Oh, if only there were a fountain of youth – something magical that would keep us young in body, mind and spirit. People have drunk potent elixirs and traveled to the ends of the earth and even into outer space, seeking that which would roll back the hands of time so that we would feel, look and be young forever.
There is no mystical fountain of youth and frankly, we think that’s a very good thing. Age has its benefits too – wisdom and knowledge and experience. But if you want to stay youngER in body, mind and spirit, there is something you can do: YOGA!!!
Occasional yoga isn’t going to roll back the hands of time yet a consistent yoga practice will help us feel younger and more energized.
Each of us produce a hormone, DHEA, which is known to protect our bodies from cortisol (the stress hormone) which ages the skin, bones and body. With age, DHEA production goes down but with yoga and meditation, production again increases.
Of course, yoga also helps with limberness and flexibility, helping to relieve the body of aches, pains and fatigue. If we just let nature and the aging process take its course, we’d notice a worsening of our spinal health and posture. But yoga not only makes our muscles stronger, protecting them against deterioration and loss of mass, but it also lengthens our spines.
The real culprit of age is stress, not really the wrinkles and changes to the body. Stress is what leads to health problems including those that can shorten our lives. With yoga, we learn to breathe and relax, even during our most challenging times.
But the greatest effect of yoga on us as we age is that time becomes flexible, not just our bodies. We are able to see the past in a different light, and to let go of fears over the future, choosing to live in the moment and doing so in a natural way. Want to really feel young? Stop catastrophizing and rehashing and just be present in your life right now. The fear of aging is really a fear that time is slipping away, racing by. We can choose to slow that clock anytime we wish by stepping onto the mat, breathing deeply, and moving through our practice.
None of us are getting younger, no matter what we want. And many of us know people that never made it as far as we have. Time is a gift that we give ourselves. Time on our mats - moving and breathing - is the perfect way to receive that gift, every day of our lives.