Thats because it helps the mind as well as the body, developing patience, discipline and peace of mind, as students at Beyond Yoga reveal

TATA Garcia and Kirk Long

Young people are doing yoga not only as cross-training for their sport, but also to psychologically cope with the pressures of modern living.

At Beyond Yoga studio, the practitioners are one in saying that the regular practice enables them to develop self-discernment. They realize that yoga isnt just physical development, but its real purpose is mastery of the spirit and the body.

Yoga instructor Rhiannon Halley took up yoga for weight loss and to improve muscle tone. She started yoga at age 17, hoping to sweat off the excess poundage. However, she wasnt losing weight.

She shifted her focus from exercise to yogas holistic approach. The exercises became metaphors for discipline and flowing in life. When she became more aware of her nature through the meditation, she got better results. Aside from losing 20 lbs in three years, she has adapted a healthy lifestyle, such as eating more raw foods.

RHIANNON Halley

Before, I would take a class and count the calories burned. Because of meditation and pranayama (breathing exercises), Ive learned to slow down. I dont eat impulsively. I wouldnt do something that is not beneficial for me.

Meditation has given her mental clarity. The cumulative effect is that I make better decisions, says Halley.

She is a certified yoga instructor who took a 200-hour program at the Marianne Wells Yoga School in Costa Rica. She teaches Dynamic Hatha Yoga at Beyond Yoga.

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