There’s so much to love about Yoga. In fact, the practice of Yoga helps your body and mind improve — and this includes happiness and success!  Just know that just having your feet on the ground and a mat is not enough. Yoga, like meditation, will help you feel calmer and more relaxed in today’s world. In fact, Yoga was actually originally a way of keeping you “alive,” and in essence, it’s helped many people who have had severe health issues. Yoga can specifically impact women’s health and offer relief from typical health troubles. 

I started my practice as a young teenager, a practice I continued well into my forties. The thought always occurred to me before: how can I create as much happiness by sitting in a chair and meditating for three hours a day? Well, when I discovered how it helps us to connect with the Earth and get back into balance, I realized that my life would be significantly enhanced by doing Yoga. “Good posture” and meditation do, indeed, seem to offer significant benefits to me. 

Women of all ages can attend a class where they can learn about Yoga and start practicing to improve their health and their lives. There are three basic yoga positions that I have found to have a significant impact on the health and wellness of women’s bodies. These are Supta Badu Konasana, Apanasana, and Upavistha Konasana.

All three are taught by my yoga teacher, Dr. Nancy Roesch. Each pose has a specific purpose and should be learned and practiced by every woman, so you are not only practicing the posture but the energy, mental and physical state that comes with that pose that will help you achieve a more comfortable and healthy lifestyle for women.

To begin, find a mat, get comfortable and stretch all over and then let all of the energy flow back into your body.  Make sure to have another partner nearby to take these poses for you so all the energy is absorbed so you may even find that your body is healing better. Have your friend or partner close to you close enough so you can sit comfortably with them so you can be a small and intimate part of the yoga class together.

Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose)

In this pose, you will sit up straight with feet gently pressed together. Then slowly bend and draw knees apart at the waist. This action releases the lower back, which needs support to get rid of tension from the head and neck. As the knees move out from under you, bring your arms back and draw them up to protect hands. Finally, slowly sink your chest down and relax.

Pavana Muktasana (Wind Relieving Pose)

Also known as the wind-relieving pose, this simple stretch will give you the confidence to move around for a few minutes. The first part of the pose is done in one motion by leaning back a little, keeping the chest level, and lifting your legs a bit behind your head and back.

Hold this pose for 5 to 10 minutes. For this version of the pose, your head must be lower and higher than your hips. Inhaling and taking a deep breath, place your palms on the floor at full width. Pull your right foot closer toward your spine and raise your left leg out in front of you.

Keeping your shoulders down, tilt your pelvis toward the ceiling. Return to your starting position.

Once you’ve mastered this, repeat it two or three times, trying to make the second rep more difficult than the first. Keep practicing at least once a day until you’re able to do a whole lot of these stretches, starting from the feet up, for the entire 20 seconds.

Upavistha Konasana (Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend)

Form a V-shape with your legs, making sure that your knees are fully engaged so that your torso remains parallel to the floor. Keeping the arms straight, lift your abdomen by pressing the tip of your nose toward the ceiling. Lower your head to the floor.

The knowledge and skill gained about yoga come naturally to everyone from the youngest of students to the oldest. In the beginning, learning yoga can seem intimidating because it’s such a simple, yet potent activity: You’re balancing on your stomach in a yoga pose for 45 minutes. But with time and practice, most of us are able to develop the skill of Yoga. When we do, it can be an incredible source of peace, comfort, and connection.

Yoga was invented by scientists to help people of all ages learn the importance of wellness, balance and gratitude. By practicing Yoga, you’re more likely to receive gratitude, not resentment.’

The teacher-student relationship is the basis of a class’s success-and it’s the best way to get you ready to love your yoga.