Finding Balance and Awareness Through Yoga – with Tamar Boas

When most people think of yoga, they picture extreme flexibility or endless stretching. But those ideas miss the true depth of the practice.

Myth check:

• You have to be flexible to start yoga. ❌ False – flexibility develops with practice.

• Yoga is only about stretching and relaxation. ❌ False – it’s about self-awareness through movement, breath, and meditation.

• Yoga helps reduce stress and calm the mind ✅ True

What It Is

Tamar describes yoga in one sentence: “Yoga is an ancient wellness system that prepares the body and mind for the spiritual experience of oneness.”

At its heart, yoga is an integrated system of ethics, postures, breathing, and meditation. While in the West we often associate it with physical poses, that’s only one part of a much larger philosophy

Instructor’s Story

Tamar began practising in her late 20s. At first, while raising young children, yoga was only an occasional practice. Later, when her kids went to school, she returned to weekly classes—and eventually trained as a teacher in her mid-40s.

She explains, “Yoga was the only sport I enjoyed. I loved how it made me feel even when I wasn’t flexible or strong. As a parent it was my time for myself, where I could breathe deeply and feel nurtured from the inside.”

Benefits of Yoga

There are many styles, but Tamar enjoys teaching slow, mindful yoga for nervous system regulation. This approach shifts the body from “fight or flight” into the relaxation response, often called “tend and befriend.”

Benefits may include:

• Improved sleep and digestion

• Less chronic pain

• Better balance, mobility, and flexibility

• Reduced stress and greater calm

• Increased strength and posture support

• Enhanced social connection and sense of well-being

Who It’s For

Yoga is for everyone, but Tamar stresses the importance of “shopping around” to find the style and teacher that resonates with you.

Some styles are vigorous and physically demanding, so it’s wise to find a class that matches your body and goals

Getting Started

Free classes are easy to find online, but Tamar recommends in-person classes for guidance and connection. Many communities offer free yoga in the park.

At home, try these beginner practices:

1. Breath awareness – Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and simply notice each inhale and exhale.

2. Knees to chest – Lie on your back, hug your knees, and make slow circles to massage the lower back.

3. Spinal twist – Lying on your back, drop your knees to one side while turning your head the opposite way, breathing deeply

Summary Box

Great for: flexibility, strength, posture, stress relief, nervous system regulation
Watch out for: some styles are intense, modifications may be needed for injuries
Try it if: you want a mind-body practice that adapts to your level and helps you unwind

Yoga is a practice, not a performance. The benefits come from repetition over time—not from doing the “perfect” pose.

Tamar Boas - Website / Facebook