laughed. It was experiential! And it was fun!
During Ronald’s class, we could obviously see Ronald’s mastery of yoga, yet we could also see, hear, and feel that this master has transcended ego. He never made us feel “less than” anything! In fact, because Ronald says, “beautiful” so much during class, he has me saying it more now in my everyday life. Positivity abounds!
The journey of yoga is a lifelong process, and the student who is open to this process can experience an entirely new readjustment and realignment in their life. We invite you to laugh and have fun learning this wonderful technique for better health! People have diminished or eliminated anxiety, eased stress, calmed nerves, and lessened depression by practicing yoga. Some have even replaced their smoking habit, or other addictive habit with yoga–it’s very beneficial for you since it’s all about the mind-body connection. And if you’re on prescription medication for a chronic health issue, over time, you may find you’ll need less of those meds!*
If you’re taught properly, yoga is simply about connecting your breath to your body.
Yoga means “to yoke with”. The history of yoga indicates it was thought that by practicing yoga you could enter a meditative, contemplative state of mind, and establish right relationship with God, or the Divine. Whether you want to explore yoga for spiritual reasons, or to relieve your body of pain or chronic dis-ease, don’t let anyone judge you into not coming to a yoga class.
If you aren’t local to our area, or for any reason whatsoever still scared to try a public yoga class, you can always go to YouTube or Gaiam TV online and find a beginner video to watch. Begin moving your body in rhythm with your breath. Do five minutes of yoga. Then build to ten minutes, and so on. Until you feel ready to come out and join a group. The energy you’ll feel while in a group experience is so much richer than going it alone, that within a couple sessions, you’ll really enjoy it.
From Dr. Ronald Porter,
Yoga is for everyone! Whether your tall, short, round, thin, male, female or transgender, yoga has the potential of being very beneficial for your life. Often, when people think of yoga they imagine lean and slender persons contorting their bodies into positions that look painful, and even disturbing. Every now and then I am even asked, “Hey, can you demonstrate that pretzel position?” It’s sad to think that many people miss out on yoga simply because they have been led to believe it is not for them.
However, yoga is for us all!
I have overheard some people say they’re scared of yoga for religious reasons. Well, that is simply misinformation. If you’re thinking that a yoga teacher is going to attempt to convert you into becoming a mystic, read this.
Some of you may feel intimidated at the thought of yoga, but again, everybody has to start somewhere. We’ve all been new. It’s really okay! Just start wherever you are! And if you tried a class somewhere and felt pressured to perform a posture that was too much for you, or worse, you were called out in any way, you have my assurance — you will not feel that way in Ronald’s yoga classes.
Ronald’s soothing voice and calm manner was one of the first things that attracted me to his classes. When Ronald says to, “breathe d-e-e-p”, you will feel the tension melt away, and as you breathe deep, you’ll feel the ease of your body. I am blessed in those moments. And if I didn’t feel like I fit in when I arrived, I feel it then!
Each week, I look forward to the energy and the flow that I feel during our yoga class, the relaxation, and the healing that takes place. No one has to prod me to attend. I even sleep better after attending a yoga class!
Try it, you’ll like it!
You’ll find a group at Ronald’s classes who are kind, supportive, and loving. You may not get to know them all at once, because since yoga is about our “self” you might find more introverts practicing yoga. However, over time, as you come to class and practice next to someone, mat to mat, you will see that we are all each on our own journey. Yet, We Are All Connected.
Along my life’s journey I have learned that if I do not judge others, they do not judge me. And I think that’s a pretty good mind set and way to live, whether on or off the yoga mat.
Amen. Namaste. OM
———– Weekly Yoga Class Invitation ———
When?
Every Tuesday evening from 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Where?
Metro Wellness and Community Center
3251 3rd Ave. N
St. Petersburg, FL
There is a $5 donation requested per class with all proceeds going to Metro.
Also, Ronald offers a yoga class on Thursday evenings at Awakening Wellness Center in St. Pete –> visit the their site’s calendar to view events here.
———– Blessings to you in ALL ways! ———
*Consult with one of your licensed health professionals / wellness practitioner team before making any changes in your prescribed medications.
Take it upon yourself to be healthy, joyful, wholly vibrant, and beautiful.
A bit about me:
An Amazon bestselling author of two co-authored books: “Transform Your Life Book 2 Inspirational Stories and Expert Advice” and “Energy of Receiving”, both available now.
I am available to come to your bookstore, crystal shop, acupuncture / chiropractor office, or other holistic / natural healthy lifestyle business for books signings and lectures. For information on both of my books, visit my Amazon author’s page — Click here.
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UPDATE 9/12/2018:
The book that’s been in the making for 13 years, Take It Upon Yourself to Live a Wholly Vibrant Life, is now available for online sale and distribution (PDF format).
Buy it here: https://beingwhollyvibrant.wordpress.com/2018/09/12/book-launch-take-it-upon-yourself-to-live-a-wholly-vibrant-life/
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