Christmas is here again and I,like most other people, am stuffing myself with all the usual goodies such as mince pies and Christmas cake – things which, according to my homeopath friend, have the nutritional value of -100.

Having a walking disability caused by paralysis down one side I am not capable of moving as much as my able-bodied friends. Therefore with the goodies going in and not enough movement coming out the weight is going on and this is bad for anybody particularly the disabled – weak legs have a harder job pushing a fatter body around.

With this in mind, it’s especially important for all disabled people to get some kind of exercise and Yoga is great for the body the mind and the soul. Yoga is, in fact, good for everybody but people with disabilities especially need it to keep good those parts of the body which are good and preserve whatever strength there is, and even improve where possible, those parts of the body effected by the their disability.

In doing yoga you can make lots of new friends but it is important to remember that yoga is not competitive – you are not there to keep up with the others but to take things at your own pace. Whilst fearing this point in mind, many people with disabilities, including myself, find it too difficult to join a normal class and may find it easier to join a class in “restorative yoga” run by teachers who have training enabling them to adapt exercises to the needs of the individual. There are a number of these teachers in the Brighton area and it’s worth having a look around on the Internet. You’ll be amazed at the benefits from doing Yoga.

om shanti om