Misconceptions about Yoga:
When I talk about yoga with non-yoga practitioners, I often hear that they would like to try yoga but …..
– They aren’t flexible
– They aren’t strong enough
– They don’t have enough time
– They have one or more serious physical maladies
What these reasons tell me is that there are a lot of misconceptions about yoga. Looking around me at magazines and social media, I can certainly understand a lot of these misconceptions.
The truth, however, is —
– That you don’t have to be able to levitate on one pinky to practice yoga or even to be “good” at it.
– You also don’t need to get your leg behind your head or devote hours each day to yoga practice.
[pullquote]Most people can practice yoga for years and not achieve many of these acrobatic feats. [/pullquote]Levitating on one pinky (or arm balance or inversion du jour) just means that you are strong. It doesn’t have anything to do with how “good” you are at yoga. The same applies to getting your leg behind your head. It just means that you are extremely flexible and have the type of joints that support it.
Most people can practice yoga for years and not achieve many of these acrobatic feats. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t good at yoga. What makes a person “good” at yoga is the ability to stay focused on the breath; listen to what the body wants in your yoga practice (or life), and the ability to open your heart to the differences in the world.
What you need to start on your Yoga journey:
Keep aside your misconceptions and consider these tips to get into a Yoga practice that “works for you”
– If you want to try yoga, look into yoga classes at studios or gyms near you.
– If you are new, look for classes that are gentler or listed as level I. Don’t jump straight into a level II/III class. Even “all levels” classes can be intimidating for a new comer.
– There may be many options given for the poses but if you aren’t familiar with the pose, it can be hard to figure out which version is appropriate.
– If the first class or style that you try doesn’t appeal to you, try another style, another teacher, or another studio.
– If a teacher tells you that yoga may not be for you, definitely find a different teacher.
– If you don’t have the time for studio classes, try a video. There are also multitudes of websites that offer pre-recorded classes for a fee.
– If you are very weak, consider chair yoga.
– If you have collection of maladies, get clearance from your doctor and then consider working one on one with a teacher that has been trained in yoga therapeutics.
