September is National YOGA Month!!

And since I am absolutely no yoga expert, we have a guest blogger on the "Runner's Forum", which really, really needs a name change since we barely discuss running. Really we barely much of anything. I admit to being a total loser blogger.

So here is Lynn Caiazza with her thoughts on yoga:

I’m really not sure why I started taking yoga. I think a friend was taking it and I thought, well it can’t hurt, right. If I don’t like it, I’ll just quit. Well after one class I was hooked. I loved my teacher. She was what I considered the essence of yoga. For reasons that are too boring to discuss, I stopped taking classes for a while. I recently joined a new gym where they offer yoga at lunch. I’ve taken a “yoga” class at gyms before, they try to distill 90 minutes of bliss into 30 minutes of stretching. But I decided to give this one a shot. Now I remembered what I missed and love about yoga.

There are many reasons why I love yoga and some may seem to contradict each other, so be patient. It challenges me mentally. It’s really hard for me to stay focused and not let my mind wander to the “to do” list. I use yoga to release the constant tension in my brain. Which is why it also relaxes me. By the end of the class I am able to let go of what’s going on outside the walls of the classroom. I really do leave feeling peaceful.

Yoga also challenges me physically. My balance and flexibility have never been the best, but yoga lets me challenge myself in a way that I feel completely comfortable. It’s so freeing. And when I’m able to complete a pose that I haven’t able to do before, it’s extremely rewarding.

Recently, my 6 year old was exposed to yoga through school. She already knows a couple of poses and really wants me to find her a class. She was never this excited about ballet or tap. I can’t wait for us to practice together.

Thanks Lynn! Good thoughts!