“My body, my soul and my mind, simultaneously respond to good music.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita,
Good Music
Tag Archives: body
Don’t Just Sit There… Do Something
I believe one of the biggest misconceptions about retirement is that it is a time to sit back and do nothing. This is a very dangerous idea. Let me tell you why.
One of the most important things we can do throughout our lives is move. I’m not talking about extreme workouts at the gym — just doing something to get our bodies moving. Get up out of the chair at least once an hour and just stretch or walk around a little. Instead of spending break time glued the phone, go outside and get some fresh air.
The more we sit the more difficult and painful moving can become. But then when we decide we are going to move, we tend to overdo so it becomes more difficult and painful to move making it less likely we will do it again. Thus the cycle begins.
I am always shocked when I hear someone say “I walked enough when I was younger. I don’t want to now. I’m retired.” Of course that is their choice, but it is a choice they will pay for with decreased mobility, increased pain and of course medical bills.
In addition to moving our bodies it is important to keep our minds active. Talk to interesting people, learn something new, start a new career or a hobby, play games, volunteer in your community.
Begin building healthy habits early in life then don’t stop when you retire. Don’t just sit there, do something! It’s never too early and it’s never to late.
Thought for Today
“Health is a large word. It embraces not the body only, but the mind and spirit as well;…and not today’s pain or pleasure alone, but the whole being and outlook of a man.” ~ James H. West
The Benefits of Yoga: Balance
When I say balance what do you think of? Do you think of keeping the physical body standing upright? That is one aspect of balance that we become more concerned with as we grow older and there are specific yoga poses that can help with that. Do you think of standing on one foot in some sort of extreme yoga pose? Or do you think of the balance of between body mind and spirit? This last aspect of balance is what I am talking about today.
Yoga is a Sanskrit word which means, “to yoke”, “to join” or “union.” This is why it is so important that we not take the physical poses and practice them alone, out of context as a form of physical exercise.
The balance that comes from the practice of yoga does not happen overnight. It takes time. There are so many things in our lives that can throw us out of balance. A consistent yoga practice based on the 8 limbs of yoga can help us find our way back to our true selves.
The balance that comes from the joining or union of body mind and spirit has been showing up in several ways for me. During the third year of my current practice I have been noticing a lowering of my blood pressure and heart rate, the relaxation of muscles which had always been tense, a great reduction in the “adrenaline overload” that was once my state of being and a very gradual weight loss. I am also calmer and tend to worry less. I have not been practicing yoga specifically for any of these things, but by dedicating myself to a regular practice and taking the teachings to heart my entire system has been moving toward greater balance.
So don’t worry about the perfect tree pose. Do the best your body can and you will find yourself coming into balance in more than just the physical sense.