So what's on your bucket list? Does it include an inventory of exhilarating adventures like climbing Mt. Whitney, skiing Mak-M-Stairs-Plunge in Colorado, backpacking The Appalachian Trail or cycling through the hills of Tuscany? Or maybe something a little less intimidating but equally thrilling, like swinging a golf club at an uncooperative dimpled little ball and driving it 200 hundred yards down a pristine fairway or smashing an explosive forehand down the line to convincingly win your match and secure the title of Baby Boomer Open Champion. Whatever your dream yoga can help.
Frequently it is the nagging, noisy chatter of the mind more than the snap, crackle and pop of the body that hijacks our best intentions and keeps us from reaching in to that bucket and eagerly attacking our list. However sometimes all we need is a little encouragement and a lot of team work and that is where yoga is at its best. Team work is all about cooperative effort and yoga teaches us that it takes the integration of mind, body, breath and spirit working cooperatively to tackle and overcome the physical and emotional objections we so often succumb to.
I am frequently asked if there are distinct yoga asanas (poses) or sequences to support specific activities like golf, cycling, hiking or skiing. I always give a very clear and straight forward answer. Yes and No.
I am completely convinced that a well rounded yoga practice will help improve ability with all physical activities, whether it be the demands of running a 10 minute mile or lifting a gallon of milk on to the top shelf of the refrigerator. The more you understand how to balance strength with flexibility, improve balance and concentration and rely on the breath as your most trusted friend, the more you will be able to reach into your resource bag of experience when a particular muscle protests at the most inconvenient time and place. However, different activities do demand more work from specific muscle groups and their supporting structures and targeting those areas with focused awareness can help direct energy where it is needed most, improve agility and heighten your enjoyment of the experience. Warning: Many Type A Baby Boomers are at serious risk of minimizing the importance of enjoying the experience while chasing the goal. Fortunately, yoga can help with this, as well. Remember, the journey is just as important as the destination.
What makes yoga different from other "training" methods is that in addition to teaching you how to prepare your body, it helps you learn to focus the mind, incorporate the breath and bring acceptance to the present while pursuing the future.
We all need bucket lists. They remind us that we are never too old to have dreams and never too old to set new goals and add to our bucket lists. Goals and dreams keep us young at heart and physical challenges keep us strong in mind and body. We are never too old to experience the pride and sense of thrill that accompanies every accomplishment.
One of the goals on my bucket list is to encourage others to establish their own lists and then help them achieve their goals. My yoga practice has made profound changes in my physical abilities and emotional well being which has allowed me to complete challenges that I was not capable of in my pre-baby boomer years. It can do the same for you.
I will be writing a series of short articles about how yoga can provide support and training for specific physical experiences and athletic activities. I will keep the articles brief and focused so that the reader can attempt to integrate and apply the information quickly and easily. When appropriate, I will attach links for those who wish to pursue more detailed information on anatomy and movement.
Donna, a mindful baby boomer is a RYT with Yoga Alliance with advanced training in therapeutic yoga. She is the creator and founder of scentsualeyepillows.com scentsualeyepillows.com, unique, custom designed eco-friendly eye pillows in a variety of fabric and scent options and mindfulnessforbabyboomers.com mindfulnessforbabyboomers.com, a website to help guide those of the baby boomer generation through the practices of mindful awareness as we encounter the privileges, challenges, fears and anxieties of living longer than any generation before.
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