"Demystifying Yoga"

As a yoga instructor the three most common questions I am asked are: Is yoga a religion? Do I have to be able to twist up like a pretzel to do yoga? And lastly, do I have to add aerobics and weight training to yoga to stay in shape? My goal in this article is to demystify yoga and to answer those questions starting with whether or not yoga is a religion.

Yoga pre-dates any organized religion and is over 4000 years old. It is an oral tradition and was codified approximately 3500 years ago by the sage Patanjali in a text called the "Yoga Sutras". Yoga is a science of techniques or philosophies whose purpose is to bring the individual closer to their divine whoever that may be. Yoga's two main goals are to remove the root cause of pain and suffering and to attain enlightenment. This is done through the eight limbs which are documented in the Yoga Sutras". Yoga means to yoke or unite and Sutras are threads. The eight limbs (translated from Sanskrit) consist of restraints, observances, postures, breathing, sense-withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and enlightenment.

Hatha yoga which is what most people are familiar with consists of the postures and breathing techniques and can be practiced alone to achieve the health benefits that come along with yoga. Yoga can be practiced by anyone at any age or ability and has proven therapeutic benefits for a large list of ailments. You do not have to be extremely flexible or strong to practice yoga; a good teacher will provide you with props or pose modifications to make most poses accessible to everyone. With enough practice flexibility and strength comes along with doing yoga. Focus on the proper alignment and keeping yourself from getting injured are the keys to a beginning yoga practice. When looking for a school or instructor it is important to not be forced into attempting anything beyond your ability. If your first class involves doing headstands or shoulderstands and no modifications are provided you may wish to seek another school or class structured around the beginning ability level. It is even wise to set up your first class as a private session with the instructor.

There have been studies conducted that discuss whether or not other types or strength training or aerobics are needed, and results have varied. There are different styles of yoga and many of them really get your heart pumping! The advanced breathing techniques learned in yoga will also improve cardiovascular fitness. Even beginning levels of yoga practice will begin to sculpt and tone your body, it just takes patience and results may take longer than lifting weights. A basic physiological premise in yoga is that muscles that are tone have the ability to contract and relax and yoga is ultimately a non-muscular activity and one of balance but this takes years, maybe even a lifetime to achieve. Hardened muscles and six-pack abs mean you are in a constant state of contraction and that is not muscle tone! Overall the practice of yoga is health for the mind, body, and soul and the changes you notice through practice can begin to change your entire life!

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