Mark Moran / The Citizens' Voice Dina Stewart practices yoga Saturday at Balance Yoga in Forty Fort.

After 40 days, there was no going back for Dina Stewart.

The Hazleton woman enrolled in a 40-Day Yoga Challenge last year, and on her final day of the challenge, she realized she didn't want to give it up.

"At the end of the 40 days, I knew that I had grown so much that I was afraid that if I stopped, I'd have to start all over," she said.

Day in, day out - as early as 4:30 a.m. on most days - Stewart continued her yoga, blending physical exercises with meditation.

She hoped to reach 50 days, then 60, and at some point, she decided to just keep going. She reached a milestone today, having logged yoga practice for 400 straight days.

"It's just amazing - the transformation. I am just a lot different than I was 400 days ago," she said.

Her life has changed - from the way she brushes her teeth to the way she interacts with people. She's more conscious and knows her mind, body and spirit are united, she said.

"I am more relaxed," Stewart said. "I try to live my yoga practice. I try to bring it out into my life. I try to be less reactive, more compassionate, and just stronger physically and mentally."

Realizing its capability to change lives for the better, she decided she'd like to introduce youngsters - like her daughter, Althea, 7 - to yoga. Stewart trained to become a certified ChildLight yoga instructor, and took her training a step further when she enrolled

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Hazleton woman hits yoga milestone