All this reporter had known about yoga until recently had comefrom watching Dhalsim from Street Fighter II stretchand breathe fire on his opponents. Of course, for the sake of pure entertainment (and violence), the people at Capcom blatantly misrepresent the means and concepts of yoga. Anyway, whether you were a fan of Dhalsim or not, if you have any interest in taking up yoga for yourself, the UMB University Health Service is now offering an “Office YogaBreak” twice a weekat its Wellness Center (M-1-613), taught bycertified Yoga instructor Donna Stonis. Classes are offered Tuesdays, 1:15 – 1:45pm and Wednesdays, 11:00 – 11:30am.
Participants are given instruction in the essential tenets of yoga, including basic upper-body stretches, standing poses, forward bends and breathing techniques to the tune of new-age music.
The term “yoga” is derived from theold Sanskrit root word “yug,” which refers to attachment, (especially ofa yoke to a horse.) In practice, yoga is a discipline of unification between body and soul that works by means of meditation and physical exercises that strengthen the disciple’s control over both. The discourse of yoga had been passed down through oral tradition from masters to their disciples, until the Indian sage Patanjali compiled a series of 195 statements of the yogic philosophy into the “Yoga Sutra,” which provides enthusiasts with thebasis forall yoga that is currently practiced. This Yoga Sutra (“Sutra” being translated roughlyas “thread” or “aphorism”) is a sort of guidebook for the mastery of universal truths in a highly condensed format.
Yoga is of major interest for a very diverse crowd; those most drawnto it are spiritualists,health nuts (for lack of a better term), people with long histories of injuries and those looking to fine-tune their own reflexes and complex body processes. Practicioners (males known as “yogi” and females “yogini”) use foam mats to perform an innumerable variety of positions that range greatly in complexity and difficulty. Each exercise is designed to put one in tune with one’s own internal processes and provide greater stability and control over the self.
Stonis herself, who has been instructing yoga for 20 years, was previously a fitness instructor to whom yogawas recommended after sustaining an injury.She says her classes are for people looking to relax and get a break from their classes and office work. People of all experience levels are welcome, though the instructed portions of the classes cater more towards those not especially familiar with the discipline of yoga. Those with time available are welcome to remain afterwards to practice techniques learned elsewhere on their own. Each week students will learn one or two new positions to add to their repetoire to use as they see fit. Stonis also notes that she has no plans to incorporate any heavy-duty “power” yoga into her classes.
At this point, classes are limited to 30 minutes due to the constraints associated with class schedules, but the UHS is ready to create additional time slots if there is a sufficient demand for them amongst students. Those interested are encouraged to register for classes online at www.umbwellness.org, or by calling (617)287-5648. Ms. Stonis also recommends, to those taking classesand those interested but unable to attend , visiting www.yogajournal.com, the internet’s most comprehensive yoga site. It has a vast and constantly updated library of information, including positions for all skill levels and specific interests, as well as background information on the discipline and all sorts of pertinent info.