Yoga is universal, and anyone can do it: no matter how young or old you feel, no matter how unfit you consider yourself. Whether you are a couch-potato or professional athlete, the benefits of yoga are for everyone. Your size and fitness level don’t matter because Yoga adapts to you.

The idea is to explore your personal limits, not to strive for pretzel-like perfection or drown in esoteric teachings. We have classes to suit all styles and needs, and if we don’t then we will set up a personal class just for you!

Spirit Bear Power Yoga opened in 2008 and has been serving and growing the community ever since. At our studio you will find exercise that’s easy to study, requires no gear, and soothes your soul.

Give Yoga a try and discover what it can do for your body and mind. A central premise in yoga is “everything is connected.” That’s clear when looking at the health and fitness benefits of yoga that have long been reported by practitioners and are now being confirmed by scientific research.

STRESS RELIEF

Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the body by encouraging relaxation and lowering the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Related benefits include lowering blood pressure and heart rate, improving digestion and boosting the immune system, as well as easing symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma and insomnia.

PAIN RELIEF

Yoga can ease pain. Studies have determined that practicing Yoga asanas (postures), meditation, or a combination of the two, reduced pain for people with conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, auto-immune diseases and hypertension as well as arthritis, back and neck pain and other chronic conditions.

BETTER BREATHING

Yoga teaches people to take slower deeper breaths. This helps to improve lung function and trigger the body’s relaxation response.

FLEXIBILITY

Yoga helps to improve flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movement and reducing aches and pains.

INCREASED STRENGTH

Yoga asanas (postures) use every muscle in the body, helping to increase strength literally from head to toe. Yoga also helps to relieve muscular tension.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Yoga (even less vigorous styles) can aid weight control efforts by reducing the cortisol levels, as well as by burning excess calories and reducing stress. Yoga also encourages healthy eating habits and provides a heightened sense of well being and self esteem.

IMPROVED CIRCULATION

Yoga helps to improve circulation and, as a result of various poses, more efficiently moves oxygenated blood to the body’s cells.

CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONING

Even gentle yoga practice can provide cardiovascular benefits by lowering resting heart rate, increasing endurance and improving oxygen uptake during exercise.

BETTER BODY ALIGNMENT

Yoga helps to improve body alignment, resulting in better posture and helping to relieve back, neck, joint and muscle problems.

FOCUS ON THE PRESENT

Yoga helps us focus on the present, to become more aware and to help create mind body health. It opens the way to improved coordination, reaction time and memory.

Thanks to Yoga Alliance for preparing this list. You can read more by visiting their website > www.yogaalliance.org