Yoga is a way to stretch your
stress away

Yoga is a wonderful way to restore your mind to stillness and peace, and to free yourself from the distress and stress that can often overwhelm you when caring for a loved one with prostate cancer.

It is actually an ancient art that has been practiced for thousands of years, dating back to as far as 300 BC. While there are many different styles that are practiced today, they can all be helpful to calm your nerves—and your mind.

Yoga offers many health benefits when practiced regularly. It can help lower blood pressure and relieve body aches and pains. Asanas or poses, can also help strengthen and tone your entire body. Best of all, they can be practiced by people of all ages.

The basic positions can include sitting and standing postures, forward and back bends, twists, inversions, stretching, and even postures that are done lying down.

When you are first starting, it’s important to take your time
and make sure your postures are correct. You can start with this beginner practice sequence, which features illustrated pictures and step-by-step instructions.

Remember that the goal is to relax, so take your time and don’t hurry through your practice.

There are many styles

• Anusara focuses on body alignment and heart-opening poses
• Ashtanga features a series of poses that are usually done in the same sequence, always moving from one pose to the next, without much rest in between. It may also be called Astanga, which means “8 limbs” or “steps”
• Hatha is a general term for poses that are usually gentle and slow paced
• Hot yoga is done in a very hot and humid room (up to 100 degrees) to encourage intense sweating. It may also be called Bikram
• Iyengar also centers on proper body alignment and poses are held for longer periods of time
• Jivamukti evolved from Ashtanga and incorporates chanting and meditation
• Kripalu emphasizes meditation and working at your own pace
• Kundalini centers on controlling the breath (called prana or energy) while doing a series of rapid poses. Classes may also include chanting
• Power yoga may use Ashtanga poses and can be very physically demanding, moving quickly from one pose to the next
• Vinyasa is often based on a series of quick poses called sun salutations and incorporates use of the breath

Taking a formal class is a great way to learn, but it’s important to find one that “fits” your personal style. If you currently do not exercise, consider starting with a Hatha-style class. If you are very athletic and want something more physically demanding, Ashtanga may be more of a challenge for you. The videos below may help you decide which style is right for you.