On: Yoga

Today I feel like talking about Yoga, and while I don’t claim to be an expert by any means, I will be talking about what yoga is and where it came from, some of the potential benefits of yoga, as well as my own personal experiences with it. So, let’s begin.

What is Yoga?

The word “Yoga” itself comes from a root called ‘yuj’ which means ‘to bind’ or ‘to yoke’. While origins can be hard to trace exactly and the specific origins are pretty obscure because it was originally mostly orally transmitted later to be written down on really fragile leaves, however it is generally believed to have began in India about 5,000 years ago, later refined by an Indian sage called Patanjali (For more information on Patanjali click Here ) who created the Yoga Sutras about 2,000 years ago. Yoga is defined as “a system of exercises for mental and physical health; a Hindu philosophy that teaches a person to experience inner peace by controlling the body and mind” by Merriam-Webster. A male who practices yoga is called a ‘yogi’ and a female that practices is called a ‘yogini’, however most people just (incorrectly) use the term ‘yogi’. 

The Yoga Sutra is a collection of almost 200 statements that is the foundation for much of the yoga that is practiced today. The eight limbs of yoga are also outlined in the Yoga Sutra, which are; yamas (restraints,click here to learn about the five yamas), niyamas (observances, click here to learn about the five niyamas ), asana (postures), pranayama (breathing), pratyahara (withdrawl of senses), dharana (concentration), dhyani (meditation), and samadhi (absorption). 

What is the Goal of Yoga?

The goal of yoga is to reach a state of liberation or enlightenment which is called 'samadhi'. While I have found that many people that are practicing yoga today seem to be caught up in the asana limb, the true goal of yoga aims to unite the body, mind and soul or spirit and to bring the relationship between the three into alignment and harmony. Yoga also focuses a lot on the breath or the pranayama limb, placing high importance on the art of breath control. 

When the Breath wanders, the mind is unsteady, but when the Breath is still, so is the mind still. — Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Many people go through their days with their consciousnesses turned to things that lay outward- the stress of school, work, or family life, etc. Yoga aims to bring the consciousness inward to be able to experience truth and to rise and expand the consciousness.

Ultimately, the goal of yoga is self-realization and gaining an understanding of our inner world.

Is yoga a religion?

No, yoga is not typically considered to be a religion. Currently there isn’t a universal and binding agreement on this fact, however it IS accepted that yoga is an entire philosophy. What many people don’t know, or fail to take into consideration, is that yoga is more than just the physical practices of doing poses or just controlling your breathing, but also an entire lifestyle associated with both physical and spiritual growth and development. 

It is important here to note that there is a difference between spirituality and religion. Spirituality is described by Dr. Larry Dossey who is a leader in the realm of spirituality and spiritual healing as “a sense of connectedness with something greater than oneself” however religion is typically considered to be organized systems of faith and/or worship, and that is something that yoga most definitely is not.

Something else to remember is that yoga is in many different religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, however there is not religion in yoga, and yoga is neither for nor against any divine entities and classical yoga takes on the view that belief in the Divine is a personal choice. 

There is currently a LOT of debate in the United States (I’m not sure what is going on in the rest of the world) of weather or not Christians should be able to practice yoga, and personally, I feel as if that choice is up to each individual, however seeing as yoga doesn’t require the renouncement of Jesus Christ, nor is it considered to be a religion, I don’t see why Christians shouldn’t be able to practice. However, I did do a little research on the subject to try and form my opinion based more on facts and from what I have found is that a lot of the reasoning behind not practicing yoga is because they feel that the poses are offerings to Hindu gods however this website along with many others actually negate that fact, stating that while there are a few poses named after Hindu gods, most poses are named after animals, objects, the human body, and other qualities and things in nature. The second strongest argument is that the clearing of the mind can be dangerous and lead to temptation, possibly from the Devil. If this makes you uncomfortable, I’d recommend that as a Christian who wishes to practice yoga, that you use meditation time as a time to pray and use the movements as a type of kinetic prayer, however this defeats the purpose of yoga which is to turn your focus inward. I believe there is a Christian quote that goes “Be still and know that I am God”, which to me, sounds a lot like the yogic practice of mindfulness. 

But overall, yoga is not religious in nature at all! Take this quote from The Yoga Journal about the intention of yoga, and see that there is no intention of religious worship or of salvation.

“Connecting the mind, body, and breath helps us to direct our attention inward. Through this process of inward attention, we learn to recognize our habitual thought patterns without labeling them, judging them, or trying to change them. We become more aware of our experiences from moment to moment. The awareness that we cultivate is what makes yoga a practice, rather than a task or a goal to be completed. Your body will most likely become much more flexible by doing yoga, and so will your mind.”

But I’m going to end this discussion here, by merely saying that no, yoga is not a religion, before I ramble too much about this. 

Are there different types of yoga?

