Ten years ago (2013), I invited 15 people, ages 50 to 74, to put on their yoga clothes, step on the mat, and do a pose of their own choosing. I recently tracked down as many as I could and invited them (and others) to again step on the mat. The people here are ages 60 to 90.
“I practice yoga because it keeps my body healthy and strong and helps to calm my mind and nervous system. I find everything in life is better when I practice yoga! It just makes me very happy.”
I practice yoga to maintain flexibility as I age. I also do it for its meditative quality. It allows me to be removed from daily concerns and focus on the asanas and breathing. It brings a quality of peace into my life during a turbulent period in our history. I found it very helpful when my husband was so ill with cancer. It restored me and gave me the strength to attend to his needs. After he died, it helped with the grieving process.”
“Over the years, yoga has become more of a mental practice for me. I like to think I’ve advanced beyond just postures and have incorporated the mental disciplines as well.”
“I practice because I can’t imagine my life without practicing yoga. Yoga gives me flexibility, mental clarity, and an ability to clear my mind.”
“I practice less vigorously than I used to.”
“I practice at a slower pace. My practice is geared toward opening my pelvic region for sitting meditation.”
“I practice less vigorously than I used to.”“I can’t do as many advanced poses anymore. I practice yoga to stay flexible, calm my mind and body, and stay healthy. My advice: keep moving!”
“I’m considerably less intense than I was and while form is important to me, I don’t hold poses as long.”
“I’ve moved away from vinyasa to Iyengar which feels ‘right’ to me and for my body.”
“Over the years, my practice has become deeper and more mindful.””
“Yoga helped guide my career as a dancer/choreographer and teacher. I like to share with my students a quote from yoga scholar Mircea Eliade, ‘If one is every to be conscious of the totality of life, one can do this by practicing these hieratic postures. The calm, the serenity, the concentration on a single point. All these poses achieve the same goal which is to calm, to integrate, to make whole.’”
“My practice remains vigorous, as it has since the beginning, but the vigor has changed from exterior to interior. If I don’t practice regularly, or employ a similar substitute, my body becomes stiff and sore.”
“I’ve had to make adjustments for limitations and stiffness.”
“When I was younger I might have taken yoga for strength and flexibility and perhaps vanity, but I’m realizing now the practice is for well-being that encompasses the mind, body, and spirit.”
“I am more consistent now and do it to prevent injuries and backaches. I want to remain active and I believe yoga will help me do that.”
“My goal is to age well, to be strong and maintain my ability to do as much on my own and be independent into my elderly years.”
“Yoga makes me feel happy.”
“I try to stay balanced, strong and stretched out. I want to practice til the end.”
“I’ve had to omit certain strenuous poses but it helps me maintain health and flexibility.”
“Yoga heightens my body awareness which is something that was terribly lacking in my earlier years.”
“My body has yet to feel the results of aging. It keeps getting more limber and stronger. Mindfulness, also the result of aging, is more present.”
“When I first went to yoga, I assumed I could not be still for 1 hour 15 minutes. I left class early! Being still is a much needed skill for me. I find the classes calming.”
“I have practiced many kinds of yoga, but hurt myself doing very strong styles. I have had to stop my favorite pose, headstand, due to neck issues. I have been working my way back from a hip replacement with much success. There are many advanced poses I used to do, but now I just love working with the ropes.”
“I feel relaxed and strengthened after my practice.”
“Yoga used to be about trying to perfect the posture and now it’s a much gentler approach that seeks to heal places in my body (and soul) that are in need of a kind stretch.”
