What is yoga?
Yoga means "union" or to "yoke" together. It's the bringing together of mind, body and spirit. Through the practice of yoga we work with asana (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises) and mediation to bring about this union.
Yoga is not just a practice that we do on our yoga mat, it is a state of mind, that soon enough filters out to other areas of our lives. And so you might say that yoga is a way of life.
Benefits of yoga…
Primarily posture work and breathing exercises are a way of preparing the body and mind for meditation and in the fullness of time self realization.
However, there are many other benefits to a yoga practice… Physically you will gain strength, flexibility, stamina, tone and increased body awareness. Yoga increases the vitality of your internal organs, digestive system and circulation. Yoga improves breathing and breath awareness.
Yoga improves balance, concentration, focusing attention, bringing inner stillness. Yoga is a wonderful practice to relieve stress, anxiety, fatigue and many other conditions we suffer from in our society. But most importantly to me yoga brings about a peaceful mind.
Who is yoga for?
The answer to this is simple… everyone. Yoga is for everyone regardless of size, shape, ability, race or religion. There are no prerequisites to practicing yoga.
There are many different styles of yoga. Some you may have heard of are Ashtanga yoga, Iyengar yoga, Kundalini yoga, Sivananda yoga and many, many more. They are all forms of the physical practice of yoga that have been developed in a specific way. And so you see, there will always be a style of yoga suitable for you.
What do you need to practice yoga?
Bare feet! All you need is yourself in loose comfortable clothing, a yoga mat if you have one (beg, borrow or buy one as I only have a few spares) and an open mind. It's a good idea to bring socks and a jumper or a blanket to keep you warm during meditation and relaxation.