Yes! There are several different types of yoga and while yoga itself has a common goal which I have already expressed, each different type of yoga has a slightly different way of working toward that goal. Some of the more popular styles being:

• Ananda Yoga - gentle postures focused on proper body alignment and controlled breathing. Helpful in preparing the body for mediation by moving energy upwards toward the brain. Not as popular or as widespread in the Western world. 
• Anusara Yoga - one of the newest forms. Originated in 1997 and pairs the strict alignments of traditional yoga with playfulness. The goal is to open your heart and strive for connectedness. The poses are more rigorous for the mind and body and this style is based on Friend’s Universal Principles of Alignment. 
• Ashtanga Yoga - physically demanding. Involves synchronizing breath with continuous series of poses. Very similar to Vinyasa yoga, the difference being that the same movements are done in the same order. You will sweat a lot. 
• Bikram Yoga - more of a workout. Includes muscular strength exercises as well as cardio. Great for weight loss. Done in 95-105 degrees, also promotes detoxification. Typically only includes combinations of about 26 different poses. Commonly referred to as “hot” yoga, however hot yoga is a little different only because it differs from the 26 poses slightly. 
• Hatha Yoga - Pretty much every single class taught in the United States is considered hatha because its a general term for basic yoga poses. Focuses on control and grace and great for beginners. Meant to purify the body and give awareness to it’s internal states. 
• Iyengar Yoga - Probably not a good idea for beginners because it is very specific and meticulous. Places a huge emphasis on the proper alignment for postures. However this type is ideal for people with chronic injuries because you’ll probably get the instruction you need from these teachers.
• Vinyasa Yoga- Vinyasa means “flow” and it is similiar to Ashtanga yoga. Focuses on smooth transition from pose to pose. This is my personal favorite and the type of yoga that I tend to practice most often.
• Power Yoga - Pretty much yoga with ‘brawn’. Lots of the poses resemble push ups and other basic calisthenics. It’s a good aerobic workout with very few pauses. 

There are many other types of yoga however those are just some of the most popular. You can find a more comprehensive list of the different types of yoga here. 

My personal experience with yoga 

In highschool I was on the volleyball team, and my first experience with yoga was when our coach brought in an instructor to teach a yoga class as a team building exercise, and to teach us something different. Prior to having any experience with yoga, I had always assumed it was a bunch of surburban wine moms stretching halfheartedly in cute outfits, posting a picture or two on their social media accounts and not even breaking a sweat. Close-mindedly, I had never really thought of yoga as having an actual benefits or level of difficulty, and I remember being surprised at how difficult it actually was, not just because I was relatively inflexible, but because it was relatively fast paced and worked up quite a sweat. This raised my level of respect for yoga as a practice, however I didn’t actually get into practicing yoga until very recently. I have only attended one actual class (mostly due to financial restrictions, because I would absolutely love to attend more!) I’ve mostly just been watching YouTube videos and practicing on my own in my apartment gym or in the living room. Here is a link to one of my favorite routines (there are also several more links in my resources page).

However I can say that taking my first class was a nerve wracking experience. I was afraid of doing poses wrong, or not being able to hold them as long as the other students. I was worried about not knowing the names of poses and not knowing what to do, and trust me,those things happened. Several times, in fact. But I was surprised by the fact that I didn’t feel insecure at all. In fact I was able to remember the purpose of my practice which was to turn my intentions inward and I was able to do that and to forego insecurity which was awesome. I also really liked the fact that the class gave me this sense of that I was exactly where I need to be and made me feel like I could trust my intuition more.

I have found my practice to be very healthy for my body, mind, and spirit however it has been difficult to not get discouraged. I look on Tumblr or Instagram and I see these perfectly beautiful girls with absolutely wonderful bodies doing poses in perfect form, and it IS hard to not compare yourself. However when these feelings of discouragement come over me I try to remind myself that just because someone else is good at something doesn’t mean you can’t be good either. On top of that, I try to remind myself to be positive and to focus my thoughts on more productive things. I try to channel the thoughts of insecurity into motivation. I try to focus less on negativity and turn my thoughts instead to what is good about myself. 

It is also important to remember that it is okay to do things for enjoyment, and not with the goal of being good at it.

My experience with Yoga has helped me learn to treat myself more kindly, and to listen more closely to my body and it’s messages. Practicing yoga regularly has inspired me to want to eat healthier and has also helped me develop a way to de-stress from my days and offers me peace and relaxation, as well as makes me more excited to exercise. And while I have not yet completely mastered the art of meditation, trying has given me more control over my thought patterns and helps me set my intentions for my days, weeks, or even months as well as to explore my inner self, and makes me feel more in tune with my own spirituality. It has also helped me with a lot of back pain and shoulder pain relief (which is so nice because with my job as a server, carrying trays of food all day, I get really sore), stress and anxiety relief, and I'm feeling stronger and more balanced with each day. 

I would definitely recommend that everyone at least give it a try. 

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Discussion Questions

1. Have you ever tried yoga? How was your experience? 
2. Do you desire to practice yoga regularly? If so, what do you think you need to do to make this desire a reality? How can you stay motivated to keep up with your routine?
3. Have you ever tried to meditate? How did your efforts play out for you?
4. What style of yoga do you think suits you best? Why?
5. What measures can you take to avoid becoming discouraged?