I’d rather lie down in a yoga corpse pose than go for a run any day of the week.  But after going for a power walk with a friend recently, something inspired me to try jogging again.  It must have been those endorphins making me feel good about exercising.

The last time I jogged was years ago and I’ve never been strongly devoted to it.  Running makes me feel like I’m about to collapse any second, usually within my first lap.  Clearly, I’m out of shape!  While I love practicing hatha yoga at home, I need some cardiovascular in my routine, so I’ve decided to give jogging a second chance.

I found a website for beginner joggers and the advice is to start slowly — just five minutes a jog for the first week, then gradually build to 30 minutes of jogging, five days a week, which is the recommended schedule.

For now, I’m doing a combination of jogging and walking a few times a week.  And I’ve applied a yoga trick that I find very helpful — I focus on my breathing.  That helps me not to pant out of control and to keep going.

To learn more about jogging for beginners, click here:  http://www.joggingforbeginners.com/.

This year’s summer solstice will be marked by a day of tranquility in Times Square.  If you’re in New York or planning a visit, save the date:  Sunday, June 21, 2009 for the Mind over Madness Yoga-fest. Participation is free, as long as you can find enough space for your yoga mat!  For details, click on the link below:

http://www.timessquarenyc.org/about_us/events_solstice.html

Check out our new “Living Well Page” from all of us at Still Good News.com

Every month or so, we’ll be putting up a major feature page full of links, videos, articles and reviews. They’ll be about everything from health to entertainment.

This month - we’re hoping you want to learn more about Yoga. (no we’re not asking you to do it, just read about it…and maybe do it, too, for like…a minute or so….)

We’ve all found a lot of serenity in yoga, and even the cynical side of us has to admit it’s a good thing. For articles about “Online Yoga at Home”, “Laughing Yoga Videos”, “Finding Serenity in Yoga” and more- head to our Living Well Tab (or click here if you forgot your glasses and can’t see it next to “About”).

I recently read Deborah Norville’s bestseller, Thank You Power, and was pleasantly surprised.  In this book, Norville shares real life accounts about people who developed an attitude of gratitude despite tremendous challenges and setbacks.  Whether it’s thanking others or counting one’s blessings, gratitude is a wonderful practice.  Here are my top five reasons why it’s good to say thank you:

1) People enjoy feeling recognized.  Whether it’s a co-worker or a loved one, showing a little bit of appreciation goes a long way.

2) It’s good for your health.  Grateful people have more positive energy, which benefits the immune system.

3) Gratitude helps you get through a bad day.  Looking at the bright side can help you overcome a difficult situation.

4) Giving thanks can improve your marriage or relationship.  Singing praises sounds a lot better than nagging!

5) A daily dose of gratitude can make you happy.  Focusing on the good in people and situations is a great way to lift your spirits.

My yoga teacher would often say, “Yoga is meditation,” as she led the class into a series of asanas (postures).  As a beginner student, I was immediately struck by this idea.  The thought of meditation had always brought to mind the image of a Buddhist monk sitting perfectly still in the lotus position while breathing evenly with his eyes closed.

That wasn’t even close to what we were doing in my hatha yoga class: moving in and out of unfamiliar asanas, stretching to the point of sweet discomfort (another one of my instructor’s favorite expressions), and trying to remember to breathe throughout it all.  But as the course continued, my movements became more fluid and my breathing deepened, giving me a sense of calm.  I found myself feeling energized and at peace after each class.  Not only was my body becoming more flexible, but my mind felt sharper, more alert.  Before long, I began to see why the word yoga means “union of mind, body, and spirit.”  It truly is a form of meditation.

I regard meditation as a mental cleansing:  it’s clearing all the thoughts and self-talk that clutter the mind.  Yoga is a fantastic way to cut through the mental chatter because it demands one’s entire attention on the present moment.  By concentrating on a sequence of postures and focusing on my breath, I have no space for worry.  All my awareness is in the now.  Even if a distracting thought comes to mind, I can simply acknowledge it, then return my attention to the asana and my breathing.  I think this is why people meditate — to let go of anxiety and experience the beauty of being immersed in the present moment.

Hatha yoga, which is the most commonly practiced in the West, will not only stretch your muscles, but also your mind.  The good news is that it’s widely accessible to anyone that’s interested.  Check out your local gym, community center, or adult night school programs for yoga classes, as well as books and websites.  You need not commit a huge amount of time to reap the benefits of this wonderful practice.  Just 15 minutes a day can help you to recharge and regroup.  I think yoga is the ideal exercise to get in shape and feel serene, all at once.