You are only as Young as you are Flexible

Probably one of the most important components of yoga or any exercise routine is flexibility.  When the body is flexible we have greater range of motion, and are able to do more physical activities.
When it comes to the physical self most people are concerned with having a beautiful body.  A healthy body often comes second after what we regard as the perfect figure or physique.  Self awareness of the body and its ability to function at a healthy level is a concept that may escape many people.  A healthy body is very important. A person not aware or concerned about having a healthy body will never truly be concerned with having a healthy mind.  A healthy mind leads to healthy thoughts.  Healthy thoughts open the pathway to balance.
Our body is the vehicle through which we have the opportunity to experience life and the opportunity to gain wisdom. Wisdom comes about through life experience.  Therefore it is good to live a long and healthy life.  A healthy body expands our ability to explore and experience the physical world.  Locked within the physical world are the answers to the mystery of life.  The purpose of exercise is to keep the body healthy and fit so that we enhance the quality of our lives.
The word asan in yoga means pose and pose means balance.  The goal in yoga is not to perform a set of calisthenics but rather to use the body to experience the nature of things.  We can talk about or intellectualize about what it means or feels like to experience balance but until we get out of our minds and physically experience it, we can never truly know what it means to be balanced.
The first step in performing any task is to get centered and quiet.  From a quiet and centered point of view we can excel.  Many athletes know this.  To play a game successfully you must be present, aware, and centered.  Let your mind wander and you lose your grip.  Physical performance is about balancing your thinking and emotions by removing extraneous distractions.
The body is the vehicle from which you create the very nature of your life.  The body does what the mind tells it to do.  The motivation to exercise comes from the mind and the soul.  The purpose of a healthy body-mind is simply to experience happiness.  It is not about what you must do or should do but rather about what you choose to do.  When you balance your energy you will then begin to feel healthy and when you feel healthy you automatically draw into your life healthy food, a healthy lifestyle, and healthy people.
The purpose of exercise and a healthy diet is simply to bring about balance and in a balanced state health, happiness, and peace can be achieved,
Doctor Lynn
www.doctorlynn.com