FAQ #2
What isn't Yoga?
Yoga is NOT a religion. Yoga can be practiced by anyone of any faith or spiritual background. Yoga is about balancing your mind, body, and spirit. So, yes, yoga can be spiritual if you wish it to be. But this spirituality is personal, not instilled by the yoga instructor or your fellow yoga practitioners. Yoga is NOT a fitness fad. It is a life-style practice that has provided tangible benefits to an incalculable number of practitioners for thousands of years. Dedication to the practice results in a healthy mind, body and spirit.Yoga is NOT contortionism. You don't have to able to bend into a pretzel to do yoga. Anyone can do yoga.Yoga is NOT only for supple young people. People of any age and condition can practice yoga. Yoga is NOT about strength and flexibility. There is no need to already be in shape. Strength and flexibility will happen as a secondary benefit of your practice. Yoga is far more valuable than physical training, although that is where most people start.Yoga is NOT a sport, like football or swimming, but your body will reap many of the same benefits, such as strength and endurance. Yoga will also quiet your mind and teach you to be more focused so you can do better in sports.Yoga is NOT staring at a candle and breathing incense, even though there can be meditative aspects to this practice. The meditations can be whatever you want them to be. They can be simple personal affirmations that you find appropriate.Yoga is NOT just lying around relaxing, even though you will feel relaxed and replenished after class if you practice regularly.Yoga is NOT an overnight cure for what ails you. The benefits are reaped through regular practice and as the result of hard work. Some benefits will be seen right away, but it is the long term benefits that are truly life changing. Many people with a variety of medical conditions have found that yoga is the only thing that can alleviate their struggle. Yoga is NOT a competition, not even with your own self. Each time you practice yoga, your experience will be different. Some days you will be more flexible than others. Some days you will have a hard time keeping your balance. In yoga, there is nobody to impress. Yoga is about improving your life, not showing off to others with feats of flexibility, balance and acrobatics.Yoga is NOT a performance. Just drop your mask and be yourself!
