#nolayoga

It never goes over all that well, but I still feel there’s some truth to the comment that I make every year to my wife in mid-February, “Every day is Valentine’s Day when you’re truly in love with someone.” It seems to me that doing loving things on a daily basis, even such simple things as making breakfast for someone, is more important than an annual box of chocolates or a dozen red roses. So when I was reminded that yesterday was International Yoga Day, my first thought was “Every day is yoga day.” I have been in love with the practice of yoga for the past 23 years, and hardly a day goes by when I don’t bow with reverence to its mysterious graces.

Several years ago I was sitting in a conference room with a dozen administrators from Tulane University who were interested in the idea of providing on-line instructional yoga videos for all employees as part of a wellness initiative that they were launching. After 5 minutes of attempting to explain the connection between poor postural habits and symptoms of ill health, such as back pain, migraine headaches, and constipation, I received nothing but blank stares. So I decided to have everyone try some pelvic tilts and tucks in their chairs in hopes that they could catch some glimpse of what I was trying to describe. I showed them in my own body what I meant by “tilting the pelvis” and “tucking the pelvis;” and then after they were able to emulate me and feel the difference between over-arching their spine and over-rounding their spine, I asked them to search for a balanced place between the two extremes. Stupidly simple movement exercise that literally anyone can do anywhere, anytime. And in less than five minutes one woman remarked with an air of wonder that “her back hadn’t felt that good in more than twenty years.” 

I’ll keep screaming from the mountain tops and from the sidewalks that well-being is your birthright and that the way you align your body throughout the day can dramatically enhance the way you think, feel, and function. We have over a dozen Workplace Wellness videos on our site. They are so easy to follow and will make you feel more at ease in yourself and in whichever situation you happen to be stationed.