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Walking through town the other evening, I gazed into a new exercise facility still under

construction. I was reading about what they were going to offer that made their place unique. I am a fan of bodies in motion, so if their theory of exercise motivates people to move and condition, then bravo. This spurred a personal reflection of my own evolution of movement and fitness. Now that I have a few years under my belt, I can think back to trends and fitness crazes that have come and gone. Remember, “feel the burn”? I mean, God bless Jane Fonda, but my “feel the burn” days are behind me. I prefer to listen to the sensations my body is sending me and adjust according. I remember Callanetics, truly aging myself with that memory. It was a precursor to barre classes. As a ballet student, I have certainly spent years at the barre. But,

when I took a barre class, I realized it was different than a ballet barre class. I definitely worked hard, but a very different experience. When I was a dancer, pilates was the warm-up before dance six days a week. My 8–hour schedule was definitely a grueling one, but I learned how to care for the physical body. My post-dance journey ran the gamut of experiences: aerobics, step classes, weight lifting, running, Callanetics, barre, and then yoga. My first yoga class was extremely challenging and yet I am sure I heard the “Hallelujah” chorus. Nothing had forced me to use the mind-body connection like that before. I had also never sweat that much before. I was hooked. It took me a few months to realize that although I had showed up to my first class for the physicality of the practice, I stayed for many other reasons.

What made this practice so different?

There are always new exercise trends to grab our attention. Many are wonderful, and science has greatly influenced exercise trends and methods. I am sure someday, there will be a system invented that will condition the whole body in five minutes! Some of these new methods of exercise last and some come on the scene with gusto only to fizzle out when another idea comes along. So why has yoga lasted since the ancient world? Simply, yoga addresses the mind, body, and heart. Yoga pre-dates the written word. Meditation and pranayama (breathing exercises) came long before the physical postures (asana). In fact, the asana practice was to tire the body so the practitioner could settle their body and mind for meditation. Most of us come to yoga for the physical practice first, and then delve into breath and meditation practices for those life-changing benefits.

Why yoga spans the centuries • by Liba Spyros

AN ANCIENT practice

and a newTREND

Photo by Jewel Peach Photography.

Yoga has a history in the Ancient World with archaeological evidence found in stone seals, which depict fi gures of yoga poses, around 3000 B.C. Since it predated the written word, the yogic principles were passed from teacher to teacher. The richness of that tutelage has kept yoga alive for many millennia. There have been many disciplines of yoga created to meet the interests and needs of cultures and societies. However, the basics of breath, postures, meditation and principles remain untouched. The style of yoga a person chooses can be based upon their physical needs or desires. You can fi nd classes for Restorative yoga, Yin yoga, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and many more. The discipline you choose should be taught by an instructor that is in constant pursuit of knowledge. They should always be in some form of training or mentorship.

We have probably all heard how meditation can alter our blood pressure, heart rate, and stress levels, but recent studies have shown the mental benefi ts can be measured. Harvard studies have shown that the changes to the amygdala and hippocampus can actually be calculated, giving scientifi c proof to the health benefi ts of the mental practices of yoga. Breath is our life force. When it is ineffective, we can become ill. Dr. Greg Nash, a chiropractor at Gainesville Holistic Health Center, explains the profound effect of the breath on our brain: “The brain and spinal cord make up our central nervous system (CNS) and are our primary control center. Breathing is important for all the obvious reasons, but it also has profound impacts on the CNS. The CNS has it’s own specialized circulatory system that consists of cerebral-spinal fl uid (CSF) that is made by fi ltering blood. This fi ltering process creates a rhythmic

fl ow of CSF that bathes the brain and spinal cord. Breathing plays a very important role in this fl ow. The act of contracting the diaphragm, the primary respiratory muscle, helps to drive the fl ow of cerebral fl uid throughout the CNS. Thus, taking control and consciously controlling breathing can help encourage the fl ow of CSF throughout the CNS, and have profound effects on the body as a whole.”

When a person comes to a yoga class, the instructor will encourage the student to use ujjayi breath. This deep, diaphragmatic breath is intended to be linked with the movement of the poses. This union calms the body because of the important connection with the CNS, gives the mind a focal point, and aids the practitioner to develop the skill of listening to the body’s communication. There are moments in a led class when as a practitioner you can get lost in the fl ow of your breath and postures; staying completely in the present moment and losing the idea of time. When this happens, you feel the magic.

Presence and calm become the fi rst gifts that sneak into your life. Before you know it, you will start to take deep, diaphragmatic breaths when you are in traffi c or waiting in a line. Your body just responds without a conscious thought because you have trained yourself to respond to stress this way. You will start to notice becoming very present in your conversations. These skills of calming and focusing bring quality of life.

Some practices use heat and others do not. Dr. Nash says this about the heat: “Temperature is very important in all mammals. Being warm-blooded means that the body has a specifi c range of temperatures that allow the proteins of that organism to work. Our bodies work very hard to maintain a stable temperature. Thus, exposing the body to varied temperatures causes it to react. In cases of elevated temperature, we begin to sweat and when that liquid evaporates off our skin, our temperature reduces. While exercising, the skin acts as a method of excreting unwanted substances and helps to purge the body on a large scale due to the large surface area. Therefore, exercising in warmer temperatures causes the body to sweat more easily, and triggers this excretory affect intentionally.” Whether you choose a heated practice or a non-heated practice, be mindful that you are not in a draft. Exercise of any kind should never be done in direct contact with fans or air conditioners. It is simply unhealthy for your muscles. If your gym uses lower temperatures, wear warmer clothing. Sweat is good. Sweating is healthy.

Some people have a strong reaction to yoga after their fi rst class. For others, it takes time for the practitioner to feel the changes happening. On the most basic level, yoga allows you to do what you love to do, longer. The pure physical practice of yoga improves your health, fl exibility, stabilizing muscles, and overall tone. Emotionally, it will give you tools for dealing with stress and stressful situations. Yoga will bring balance to your life and relationships. For thousands of years yoga has met the needs of human beings. It is not a fad and is going to be around long after this yogini is gone. May you be safe, may you be healthy, may you fi nd freedom, know peace, and walk this world with ease. Namaste! ❖

Liba Spyros is the co-owner of Transform Power Yoga in Haymarket. Prior to beginning her yoga practice, Liba was a professional ballerina who studied at the School of American Ballet and danced with the Houston Ballet. She also studied

Pilates under Romana Kryzanowska who was certifi ed by Joseph Pilates. Transform Power Yoga is located 15111 Washington Street, Suite 109, Haymarket, and can be contacted by phone 703-753-2977 or via their website TransformPYoga.com.

Liba Spyros is the co-owner of Transform Power Yoga in Haymarket. Prior to beginning her yoga practice, Liba was a professional ballerina who studied at the School of American Ballet and danced with the Houston Ballet. She also studied