So there’s this thing called yoga. You are giving it a try. Your friends, maybe even your
doctor have suggested you should give it a go. Maybe you have yet to join a class.
Whatever it is, I am sure thoughts and ideas are swirling around in your head about
what is and what isn’t yoga.
Well it’s not wrong, you do go to yoga
classes. However, yoga is much more than going to a class….much more! Once you
open up to yoga it becomes part of your whole life. Yoga is involved in how you move,
what you say, how you respond/react to things or events. Yoga becomes involved in all
of the choices you make…..in a very good way. Yoga is the entire package! It will alter
your internal sense, leading to a meaningful and mindful life.
Yes, there are.
There are loads more benefits from going to a class with a teacher though. Doing yoga
on your own (with a video or a book) can potentially lead to damaging your body and
your mind. You have zero connection to the teacher through the screen. She/he cannot
read your body language and offer cues or help. She/he cannot answer your specific
and unique questions. She/he has zero awareness of your goals and how to help you
progress. There is zero energy exchange, a key factor to a good yoga practice. Find a
good teacher and your practice will flourish from day one.
While there are some wonderfully
challenging postures (asanas) that you can incorporate into your practice, they are
simply a fraction of what goes on, and only if you want to practice them. Yoga teaches
you to listen to and honour your body and mind. You begin to grow awareness of many
times you can bring yoga into your life. We bend so we do not break….and that means
our minds more so than our bodies. There are many forms of yoga you can practice. You
should be exploring the different forms and finding one that match your goals.