Yoga is an ancient system which incorporates numerous strategies for staying healthy and centered. It integrates physical, emotional, mental and spiritual realms of health. Yoga originated over 5,000 years ago in India, and was brought to America 100 years ago. The earliest promoters of yoga in the United States were Richard Hittleman and Lillian Folas.

Yoga is very adaptable—and it has had to adapt to changes in society. When yoga was developed 5,000 years ago, our bodies were structurally different and our work tasks were more physically demanding. Chairs, sofas and beds did not exist. People sat on the floor and also slept on the floor. The use of modern furniture brought about unwanted changes in our physiology. Our hip joints have become tighter and our pelvic and sacrum regions are less flexible. We store more tension because we sit for longer periods of time. As a consequence of using computers, neck, shoulder and lower back tension have increased. Inevitably, we suffer the consequences of poor posture and alignment!

Modern yogic techniques compensate for damage caused by office work. Since the computer and the chair have become a part of your life that you cannot toss away, yoga is necessary to restore tranquility and balance to your body, mood and mind.

In the 1990’s, many individuals have taken the principles of yoga and developed new yogic systems. Some of these systems focus on meditation and enlightenment. Others concentrate on physical fitness and breathing techniques. My own system, Balanced Yoga, fills a need that many forms of exercise neglect. Balanced Yoga is designed to reduce work-related stress.