“Great is the human who has not lost his childlike heart.” —Mencius
“Yoga takes you to the present moment, the only place where life exists.”
—author unknown
Even when we travel I like to engage in doing a few spontaneous yoga poses out in nature or in a urban setting.
Anything can be used as a prop, like these large colorful concrete soccer balls and basketballs in front of the FedEx Forum stadium-home of the NBA team, the Grizzlies on Beale Street in downtown Memphis. It is also the home of the Memphis Tigers basketball team who share the facility with their NBA Partner.
According to the Yoga Journal we sit an average of 7.7 hours per day. Why should we give a squat?
When we sit in our cars, watching TV, surfing the web on our computer, or working at a desk job the flexibility and strength diminishes in our legs, calves, ankles and our outer hips. Strong core muscles make it easier to do many physical activities. Sitting on chairs with back rests cause our core muscles which include our abdominal muscles, lower back muscles and the muscles around the pelvis to weaken.
As you know life is a balancing act. A well balanced life is essential for peace of mind and overall well-being and allowing time for fun and creativity. The yoga poses seen in these photos taken during a recent trip to Memphis are all balancing and strengthening poses: Standing (Mountain Pose); The Thinker Yoga Pose (modeled after sculptor, Auguste Rodin) and Squat Pose with hands in prayer help the core muscles. If you haven’t tried yoga yet, don’t panic. These are not traditionally performed with hard of flexible balancing balls underneath your feet. That said, when you develop a yoga practice for some years, the possibilities of adding your own twist on things is limitless.
Photo credit of balancing boulders: Getty Images
