As I meet more and more parents and caregivers, I notice the reaction on their faces when  they tell me their challenges, and the solution I give is yoga.  I read their faces as  “yeah right, how is standing on my head going to help my child!?”  Yoga brings on tolerance, acceptance, trust, physical health, patience and love for all, including your challenging child.

I am here to tell you,  just by breathing you are already doing the most important part of yoga.  Now you can be mindful of how you  breathe.

I recently spoke to a Dad, who lives in the midwest. He casually asked if I could make some video clips and show him how to do yoga so he can do it with his adult son who is on the Autism spectrum. He has no opportunities to do yoga where he lives.   He went on to tell me what he does to make himself feel better, most of what he naturally does is yoga.   He inspired me to write this blog.

Every one takes a deep breath once in a while.  Everyone does some form of praying out loud, whether it be in a church, synogogue, mosque, temple, alter, or in traffic. Saying what you want out loud repeatedly is important and is a part of the yoga I know.  Most of the time we have no idea what we are doing to our bodies when we are practicing. Sometimes my goal is “just get to class.”  There are absolutely times where I literally drag myself there.

We have clogged up chakras and pains in our bodies keep us stuck and complaining.  All this complaining and negativity comes from “clogged” areas in our bodies.   Being physically, mentally and spiritually open is when we are able to be positive human beings. Yoga teaches us to handle stress, if you can get through a yoga class you can get through everything, no  matter what shape or size you are, if you can breathe you can do yoga.  Here are some benefits:

  • improve cardiovascular
  • balances organs and glands
  • cures sleep and anxiety
  • focusing skills
  • creating harmony between bones, muscles and skin promoting freedom of movement
  • raises levels of energy, breath and fluids
  • lowers cortisol and blood pressure

If you will be starting a yoga practice, here are some helpful notes:

  • take a mental note of when you feel like you want to give up, keep going
  • forgive yourself for not doing things right.  Just do it, keep going
  • You’ll have no idea what your doing but your’re helping your whole body and mind
  •  Know at some point you’ll just feel better, and your body will shine from the inside out
  • think of  everything you do on the mat as a metaphor for life
If you live in Brooklyn, on Januaray 15th at 5pm you will have a wonderful opportunity to begin a yoga practice at VeroYoga.  Vero Yoga is located at 208 Midwood Street, the lower level in Prospect Lefferts Gardens.  Linda Gastaldello will be teaching a beginners hatha, vinyasa class. The price is $14.00, bring a mat or rent one for $1.00.

Namaste and I hope to see you on the mat!

Shane