Yoga is a Great Stress Reliever

Are you looking for a way to help reduce stress in your life? Think about trying yoga.

About a year and a half ago, I read an article in our local newspaper about Monk Yoga in Loveland, Colorado. They were offering some free classes to introduce people to the practice of yoga. Since yoga is known to be a great stress reliever, I wondered if it could work for me.

My job as an office assistant for an accounting firm was getting more stressful since tax season was about to begin. I felt that I needed to do something on a regular basis to get me through to April 15th. Could yoga be the something I needed? What did I have to lose? I could take a free class or two, see what it was all about and then decide if yoga was for me. Hesitantly, I decided to give it a try.

The thought of yoga made me think of people sitting cross-legged on the floor chanting and meditating with their eyes closed, so I didn't know what to expect. The free class I attended was very crowded, but also very enjoyable. We did a lot of stretching and warm-ups and tried a few yoga poses. There wasn't much chanting going on, but we did end the session resting with our eyes closed. It was wonderful! I felt very relaxed and rejuvenated for the rest of the day.

After attending the free class, I decided to attend a regular class session. The class was for beginners. The teacher took the time to explain the poses and give individual attention when needed. The hour long class went by quickly and soon it was time to cool down, close our eyes and relax. The teacher's voice was very calming and soothing which added to the relaxing atmosphere. Needless to say, I again left relaxed and rejuvenated. I also left class totally hooked on yoga. I bought my own yoga mat and decided to try to attend once a week.

The class I chose met on Monday evenings at 5:30, so I went straight from work. I thought it might be hard to motivate myself to go on the first day of the work week, but after attending a few Monday evening classes I found it a great way to start the work week. I found myself looking forward to Mondays, knowing that at the end of the day I would be "rewarded" with a yoga session.

My introduction to yoga couldn't have come at a better time. It helped me tremendously. It kept me calm and definitely reduced the stress of tax season. I highly recommend the practice of yoga. It truly is a great stress reliever.