As the New Year gets underway, many people are looking for a way to get healthier. Eating right, managing stress and getting more exercise are on the top of most people's lists for health. An exercise that is seeing an increasing popularity is yoga. According to ABCofyoga.com, the practice of yoga has been around since 3000 B.C.
Jeanne Fox, owner and yoga teacher at the Namaste Yoga Center on Hills and Dales Road N.W. said yoga has become very popular in the last year. Her classes usually fill up and she has had to open more class times since the fall.
"Yoga is becoming more acceptable in the medical field,” Fox said. “I get a lot of new people who are here because their doctors told them to give it a try.”
Namaste offers classes that promote relaxation, breathing, postures and balance. The classes are one hour and 45 minutes long. "Our classes are that long so that we can practice physical and mental exercise,” Fox said.
Fox holds a teaching degree from Kent State University and she has a dual certification as a yoga instructor and a stress management consultant. She has been teaching yoga at Namaste since 1987.
"We are one of the oldest yoga centers in this area,” Fox said. “At first, we didn't have many people, but now I have had to add new classes."
Those who practice yoga often feel a mind and body connection. Yoga can help the whole body by toning and strengthening all of the muscle groups, internal organs and glands. People gain more flexibility and balance. What makes yoga different than other exercises is that it helps with proper breathing techniques, relaxation and meditation.
Classes at Namaste are kept small to allow for individual attention. They are large enough to promote camaraderie without competition. Teachers at the center present the exercises in a basic format for beginners with more advanced moves for the more experienced exercisers.
As Fox says, the benefits of yoga are too good to be ignored. Yoga helps to maintain the mental, physical and spiritual well-being of those who practice.
"Yoga is also used to decrease stress, which can make you gain weight and get sick," Fox said.
Namaste Yoga Center is located at 4836 Hills and Dales Road N.W. in Jackson Township. For more information on class availability, private and group instruction and prices, call Jeanne Fox at 330-477-1496.
