The practice of unity welcoming and available to everyone!
The practice of unity is available to all living beings!
Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
Yoga is vast and unique to every person. When I meet new people and tell them that I practice and teach yoga, I get an array of reactions. Some respond with an excitement of sharing a mutual passion and interest. Others give a passive “oh” usually followed by “I could never do yoga” or “I don’t actually know what yoga is.” Through conversations I have had with people of different ages, backgrounds, and professions, I have noticed a common pattern of misconceptions that I want to address. I can not offer generations old philosophies, knowledge, and approaches to yoga in one article so I encourage you to do more research if something resonates with you! Also, please leave a comment if you have questions and would like me to dive deeper into a topic.
Intimidating words:
Spirituality, meditation, energy
Misconceptions:
1. You have to be skinny, flexible, and a woman
YOGA IS NOT EXCLUSIVE! Given the media around yoga, particularly in the West, it can be easy to think that the realm of yoga is limited to women who are already in excellent physical health. Interestingly, looking at the origins of yogic practice, it was initially restricted to men. I could write extensively about gender in the world of yoga over time but I will leave that for another day. Yoga is about unifying the energy within ourselves and what surrounds us in our environment. The asana (physical postures) that people practice are not meant to show off who is the best or sexiest in their yoga clothes. It is about building personal awareness of the state of your body and mind. The movements target different muscles and joints to challenge you while helping you arrive to a space where you feel re-acquainted with the body that you live in. Over time you build concentration and understanding of your body’s needs and potential. Similar to learning anything, you start slow and build up. Just as you would learn single notes on a guitar before a chord, you learn to fell comfortable in downward dog before you move into a handstand. For this reason, I encourage people to let go of their ideas of yoga and their goals for yoga because it is a process that can change as you enhance your practice. Lastly, I remind people that yoga is absolutely not limited to the physical practice. Read further to learn more.
2. All yoga is the same and must be practiced in a studio
THERE IS SO MUCH TO YOGA BEYOND ASANA! I can’t possibly condense everything into a few paragraphs but I will start with Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga. Patanjali was a Hindu sage and author of Yoga Sutra. Simply put, the Eight Limbs of Yoga (Ashtanga yoga) are guidelines to reaching your potential for a healthy and purposeful life – and this life looks different for everyone.
Eight Limbs of Yoga – Asthanga:
- Yama
- Niyama
- Asana – physical posture
- Pranayama – breathing
- Pratyahara
- Dharana
- Dhyana
- Samadhi
Already in just Ashtanga yoga you can see how much is involved and how it could take multiple lifetimes to master it all. Find what targets your needs and focus there.
Types of Yoga
- Bhakti Yoga – devotion
- Kriya Yoga
- Karma Yoga
- Jnana Yoga
- Ashtanga Yoga
- Hatha Yoga
- Antara Yoga
Of course these are traditional forms of Yoga that can be found in the Yoga Sutras, there are so many more such as Sivanada, Iyengar, and Yin. These all have different approaches to reaching a state of peace and internal happiness so don’t be discouraged if one classes did not feel right for you. Yoga can be practiced in your home, at your desk at work, during your commute, outdoors, you name it. There is yoga out there for everyone!
3. Yoga is only asana (physical movements/positions) and stretching
YOGA IN NOT A PRE-WORKOUT STRETCH ROUTINE!
Hearing this comment can at first cause a twinge in a yoga practitioner’s chest. It downgrades the hard work and dedication practitioners have. I think it comes from a place of “judging a book by its cover.” Images of people happily in Trikonasana (triangle pose) and Janusirasana (one-leg stretch) looks easy. You only see photos of the advanced poses or people seated in meditation. Asana pulls your mind into your body through breath and targeting muscles and joints in ways that are never done on a daily basis. It involves a different level of concentration and acceptance that becomes a relaxing challenge that will make difficulties in other aspects of life easier to approach, handle, and/or conquer. Yet, it also prepares you for the other yoga practices like that of emotional control, proper eating, sleeping, and overall maintaining balance in all aspects of the day. As we all know this is not an easy task to accomplish and each day is a re-commitment to self-care and care for our environment.
Yoga has been both a great place for relaxation and restoration when needed as well as an excellent compliment to my fitness and cross training routine. Many athletes that I have taught use yoga to not only target areas of their bodies that their sport does not but also build a unique type of endurance and concentration that carries over into their performance.
4. Yoga is a quick fix
I have had people come to me with a very specific injury or goal in mind and all too often I see them get quickly frustrated and discouraged when they don’t see results within the first two classes. It is important not get caught up in the idea of what you think Yoga will/should bring. It takes time to find the right practice for your needs and requires patience and dedication. However I can say, when the benefits of your practice begin to take fruition, it can be a life changing and euphoric experience.
5. Yoga is basically a religion that requires converting to an entirely new lifestyle.
YOGA IS ABOUT SIMPLICITY AND BALANCE!
This is one of the most common misconceptions and on of the hardest to break for newcomers. For some, yoga is a full-time devotion and for others, it is a space for grounding after a long day of work. Practicing yoga does not mean you have to give up on other passions or restrict yourself from certain desires – yoga is about happiness afterall.
Azurine Yoga & Health 