Jamaicans Experience Physical Benefits of Yoga

Scores of people turned out to experience the physical benefits of yoga on International Day of Yoga, observed on Wednesday, June 21, at India House, 2 East King’s House Road, Kingston 6.

About 200 Indian community members and locals turned out in their comfortable exercise garbs for the annual event, ready for stretching on the lawns of India House.

Yoga is an ancient practice originating in India, which involves physical poses, concentration and deep breathing.

In an interview with JIS News, Elizabeth Matthews, an 85-year-old yoga student said she joined yoga classes in February this year and practises three days per week. She said her health issues have improved since she started doing yoga.

“Yoga helps with improving my joints and spine problems that have been affecting me,” she said. She added that doing yoga makes her feel relieved and that she has been recommending it to others.

According to the American Osteopathic Association, Yoga increases flexibility, muscle strength and tone and helps to improve respiration, energy and vitality.

Simone Campbell, another yoga student, said she has been doing yoga for over 10 years now and has plans to become an instructor.

“Yoga helps to calm me and be more peaceful in my everyday life. Yoga helps with my mood, demeanour, my interactions with people and my health tremendously. I also think others should do yoga as a society because of how aggressive some of us can be,” she encouraged.

“I used to have back pain and yoga helped to ease it along with the flexibility of my joints and muscles in so many ways,” she added.

Ms. Campbell attends yoga classes at the High Commission of India in the mornings at 8:00 a.m. and classes that are offered on the weekends.

“The way you start your day is very important and I use yoga to do that because it helps to relax me and it brings togetherness,” she noted.

She said that yoga is for everyone and people should think of creative ways to introduce it in schools, at home and in communities.

Practising yoga involves shifting the body in various positions that range from beginner, intermediate to advanced levels.

Pauline Matthews, a yoga student, said she started yoga at the gym and liked it despite some of the positions being challenging.

“Despite the challenges, I liked yoga so much that after work I would attend classes and often fall asleep because of how relaxing it was. Yoga also has holistic benefits and I try to practise yoga at least three to four times per week. Even if I don’t get to attend the class one day, I try to do it at home for 30 to 45 minutes,” she said.

Maria Serrana, another participant said she is thankful to the instructors and the Indian High Commissioner to have the opportunity to practise yoga for free.

She started classes in October last year when she was invited by a friend and fell in love with it.

“Every time I participate in the class, I feel calm, peaceful and it gives me a sharp mind. I start work later so I can attend the 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. class in the mornings,” she said.

“When I’m doing yoga, I feel a part of the yoga community and the instructor makes us feel like we’re at home,” Ms. Serrana added.

Yoga was adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 as an initiative of the Indian Prime Minister.