My balance was not as I remembered 30 years ago when I could hop from stone to stone in a stream. Those days seemed to be gone for me and I was being more careful. Most of my older patient's balance was declining and when they said, "That's just part of getting old it started to sound like truth to me. Then I started practicing yoga.
In my basic yoga classed that I take at Sage Studio, balance seems to be integrated into everything we do. At first I had to use the wall on every balance pose. Other poses with a wide stance or in-line foot positioning requires a great deal of balance. And yes, I fell once or twice and some days I chose the less aggressive version of whatever crazy thing Shane Knox was having us do. He is crazy-like-a-fox making us do something different all the time. By mixing it up we have to challenge different muscles of balance all the time.
The day I took a serious slip on ice and caught myself and stayed upright was the day I really figured this balance thing out. Shane says, "Strong on the mat-Strong in life." I have to agree that my yoga practice has helped me be more sure-footed and confident in every situation. Never again will I say that loosing balance is just part of getting old and no one can change my mind on that.
Shane here is a new quote that I'm sure someone has said before, "Balanced on the mat-Balanced in life." Join me in practicing yoga and keep practicing until you reach your ideal balance in life.