To shine the light on your fellow yogis, we are featuring interviews with familiar faces from RMY.
Meet Barbara Amping, a true inspiration and reflection of how yoga impacts us deeply and that it's never too late to start.
RMY: Barb, you said that this year is a special one. Why is that?
BA: Because it's my big 7-0 in the fall! So I'm celebrating all year and increasing my activities as I get older
RMY: How long have you been practicing yoga for?
BA: 2 Years at RMY
RMY: What is your favorite thing about doing yoga? What helps you the most?
BA: The mental, the psychological, the calm, relaxation and the acceptance of things as they are. That feeling of waking up in the morning for no reason happy! Just waking up Happy, not looking for the explanation, just accepting it.
RMY: Do you feel that your energy level has increased?
BA: Oh yes, (except after Peter's class- haha just joking Peter=)
RMY: Is there anything specifically that your working on in your practice?
BA: Being more flexible is my ongoing. To do one pose (pause..), handstand and then flip over into a back bend. When that happens I'm going to get Krissy( her daughter) to take a picture!
At this point Barb is beaming and all smiles while suppressing giggles. Like I said, she is an inspiration and I cannot wait to be there when she does. In my mind she is already doing back flips metaphorically and soon I'm sure physically!
RMY: Have you found that people close to you have noticed a difference from practicing yoga?
BA: When I went back East, people wanted to know what happened to me, why are you so calm? It's the yoga
RMY: I know that you are doing the challenge right now, but how regularly do you practice
BA: I've been practicing 4 to 5 days per week. However, the summer, I was kind of bad with hiking and too many social activities (she laughs). But I can do some at home because Holly has given me a program to follow. No more back pain!
RMY: When did your yoga help you the most?
BA: When I first moved out here, I was really worried about being depressed because I was really down. My daughter or one of her friends suggested I try yoga and I did and that feeling lifted and lifted.
When I went through my treatments (for breast cancer~all cleared now=), I kept up saying I'm OK, I'm in good hands, because of my mental state, I looked like I was acceptable and because of that people were more acceptable and give more.You get what you give, the more open you are, people will approach you and that helps when going through treatments.
RMY: Do you have any advice for people who may want to start yoga?
BA: Try yoga, you can't lose. And talk to people, express your feelings, don't keep anything your going through hidden.