Yoga
Intro
Yoga was developed in India thousands of years ago. Traditionally, people used it not only to get in shape but also as a spiritual practice.
These days, some people treat yoga like any other exercise craze. They do it because they want to get fit and improve their bodies. But for others, yoga offers something more than just physical fitness. Doing yoga helps them feel more focused and relaxed. Listen to Marni try to convince Ella to give yoga a try.
Dialogue
Marni: I will be doing yoga tomorrow night at seven o’clock. Would you like to join me?
Ella:I’m not really sure. What is yoga, what do you like about it so much?
Marni:Oh, I love yoga. God, it just totally relaxes my mind and helps me focus better. I feel much more flexible.
Ella:I don’t know, it just seems kind of uncomfortable, with your body contorted in so many awkward positions.
Marni:Oh, really? It’s such a great stretch, and you just feel so relaxed. And it’s so good for your entire body. It’s really good for your back.
Ella:What do you think of your yogi? Is that person pretty laid back, or…
Marni:Yes. I love my yoga instructor. And we actually all refer to ourselves as yogis because when you practice yoga you are a yogi.
Ella:Oh, interesting.
Marni:Yeah. It’s nice to give yourself a little title. But it’s wonderful. I’ve been doing it for a few years now, and I just feel so much better about, you know, my whole body and my mind when I do it.
Ella:Maybe I might reconsider.
Marni:Yeah, a little practice, a little downward dog. Want to practice right now?
Ella:Yeah, let’s do it.
Marni:OK.
Discussion
Marni invites Ella to go to a yoga class with her. Ella is skeptical, so Marni tells her all the reasons why she loves yoga.
Some people say that there’s a mind-body connection. When you do good things for your body, your mind feels better, too. And when you have lots of negative thoughts or emotions, you might experience pain or discomfort in your body. For Marni, yoga makes both her mind and her body feel better.
Have you ever done yoga? Do you do it for your mind, your body, or your spirit?
Grammar Point
Future Progressive Tense
Marni tells Ella that she will be doing yoga tomorrow at seven o’clock. She uses the future progressive tense to talk about an action that will be happening in the future.
The future progressive tense is formed with will be + verb + ing, as in, “I will probably be running late tonight so don’t wait up for me.”
This tense can often be replaced by the simple future tense or by the present progressive tense. It would be OK for Marni to say, “I am going to do yoga tomorrow night,” or, “I am doing yoga tomorrow night.”
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