Yoga, which helps people achieve natural stress relief, changed a woman's life on September 11
Knowing how to balance life and work can be a challenge, which is why millions of Americans practice the holistic art of yoga as a method of natural stress relief. Engaging in the program's deep breathing exercises, poses and stretches can be a good way to keep things in perspective, particularly during tense times in one's life.
Yoga has changed the lives of many people, and former World Trade Center employee Lara Lundstrom Clarke can be counted among them. According to Us Magazine, Clarke was running late to work on the morning of September 11, 2001. When she attempted to jaywalk across a street downtown, she had a chance encounter with Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow, who was leaving a New York yoga studio and driving a Mercedes SUV.
The stand-off lasted for some time, making Clarke miss her train to work. By the time she finally arrived at the World Trade Center, the first tower had already fallen. She lived to tell the story – and to pen a letter of thanks to the actress.
"Basically, what happened was I had gone to a yoga class very early," Paltrow told the news source. "I was on the way home and it was the morning of September 11 – not that I knew at the time what that meant."
The Shakespeare in Love star added that she received Clarke's letter a decade later, explaining that their encounter had kept the latter from catching the train to almost certain tragedy.
Yoga welcomes enthusiasts of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels. Those who are newer to the Eastern regimen may find that watching a yoga video for beginners can help them learn the basic maneuvers, while more experienced practitioners can take a class at their local gym or fitness facility.
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Tags: natural stress relief, New York yoga, New York yoga studio, stress relief
