Local Yoga: One Path to Wholeness
As Nature Pulls Its Energy Inward, So Can You

Yoga has become more popular in the last few years than it had been. Many people associate it with relaxation. Some think of uncomfortable pretzel poses. Others see it as worthless spiritual bumbling. Regardless of your perspective, Yoga practice really is a great way to relax, rejuvenate, stretch, tone muscles, develop physical strength, and achieve inner harmony. And yes, to answer the question from doubters and current non-practitioners, it is possible to achieve all that in an hour.

An hour-long yoga class leaves me physically limp. Tightness in my shoulders and neck disappears. My body's more supple, my mind's clearer, and my emotions are stable. My arms and legs ache with physical exertion. My breath slows and I can let go of disharmonious outside interference.

I began yoga years ago, when as a teenager I practiced in front of the television to "Hatha Yoga and You." In college, I picked up a book about yoga with the history of practice in India and an introduction to pranavasana (breath), meditation, and asanas. The book showed a proper shoulder stand, took me through the warrior poses, and showed the advantage of a cobra twist. I was able to go into a meditative trance after practice, and that felt inherently healing. I learned that prana, our breath and life energy, can be harnessed through ugi breath to fuel our physical, mental and spiritual development.

The more I participate in yoga classes and workshops, the more I realize that yoga should be a state of mind and a way of life. "Nadi," from the root "nad," means flow, motion or vibration. The word itself suggests the fundamental nature of a nadi: to flow like water, finding the path of least resistance and nourishing everything in its path. The nadis are our energetic irrigation system; in essence, they keep us alive. Nadis were discovered as the vast network of energy channels that makes each individual an integrated, conscious, and vital whole.

Vinyasa yoga is flow yoga. It starts with the breath, then flows into a series of movements, varying from practice to practice, but including forward fold, plough, upward facing dog, downward facing dog, then back up to forward fold and continuing, with variations. Also called sun salutations, the asanas or positions, whether called by their English-form names or traditional Hindu names, move from standing to spread out lengthwise along the floor with weight suspended to facing up, then down, then into a forward fold and back up to standing mountain pose. Other poses can be added to the dance-like routine practiced with focused breath.

Yoga's focused on the now. Past recriminations and future worries dissolve, and the present moment is all there is as one begins. With proper breath flow and smooth, unhurried movements, one's life becomes entwined with those of others and differences fade. All feels well with the world.

Maria ‘Puma’ Reyes of Puma Yoga in Lakewood (http://www.pumayoga.net) started practicing yoga in 2000 to gain more balance in her life. She became certified in Forrest Yoga in 2006 and also carries certifications in Relax and Renew/Restorative Yoga and Prenatal Yoga.

She says "yoga for me has become an extension and expression of my Self. It has paved a path of insight... encouraging me to go within, dig deeper; it has shown me a way to gain greater understanding of Life, and the world around me. Yoga is the key to opening the mind, body and heart... Yoga sets me free."

Puma just opened a yoga studio at Detroit and Lakeland in Lakewood where she says, "My mission is to assist people in their pursuit of health and peace of mind." Her studio leads classes from beginners to advanced. The times are listed on her website.

Other area yoga studios include: Inner Bliss in Rocky River, Alta House and Atma Center in Cleveland Heights, Karma Yoga in the Warehouse District, Evolution Yoga, Cleveland Yoga in Beachwood, Studio 11 in Tremont, and Cleveland Yoga in numerous locations throughout the area.

Many fitness centers include yoga in their curriculums as well and teachers and studios may focus on different types of yoga. The best way to find a class is to try one and see if it does the stretching and relaxation and restoration you need, but make sure you work with a certified yoga instructor.

If it feels like an aerobics or pilates work out and the instructor never mentions breath, it may include yoga aspects, but it's not traditional yoga and it may not bring about the mind-body-spirit connection one should expect from yoga.

Yoga is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It can be practiced in short blocks of time, fifteen minutes on rising and fifteen minutes before going to bed, or at sunrise and sunset. The only equipment necessary is a yoga mat that can be taken out on the backyard deck or into the living room. It can give you a smooth transition from the work world to home life or from activity to relaxing into sleep. Some people feel it's important to establish space for yoga practice, making the practice of yoga more sacred and separate from outside interference.

Andrea Ferretti writes in Yoga Journal (http://www.yogajournal.com) that a basic tenet of Indian medicine is that "like increases like." Your body heats up during summer, as the earth does, but "when fall unfolds, nature begins to pull its energy inward." As the earth cools, we need to slow our internal rhythm. Perhaps that explains why, when summer wanes, we feel a need to get back into routines and away from the frenzied feeling of having to do it all because it's summer. People tend to move back.

An extended yoga retreat could be just what the doctor ordered for de-stressing a life of many back-to-back 60-hour work weeks. From the mountains of Peru to the beaches of California to a local retreat center, one can get away from it all and concentrate on the experience of living in the now and becoming more in tune with body, mind and spirit. Maria "Puma" Reyes and I are hosting a retreat at River's Edge in Cleveland on September 20 (go to http://www.pumayoga.net or http://ignitingpossibilities.blogspot.com.) The "Finding Your Authentic Self" yoga and creativity retreat will smooth the transition into Fall and renew and awaken the spirit within. As nature pulls its energy inward, so do you, and this yoga and creativity retreat will renew the spirit and set the stage for change.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Claudia J. Taller ctallerwritesATwowway.com

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