by Adrienne Fortey

What does the word ‘yoga’ mean to you? Perhaps you associate
it with an Indian mystic sitting in a trance high in the Himalayas, or
with seemingly impossible contortions of the body. But, in fact, throughout
the world millions of ordinary men and women have transformed their lives
with the practice of this ancient science. Yoga is a system of postures,
special breathing techniques and relaxation which act together to harmonize
all aspects of the individual. It originated in India some 5,000 years
ago and in our century a few forward thinking yoga masters have revised
these teachings into the form we know today, making the benefits available
to all humanity regardless of race, religion, nationality, occupation
or age.

Twenty minutes of yoga is worth hours of ordinary exercise. It is the
way to good health and longevity, and will lead you to feeling youthful
in body, mind and spirit. Yoga is the natural way to free yourself from
the pains and nervous tension which sap away the strength and vigour of
body and mind. Everyone is capable of doing enough yoga to experience
great benefits almost at once. This is true for those aged eighty and
beyond as well as for people of all ages who have allowed their physical
condition to deteriorate. Many yoga practices can be done in a comfortable
sitting position, standing up or lying down. Yoga is not ‘exercise’
in the ordinary sense. With the slow, gentle movements of yoga you are
able to stimulate and relax every part of the body from the toes to the
scalp and from the muscles and tendons inwards to the deepest internal
organs and glands. Yoga awakens the vital force within and, in addition,
it is very enjoyable.

Definition of age

If we think we are too old to do something, what do we really mean by
‘too old’? Is age really anything to do with the number of years
that have passed since our birth into the world? What do we really see
when we look at a person and decide whether they are young or old? Some
of the characteristics normally associated with youth, on the one hand,
and old age, on the other, are listed below:

So really it is having many of the characteristics of youth which makes
us ‘young’ or having many of the characteristics of age that
makes us ‘old’, not chronological age. A properly planned yoga
program, if followed with sincere and regular application, will reverse
the characteristics of age and give you a new lease of life.

How yoga can turn back the clock

Yoga is a scientific method which deals with every aspect of an individual,
that is, it is a holistic approach. The regular and dedicated application
of yoga techniques removes the underlying cause of many ailments and diseases
because it has the following effects:

• balances energy

• removes toxins from the body

• improves blood flow

• increases oxygen flow in the body

• stretches and tones muscles

• increases flexibility of the body

• reduces physical, mental and emotional stress

• improves sleep and mental outlook

In other words, yoga creates harmony between our physical, mental, emotional
and spiritual aspects. So we can say that the above effects would start
to reverse the characteristics of age and gradually lead us back to having
more of the characteristics of youth. If you meet an older person who
seems to be aglow with health and vitality, there is every chance that
a daily yoga session is their secret recipe.

Yoga and common diseases

More and more these days, health care is changing as the medical profession
realizes that to cure illness and disease, just treating the symptoms
is not enough; the underlying cause needs to be treated and remedied.
What is disease? Dis-ease, the absence of ease, indicates we are unbalanced
and must make some changes to become healthy and more joyful. Illness
can be a springboard for change and evolution; nature is telling us we
are transgressing her lanes.

To regain health and vitality you do not even need to know or understand
the cause. Regular practice of yoga postures, breathing and relaxation
techniques will effect the cure automatically. Let’s look at some
of the common ailments that trouble many people: headaches, obesity, poor
eyesight, haemorrhoids, bronchitis, traumatic menopause, period pain.
It may seem miraculous but all of these conditions can be improved or
cured with yoga, and all those pills, ointments, lotions, potions, drops
and drugs can be thrown away.

What about the more serious illnesses that cause severe distress, disability
and even premature death; the modern lifestyle diseases such as hypertension,
heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, arteriosclerosis, asthma etc.?
Yes, even these can be greatly improved and even cured with yoga. Of course
yoga is much more effective when applied to a newly occurring condition
rather than as a last resort when all other treatment methods have failed.
Psychological disorders such as depression, phobias, anorexia nervosa,
anxiety etc. can also be successfully treated with yoga. What about the
‘inevitable’ ageing process – loss of memory, failing eyesight
and hearing, progressive stiffness, incontinence, general feebleness of
the body? As already stated, these effects of advancing years are not
inevitable and can be prevented or reversed with yoga practices. Yoga
is the way out of the cycle of pain and illness.

The importance of relaxation

Many of the problems which people experience are caused by stress, anxiety
and tension which eventually manifests as mental or physical illness.
So by relaxing the body and the mind, the vital energy is brought back
into balance, vitality is restored and a completely fresh and optimistic
outlook on life is experienced.

What do we mean by relaxation? When you watch very young children at
play, you will notice that they are totally absorbed in their games, oblivious
to other events around them, and when they become tired, they simply lie
down and sleep, flopping like rag dolls. However, when most adults say
they are relaxing, they are usually just engaging in another activity
which uses energy, either physical or mental. Think about how long ago
it was that you last experienced true, deep relaxation. Was it a few hours
ago, last week, last month or so long ago that you can’t even remember?

The relaxation techniques used in yoga are extremely simple and yet the
benefit is felt immediately. You do not have to ‘try’ to relax
or ‘believe’ that the practices will work; you simply follow
the procedures as instructed and all your tensions disappear as you learn
to ‘let go’. That childlike ability to completely relax will
be yours again and the benefits will be with you twenty-four hours a day.
When tension and anxiety melt away, the willpower becomes stronger, so
you have the strength of mind to tackle other aspects which may be effecting
your health, such as overeating, smoking, overindulgence in alcohol etc.
Usually the yoga practitioner finds that the addiction to these habits
just disappears by itself without any real effort.

How to get started

You should learn yoga in the beginning from a qualified, properly trained
yoga teacher. While many books are available, these should only be used
for reference and additional information, not to teach yourself yoga from.
This is particularly important if you have any health problems. Yoga courses
for beginners are often available at community health centres and adult
education centres. Classes many be advertised in your local newspaper
and some yoga teachers and yoga schools are listed in the yellow pages
telephone directory.

Classes are normally conducted for small groups of mixed age and gender,
but special classes for particular groups, i.e. women, retired people,
or antenatal are often available also. If you are unable to get to a class
or would prefer private tuition at home, this could probably be arranged
with a teacher, but would naturally be a little more costly.

If you are being treated for a specific ailment or are on strong medication
you should discuss your wish to commence yoga with your doctor, who will
most likely be delighted at your decision and may even know a yoga teacher
that he/she can recommend. If you are confined to a nursing home (or have
a relative who is) and would like to learn yoga, discuss the possibility
of a teacher visiting the home once or twice a week. They may even be
able to organize a group class if enough residents are interested.

Once you start classes, make sure you keep that time slot free very week
so you don’t miss a class. Particularly at the beginning when everything
is new, regular practice and attendance at class are essential. This is
your special time for looking after yourself. Your teacher will advise
you to do some of the practices that are being taught at home between
classes, to get the full benefit, so you may need to alter your daily
routine to fit this in. Usually just missing one hour of TV viewing each
day gives the necessary time. When you start to feel the benefits, you
will be very keen to do the practices at home anyway!

So whether you are twenty five, forty five, sixty five or eighty five,
you are never too old to discover what yoga can do for you.

Reprinted from YOGA MAGAZINE