| Am i too old/fat/thin/clumsy/stiff/unfit...to practice yoga?
Not at all. Start wherever you are and move forward from there. Yoga will help to address all of these issues. It is also a non-competitive, non-spectator sport, so there’s no need to compare or be compared with others. Will my condition/injury/pregnancy stop me from practising yoga?
No! Yoga is benefical for almost any condition if practiced safely and appropriately. A well-trained yoga teacher should be able to accomodate most students’ needs through the use of modifications or the many alternatives. There are specialist classes such as pre and post natal yoga, gentle yoga, remedial yoga, restorative yoga etc. and in some instances one-to-one tuition is advisable. Do i have to become vegetarian to practice yoga?
No, you can eat anything you like, although many yogis discover over time that their desire for meat diminishes.It is advisable to avoid heavy food for at least two hours before a practice. Will yoga make me a ‘better’ person?
No! Only if practiced with integrity and profound committment to self-transformation. Plenty of yogis display inauthentic, insincere or dysfunctional behaviours. Yoga is a tool which can be used to enhance whatever the practitioner seeks to enhance. Is yoga a religion or a cult?
Yoga is a spiritual practice which does not require devotion to any particular deity or leader. The purpose of yoga is ultimately to experience a deeper consciousness in order to gain understanding of ‘the bigger picture’ for ourselves. Many choose to follow a ‘guru’, although ‘guru’ simply means ‘one who brings light into darkness’. It is up to the individual to decide whether a teacher exudes qualities they respect and not follow blindly!
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How is yoga different from pilates/body conditioning etc?
Yoga differs from other forms of exercise or movement through it’s emphasis on unification of breath/body/mind, it’s non-competitve nature, it’s spiritual foundations, the intent with which it is practiced, and its effects on the energetic/subtle and emotional body. If it is practiced for the sole purpose of enhancing physical aspects then it becomes nothing more than a physical practice. I ’m not very spiritual, why do i need a spiritual practice?
Spiritual practice helps us to learn more about ourselves, soften the rigid characters we impose on ourselves and relieve our confusion surrounding the meaning of life. How do i choose which style of yoga would suit me?
A yoga session should be something that you enjoy, not endure. These days many teachers blend different systems into their own form, so try out a few different classes and experiment until you find a style and teacher that works for you. Be sure to note how you feel before and after a class. I ’m too busy, how much time will it take?
Yoga will help you to go about your business in a calm and relaxed manner, making more efficient use of the time you spend in your other activities. Once you have learnt the basic form, just 15 minutes per day could make a difference to your life. What do i wear?
Stretchy comfortable clothing, preferably a couple of layers: you may get hot and sweaty, you may also feel cold during the relaxation. How does yoga make you feel?
I find it makes me feel calm and relaxed, clear and grounded. Sometimes energised and sometimes sleepy, depending on how and when I practice.
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