What is Yoga?
In the words of yogi master Eric Schiffmann, yoga is the spirit and practice of moving into stillness. Similar to meditation, yoga is the complete release of preconceived notions of what is possible and what is normal within our bodies, opening our body, mind and soul to limitless possibilities of peace and stillness through movement. It is the embracing of change, the acceptance of beauty within ourselves, and the releasing of old thought patterns about who we are and what we are capable of.
Why Woud I Bother? Yoga Looks Like Hard Work!
Sure, Yoga is challenging. But there’s something about the way the movements make you feel so good even though the change in flexibility may hurt a little when we first set out on a yogic quest to fulfilment. The body craves this kind of challenge! It’s not the challenge of consuming twenty meat pies in a sitting or trying to work an eight hour day off two hours sleep. Yoga challenges the mind to meet the body in a union of twisting, bending, stretching and retracting to celebrate the state of being. Human beings, not human doings.
A major benefit of regular yoga practice that will be noticeable within a few weeks is an improvement in body tone, posture and fitness levels. You’ll be feeling more energetic, your muscles will be responsive instead of sluggish, and due to strengthening of the core stomach muscles and back muscles your change in posture will be dramatic! These areas will continue to improve as you pursue yoga.
Another benefit of regular yoga practice is the regulation of your breathing patterns. Do you suffer from ragged, stressful breathing as your mind races over all the unfinished tasks of the week and tries to nut out all those problems? A lot of people don’t even notice how rapid and shallow their breathing is until they count how many breaths they are scoffing in per minute. Are you taking 15 or more breaths a minute? Could be time to slow down a little. The practice of yoga is about breathing as much as it’s about moving the body and strengthening the mind.
Flexibility is something a lot of us are missing. Can you touch your toes while your legs are together? How about a back-bend? The splits? Flexibility is one of the most powerful preventatives of injury. Think about it, if your legs are capable of being parallel with the floor then you haven’t got much chance of pulling a hamstring! Yoga improves flexibility more than any other exercise, so as well as improving fitness, muscle tone and breathing regularity, you’ll be guarding against injury as well. Bonus!
An oft overlooked benefit of yoga in western society is the strengthening and quietening of the mind. Think about how you feel when you’re stuck in traffic, yet you still have to cook dinner, prepare that presentation for work tomorrow and somehow fit in a walk with the dog and some quality time with a friend you’ve been too busy to see for months. Pretty frazzled huh? Now think of how calm, how peaceful you’ll feel when your mind is suspended between one breath and another, and nothing else matters except being in your body and enjoying that experience. Seriously. Do you need anymore reasons to give yoga a go? Didn’t think so...
Where Is This Elusive Yoga Stuff Being Practiced?
Yoga used to be an art form confined mostly to India, but has become popular the world over since its unlimited health benefits were realised by the rest of the world. Your local gym most likely holds yoga classes, or some form of class that incorporates a lot of yoga-style movements. There will also be adverts in your local paper for yoga practitioners giving classes in an area near you, now matter how remote your town... you’ll be surprised! Failing that, there are many comprehensive books (with illustrations for the poses) for you to learn in the comfort of your home at a pace that suits you, or for the verbally challenged how about trying one of the many DVD’s on yoga that are available everywhere! It’s all there for you, waiting for you to give it a go.
