Some basics to remember if you are new to yoga

Yoga is increasingly becoming famous around the world. Tight pants and flexible bodies hit heated studios worldwide to do amazing things with their bodies. Perhaps some of your friends are avid yogis and swear by the benefits. Yoga is for everyone. It’s not just for the able bodied dancer type or the slim beauty queens. There’s a lot of confusion around what yoga is. People tend to judge what they don’t understand quickly. So, here we will discuss something you should know about yoga before you head over to a studio.

First and foremost, yoga is not a religion. It has no association with any religion. It may have some Hindu elements if you were to practice yoga in India, but one is not required to chant mantras or adhere to any religious practice. Secondly, yoga is not simply a purely physical practice. Yes, the asanas (poses) have visible and long lasting benefits for the body. But it’s not just about getting in shape. In essence, yoga is a spiritual practice.

Now, you might say, “I already have a spiritual practice!” No problem! You can practice yoga in a purely physical manner and get all the physical benefits. Yoga is focused on establishing a mind body connection. To do this, it puts a lot of emphasis on the breath. In Indian texts, yoga is sometimes described as eliminating the patterns of the mind. When someone establishes a regular yoga practice, they will become more aware of their actions. This awareness is key to harvesting the benefits of yoga.

So, now that we established (in general terms) what yoga is, let’s look at some basic things to remember when you practice yoga. When you go to a studio, you will encounter practitioners from various walks of life. Some may be extremely flexible and others may be quite stiff. As a beginner, don’t be carried away by trying to outperform others in the class. Yoga is not competitive. The most important thing is to pay attention to your breath.

When practicing yoga, it’s not about how flexible you are or what kind of poses you are able to do, rather it’s about breathing through the asanas with mindfulness. We are wired to be competitive. Such is the society we live in. Yoga encourages us to be more aware of our bodies and focus on accepting our current state while gently promoting improvements. So, when you get on that mat remind yourself to be gentle with your body. It’s not just another type of workout. Your breath is the most important thing when you are on that mat!