YOGA: EMBRACE IT IN STYLE
It could well be seen as one of the biggest influences of our times, a trend whose intensity is only growing with time, a phenomenon that embraces all in its stride from Hollywood celeb to a street vendor, something which bridges the divide between the advanced and the developing economies, and which has profile masters giving personal attention to international celebs to mass magician like Baba Ramdev.
From Madonna to Meg Ryan to Jessica Alba and now Lady Gaga, all have been meditating under its umbrella, relaxing, rejuvenating, breathing energy in every part of their body and mind and discovering a new way of life. Closer home, top bollywood actresses Kareena Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty and Aishwarya Rai. all have taken to it.
About time, you started with it too, and in style! Many of you must have been regular visitors to the gym. A million others must have only planned and resolved to go to exercise but never did. And many others did but found it was too taxing, time consuming or may be perhaps found it impossible to give up on that extra hour of sleep.
Six Reasons to Embrace Yoga
- Its cool: Had you wished to do yoga in India about two decades ago, you would have had to be a super-rich, those whose every idiosyncrasies is seen laced with style. An ordinary folk doing it could only have been derided as someone living in the 10th century. But now with endorsement coming in from every corner, it’s really cool. And you will always have some of your colleagues dying to discuss yoga, her trainer or apparel.
- It’s less time taking: You don’t need to go to a gym everyday, saving time for that extra half hour of sleep in the morning. You might initially want to go to a Yoga class for basic learning but can suspend it once you know the methods.
- It’s far less expensive: When you don’t go to gym where they fleece you these days, you don’t spend either on gym charges or commuting. You need no equipment at home for yoga. Initial training at yoga classes or a personal trainer, which you will find plenty these days, may cost you some expenses in the beginning.
- Enormous health benefits: It completely synchronises your mind and body. You emerge out of yoga session fresh and energetic, and not tired as you do many a time after working out in a gym. Every part of your body gets that critical oxygen which rejuvenates it and builds a shield against all sickness. So it’s not just about being in shape or with right weight, which of course it ensures far better than a gym work out, it has also been proved to be the best treatment for most diseases.
- No injuries: Here you don’t lift weight, you don’t strain your muscles, you nourish them. So there is no danger of harming yourself.
- Body doesn’t turn muscular: Unlike in a gym workout, you don’t run the risk of developing muscles like guys. You need to look more beautiful and sexier, not something like a strong muscular guy. None of your colleagues will envy this, nor will guys appreciate it.
Get Started
The best way to start anything big is to just start. Please, for god sake, don’t plan too much. Just get going. You need no special apparel, or equipment or space to begin. If you can figure out a training school in a day or two, it’s fine but don’t keep hanging trying to locate that.
Get up early in the morning and switch on a TV channel showing Yoga- your mother might already be doing it and there is absolutely no harm in giving her company. Baba Ramdev’s yoga camp’s telecast can be motivating in the initial days as hundreds of practitioners gather in his camp organised across India and talk about personal benefits they have drawn from practicing yoga.
Buy a DVD of any authentic Yoga Guru. Learning the right technique is the key. A wrong method can only have an adverse impact.
Once you are in that mode, let me assure you will have no dearth of people at workplace or among friends and relatives and even at get-togethers discussing the new stuff in Yoga.
Clothes and Accessories
But don’t let Yoga become one of your regular chores. Do it in style: get the best yoga apparel in town, a nice mat and hair bands. All big sport brands offer yoga outfits and accessories these days…..you don’t have to go mad looking for them.
- The clothes should be comfortable
- Preferably get stretchable light cotton clothes
- Can choose shorts as it allows free movement of knees, ankles and feet.
- Wear sport bras, to avoid unnecessary strain on breasts.
- Look for sweat-absorbent fabric
- Avoid wearing ornaments
So just spread your green mat—or any color that suits you- on your terrace or balcony and don that orange capris and a light colored top and start your Yoga in style.
