Rachel Scott - Yoga to Stay Young: Simple Poses to Keep You Flexible, Strong, and Pain-Free

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I love you both very much. CONTENTSI STARTED YOGA IN 1998 while I was living in New York City and struggling to become a working actor. Watching as my anxiety and stress levels increased, a friend offered some advice: Try yoga. Just see what you think. I took my first class in a small studio just off Union Square. Back in those days, yoga seemed shrouded in mystery.

Would there be incense burning? Would I have to chant? Would I be doing strange breathing exercises or have to tie myself into a pretzel? To my surprise, the class was welcoming and accessible, and I didnt have to do any contortions! After my first class, I left the studio feeling grounded, connected to myself, and less anxious than Id been in months. At that moment, I realized that yoga could be a valuable resource for supporting my mental and physical health. When I went to graduate school in San Francisco, yoga helped me feel steady through late nights, crazy rehearsal schedules, and the challenges of earning my MFA. After completing my studies, I returned to New York City and rejoined my home yoga studio. When I found out that one of my good friends was earning her yoga teaching certification, I was consumed with jealousy (which was, admittedly, not very yogic of me). Recognizing my deep desire to learn more about the practice and its philosophy, I signed up for my first yoga teacher training.

Within a few years, I had completed two 500-hour level yoga teacher trainings, an additional 200-hour certification, and several workshops. Id also begun apprenticing as a teacher trainer. The rest is history! I became the director of Teachers College for Yoga, where I helped build their teacher training department from the ground up. I have since taught more than 4,000 hours of yoga teacher training, mentored and trained hundreds of students, written three books, and launched my career as an educational consultant and coach for studios and teachers worldwide. I firmly believe that yoga is a transformational tool that can help anyone cultivate strength, flexibility, and mindfulness. Yoga doesnt have to be fancy to be good.

In fact, the simplest posesdone wellcan deliver extraordinary results. In this book, I will share some of my favorite poses and simple sequences. These postures can help you feel stronger and more flexible and vibrant at any age. Each pose will include variations and modifications so that you can amp up the intensity or dial it back, depending on your individual needs. Ultimately, yoga is a very personal practice; every body is different, and you are encouraged to modify the practice so it supports your body and lifestyle. Part of developing your own practice will be exploring what feels good for you rather than looking for a one size fits all solution.

By using this book, you can expect to increase your stamina and balance. But the benefits of yoga arent just physical; your practice can help you sleep better, feel less stressed, cultivate mindfulness, and develop a greater sense of equanimity in your daily life. I look forward to taking the journey with you! Yoga is an ancient practice of meditation and movement that began more than 5,000 years ago in Northwest India and Pakistan. Often defined as union, yoga is a tool for uniting the various aspects of ourselvesmental, physical, and emotionalso we can experience a greater sense of health and well-being. In North America, we tend to practice postural yoga, where we move the body into different shapes and poses. But it may surprise you to know that yoga has many different branches and styles of practice, and some of them dont involve movement at all.

Regardless of the practice style, the ultimate goal of yoga is to help the practitioner calm their mind and enjoy a better sense of health and wellness.