Section C · Page 18
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, August 17, 1998
Sailing away
Megan Mills, a vacationer from New Jersey, practices her windsurfing at Clinton Lake. Windsurfing is increasing in popularity. Photo by Lizz Weber/KANSAN.
Yoga brings balance to people's daily lives
By Chris Bornigor Special to the Kansan
Lauren Sidwell breathes slowly and deeply, her eyes focused directly in front of her. Her right knee hoves closely above the mat, her right leg completely outstretched and parallel to the floor. Her left leg is tucked into her chest, with her left knee directly above her left foot, which rests on the ground.
As she tries to hold the position, she wavers slightly, as do most of the seven other students around her in the same position.
Yoga, an ancient philosophy originating in India, is not just a physical exercise. The word translates as union or communion. Hatha yoga implies union of body, mind and spirit. The discipline aims to provide increased mental concentration through deep, rhythmic breathing (pranayama).
"I like the fact I can get away for an hour and specifically not think about school and work.The experience is inherently peaceful. Yoga kind of takes you out of your head, like a natural high."
She looks like she is about to jump into a sprint.
The benefits of yoga have been recognized by health insurance companies. Mutual of Omaha and other insurance companies reimburse clients with certain conditions, such as heart problems, for taking yoga classes.
Sidwell, Manhattan junior, is not preparing for a race. She is performing the runner's lunge, one of 13 poses she will attempt today in her introductory hatha yoga class at Lunaria Holistic Health Center, 1103 Massachusetts St.
"It's a good preventive measure," said Stacia Bone, physical therapist at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. "It can improve circulation. You don't want to do it for every condition, like with an injured disc in the back."
"Yoga is a complete system of exercise," Lunaria said. "It can be very cardiovascular. It integrates movement, breath and awareness. There are all sorts of ways it works."
Anna Lunaria, the center's owner, stresses the potential benefits in her hatha yoga classes every Saturday morning.
Since she started teaching in Lawrence five years ago, Lunaria said she had instructed almost 200 KU students among her 600 clients. During her first year of teaching, she had only five students; by her third year, she was teaching more than 100. The
introductory class costs $7 for the first session.
Lunaria became interested in yoga 12 years ago, when she took yoga classes to fulfill her college's physical education requirements. She said that she understood why many people were skeptical about yoga. When she started, she was too.
"You could see this yoga glow on her face," Lunaria said. "Yoga isn't for people who want to lead a shallow existence. It takes a certain amount of patience."
"I didn't really like it at the beginning," Lunaria said. "One day it finally clicked with me. I got this oxygen cocktail feeling, and it made me feel more graceful. It served as a very powerful and direct way to tap into spiritual, mental and physical health."
Lunaria said that most students would experience greater flexibility after about four sessions. However, she said some students discredited yoga because it did not always produce immediate results. One of her students went through 14 classes before it clicked.
Manhattan junior
The results also can be long term. "I had a triathlete tell me it cured him of chronic back pain," Lunaria said.
Lauren Sidwell
KU student Lauren Sidwell said that being in class and working at a computer all day wound her up.
"Every day I'm intently typing and all crunched up, and won't move for hours," she said. "Now my back doesn't hurt like it did. I'm more flexible, and the poses aren't nearly as hard as they were last week."
She noticed that after only two classes her semester seemed less stressful. She said that she enjoyed going to classes to experience the therapeutic atmosphere.
"I like the fact I can get away for an hour and specifically not think about school and work," Sidwell said. "The experience is inherently peaceful. Yoga kind of takes you out of your head, like a natural high."
Though she describes yoga as a gentle form of exercise, Lunaria said that there was a good chance participants would feel sore the next day.
Therapists warn that certain people risk aggravating minor injuries.
"On the other hand, some people are too flexible and have joints that move around too much, which can cause an injury," Bowman said. "Some just try to aggressively and then get hurt."
Lunaria said that qualified instructors could help prevent injuries.
"If you're practicing yoga without a good adviser, there's an increased possibility of hurting yourself." Lunaria said. "It's important to have a good teacher who understands the body has physical limitations."
Attacks on yoga as a valid form of therapy are misguided, Lunaria said.
"There are a lot of misconceptions," she said. "The students I've taught have had very positive things to say. People have told me, 'Yoga's changed my life.' If someone doesn't feel like they're getting the full effects, they're usually not concentrating enough and letting their minds wander. But those who think it's baloney usually don't bother it."
Lunaria said people who incorporated yoga into their lives would be more emotionally stable.
You can gather some insights about yourself," Lunaria said. "Yoga is almost like yin and yang. It helps us balance and integrate aspects of ourselves."
Recreation Services at the University offers non-credit yoga classes during fall and spring semester.
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