All About Yoga

When you think of yoga what do you think of? You may think of monks sitting in quiet meditation or of moms doing yoga with their littles in a class space. Although, you may think of trendy young women doing yoga too. The truth is yoga is very inclusive and very easy to begin. Let's dive right in and see what yoga is all about today.

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a popular practice of aligning body and mind through gentle poses along with breath-work designed to relax or energize the body as the individual sees fit during their practice. It is an ancient practice and the word yoga comes from the Sanskrit Yuj meaning yoke or bind, which easily moves to word union, which is what one hopes to achieve through body and mind here. Women who practice yoga are referred to as yoginis while a man would be called a yogi. The most popular type of yoga today is asana yoga. So what types of yoga are there anyway?

Yoga Types:

• Yamas (restraints)
• Niyamas (observances)
• Asana (postures)
• Pranayama (breathing)
• Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses)
• Dharana (concentration)
• Dhyani (meditation)
• Samadhi (absorption)

**Hatha is also mentioned a great deal and it means postures or asana that open the many channels of the body, mainly the spine. This type of yoga is geared toward self-transformation and balancing the feminine and masculine within us.

What Are The Benefits of Yoga?

Yoga is used in the western world for many issues such as stress relief, fitness, recovery from injuries, and general overall health. Yoga builds flexibility and strength as well for many. Some even find it a great way to transition back into fitness after long periods of being sedentary. Yoga may also quiet the mind and help with anxiety as well for some individuals.

Who is Yoga For?

Yoga is for everybody! Yoga is for children, the elderly, all age ranges and all genders or identities. Vegans, Paleo Lovers, run of the mill fitness enthusiasts and more. Yoga can be helpful at any stage of life and may be enjoyed anytime and almost anywhere within reason. So if you are looking to try yoga, there are very few reasons not to, but we'll get there in a minute.

Why Do I Need Yoga?

Yoga can help you to add to your current fitness routine or to start a fitness routine if it's been some time since you were active. Yoga can help you to increase flexibility, strength, and help to decrease injuries in other areas of your fitness regimen. Yoga may also help to reduce pain from arthritis, back problems, or give you some movement on your recovery days as well. Some women may also find that birth is easier and less painful with yoga before and during pregnancy practiced on a regular basis.

Can I Do Yoga If I'm Overweight?

Yes! You can do yoga if you are overweight, I am overweight and I practice yoga on a regular basis. There is no reason to feel self-conscious or out of place in yoga. If you feel out of place in a class you may want to try practicing at home as well. There are a lot of yoga clothes for curvy women these days and many poses can be modified if need be. That doesn't mean that you'll need to modify though. Many individuals who are overweight can achieve anything they set their minds to in yoga.

Get To Know The Basic Yoga Poses

Check out this great video from Yoga By Adriene (all credits belong to the video creator) for beginners to get off to a good start.

Cautions For Beginning A Yoga Practice

As with anything, you should stay safe and that means talking to your healthcare provider before starting any new fitness routine. You should also practice in a safe area and on a non-slip surface, a yoga mat is ideal. If you are going to practice outside dress for the temperature, watch out for insects, bees, or snakes, and stay hydrated. If you feel pain stop and don't try to force the poses.

Have a great day and we'll see you all next time. :)