Yoga Myths: 5 Things you thought you knew about Yoga…
Yoga myths, we hear about these a lot. Often, its these misconceptions that can put a lot of people off a yoga class, too! So I’m making it my mission to dispell the 5 things you thought you knew about yoga, but were wrong!
The longest journey of any person is the journey inward.
– Dag Hammarskjöld
1. “I CAN’T DO YOGA BECAUSE I’M NOT FLEXIBLE ENOUGH”
“I CAN’T DO YOGA BECAUSE I’M NOT FLEXIBLE ENOUGH”
I hear this one a lot, and it’s a bit like saying you’re too dirty to take a shower! With a regular practice, Yoga will help to not only build your flexibilty, but your strength and contribute to a longer-lived, healthier lifestyle!
2. “YOGA IS A RELIGION”
“YOGA IS A RELIGION”
True, Yoga has its roots in a country that is closely linked with Hinduism, and there are crossover schools of thoughts (The Bhagavad Gita, for example, is a text which features religious figures, but the teachings are more philosophical than religious). Yoga is often comparable to schools of thoughts in Buddhism, such as loving kindness, begginer’s mind and so on.
But, YOGA IS NOT A RELIGION! Yoga is a practice, a discipline, that enables an individual to explore their own true nature. Whether that involves religious aspects is completely up to the individual.
“But what about the chanting and Om??”
These are elements of a Yoga practice used to help the individual achieve a sense of calm and induce a meditative-like state of being. You are not renouncing your faith nor are you joining a new one if you decide to chant in a Yoga class. Likewise, in a good Yoga class, you will always be given the choice to opt out and simply listen.
At Frananda Yoga, we welcome people from all diverse backgrounds and beliefs, so whether you’re religious or non-religious, we believe EVERYONE can benefit from the brilliance that is Yoga!
“Yoga enables an individual to explore their own true nature”
3. “MY YOGA POSES LOOK MORE LIKE A FRUSTRATED SPIDER THAN A YOGI” or more comonly known as “Yoga poses have to be done in a very specific way”.
“MY YOGA POSES LOOK MORE LIKE A FRUSTRATED SPIDER THAN A YOGI” or more comonly known as “Yoga poses have to be done in a very specific way”.
So, you can’t get your heels on the floor in your downward dog and you try not to stare in awe when the person next to you in class comes into a headstand effortlessly. Does this make you bad at yoga? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Yoga should never be about how your poses look, it should always be about how your yoga poses make you feel! Practising asana (poses) is to help ready the body for the more subtle, calming aspects of yoga, such as meditation. So if you’re getting anxious and frustrated at yourself for not being able to do the best “instagrammable” yoga pose, chances are, you’ve missed the point of yoga really!
There are so many styles of yoga out there, and if you find yourself in a class where you don’t feel comfortable, chances are you might not have found the right style of yoga for yourself yet. The solution? Get out there and try lots of classes to see which one makes you feel at home!
4. “YOGA IS ALL ABOUT THE POSES”
“YOGA IS ALL ABOUT THE POSES”
Whilst a beginner may feel more comfortable with the guidance of a yoga teacher, it is possible to practice yoga outside of a class. It’s even possible to practice yoga without a yoga mat, too!
This is because yoga is not just about the poses – you can do breath work, meditation, yoga nidra in bed (my favourite!) even poses whilst you’re doing your daily tasks! (I knew a yogi who used to stand in tree pose when she made a cup of tea!)
The idea behind the poses is to bring your thoughts to that moment, the present, to help you become more self-aware. That’s the true yoga, in essence, really!
Related: Learn the Yoga Sun Salutations
4. “I AM NOT THE RIGHT BODY SHAPE TO DO YOGA”
“I AM NOT THE RIGHT BODY SHAPE TO DO YOGA”
It is hard to not believe that you are the wrong shape for yoga when you look at some of the most successful Yoga Teacher accounts out there and you always see the same thing – a young, pretty, skinny woman. (Note that I said some – there are also lots of accounts out there who do not fit into this category!)
Yoga in the West is often practised by women, and with that comes the fear of not “looking the part” when going to a yoga class. (Again, not true for everyone, but I am merely speaking from my own experience)
Yoga should be about celebrating who you are – as you are – not try to change you into something that you’re never going to be! And why would you want to be like someone else when you can be your amazing self? (yes, you are amazing, even if you don’t always think you are)
Sometimes, we need to stop trying to find ourselves in others, and just try to find ourselves in our Self.
Sometimes, we need to stop trying to find ourselves in others and just try to find ourselves in our Self.
For more information on when and where I offer in my yoga classes see the group classes page.
