Lindsay Garmon Ms. Fuentes English 1101 November 8, 2013 ra!ti!e o" #ommunity$ %oga &he an!ient 'ra!ti!

e o" yoga is a (ell)*no(n (ay to have "un and have an intense but sim'le (ay to stay a!tive in today+s so!iety. &he goals o" this s'e!i"i! !ommunity o" 'ra!ti!e are to a!hieve a better ,uality o" li"e through meditation, intense 'hysi!al movement, breathing and !onsistent stret!hing o" various 'arts o" the body. %oga strives to a!hieve o'timal health 'hysi!ally and mentally. %oga, orginating in -ndia thousands o" years ago, is no( a (idely 'ra!ti!ed "orm o" 'hysi!al "itness. .&he %oga tradition 'erha's !an be tra!ed to the earliest identi"iable 'hase o" religion and !ulture in -ndia, the -ndus /alley #ivili0ation 1!a. 3200 3#E4. 1#ha''le 24. %oga is no( a huge 'art o" li"e in North 5meri!a and around the (orld. 6ue to the immense amount o" in"ormation and stress in today+s time 'eo'le to turn to yoga "or a 'la!e o" sola!e. .&he 'o'ularity o" yoga arises not only be!ause o" its talent "or undoing stress but be!ause its traditions ma*e engaging !ounter'oint to modern li"e. 13road 14. 5long (ith many other "orms o" 'hysi!al "itness, yoga is *no(n to relieve stress and im'rove mental health. -t is a 'eo'le "riendly a!tivity, meaning that anyone !an 'arti!i'ate$ !hildren, senior !iti0ens, musi!ians, artists and even 'regnant (omen "or 'renatal !are. 6o!tors suggest it to their 'atients (ho su""er "rom de'ression. %oga !lasses !an be "ound in many 'la!es$ high s!hools, universities, hos'itals, !ruise shi's,

and one !an even 'ra!ti!e it in his or her o(n home. &he resear!h surrounding the 'ra!ti!e is interested in the bene"its that !ome (ith yoga$ .it !alms and rela7es, eases and rene(s, energi0es and strengthens. 13road 84. &he bene"its o" yoga are endless. -t !an hel' ones slee', "o!us, sym'toms o" de'ression, !ontrol o" body (eight, se7 li"e, and overall health. &he 9niversity o" North #arolina at #harlotte o""ers a 'lethora o" 'hysi!al a!tivities that one !an get involved in. -t even has a gym o'en seven days a (ee*. &his 'a'er (ill "o!us on yoga and ho( it !an bene"it one in numerous (ays. &o su''ort the "indings in this 'a'er a 'ersonal intervie( (as !ondu!ted and in"ormation ta*en "rom t(o boo*s dedi!ated to the sub:e!t o" yoga. &he intervie( (as !ondu!ted (ith 3ethany Massman, the 5ssistant 6ire!tor o" "itness at the ;ames <. 3arnhardt =tudent 5!tivity #enter onthe 9niversity o" North #arolina at #harlotte !am'us. &he intervie( highlights a more 'ersonal vie(, "rom 3ethany+s 'ers'e!tive as a yoga instru!tor. 3ethany has been the 5ssistant 6ire!tor o" "itness at 9N## sin!e ;uly o" 2012, instru!ting yoga "or "ive years and has been involved in yoga "or about eleven years total. .%oga and the Luminous,. by #hristo'her >ey #ha''le highlights the history o" yoga and ma*es use o" the -ndian language to des!ribe the history o" yoga. -n .&he =!ien!e o" %oga,. by ?illiam ;. 3road, he highlights the di""erent styles o" yoga, 'ositions, and the s'e!i"i! bene"its o" yoga. &he goal o" this !ommunity are not only to im'rove 'hysi!al health but mental health as (ell. %oga strengthens the mus!les, im'roves "le7ibility, 'rovides stress relie", better "o!us, !ognitive "un!tioning, !lear headedness, and overall mental !larity. -n a

basi! yoga !lass, so"t musi! is 'layed in the ba!*ground (hile the instru!tor, the only authority "igure, instru!ts 'ositions and breathing 'atterns. &he instru!tor has had years o" e7'erien!e and *no(s the 'ositions o" yoga thoroughly. &he instru!tor says (hen one should inhale and e7hale. 3reathing is an im'ortant !om'onent o" yoga@ "o!using on breathing allo(s one to !om'letely say in tune (ith onesel" and ignore any outside stimulation. Fo!using on inhaling and e7haling is a rela7ing te!hni,ue that is the !enter o" the yoga e7'erien!e. &he instru!tor "luidly moves "rom 'osition to 'osition. ositions in!lude$ 6o(n(ard Fa!ing 6og, ?arrior, <eadstand, &riangle and more. 5ll these movements stret!h di""erent 'arts o" the body. 6o(n(ard "a!ing do(n stret!hes the !alves and arms. ?arrior "o!uses on the legs. <eadstand is :ust as it sounds, one uses their arms to su''ort them (hile they .stand. on their head. &he instru!tors stresses that one should "o!us on staying !om"ortable and not try to be 'er"e!t, .go to 'oint o" !hallenge not 'ain. 1Massman4. -n a yoga !lass one !an tell (ho has been involved "or a(hile. &he ones (ho move (ith ease and get into a 'osition be"ore the instru!tor does are the ones (ho are "amiliar (ith the 'ositions. &he instru!tor is the only one that tal*s during a !lass (hile the 'arti!i'ants sim'ly "ollo( along (ith the instru!tors instru!tions. Methods o" !ommuni!ation among this !ommunity o" 'ra!ti!e are minimal but e""e!tvie and !onsistent. &he 9niversity has a (hole (ebsite dedi!ated to the re!reation and "itness !enter to in"orm students o" a!tivities o""ered and at (hat times. 5long (ith online !ommuni!ation, there are bro!hures and 'a!*ets that are available to students in !ase the -nternet isn+t available.

-t is !lear that yoga is a !ommunity o" 'ra!ti!e and !ontinues to be!ome 'o'ular around the (orld. -t+s bene"its are !lear and 'eo'le noti!e. %oga 'rovides sim'li!ity, rela7ation and serenity in a he!ti! (orld. -ts goal to im'rove health, !reate a 'la!e o" sola!e (ith the (eb o" 'eo'le that it !onne!ts sho(s that it is a true !ommunity o" 'ra!ti!e.