Frequently Asked Questions
It is hard to explain briefly what yoga is, as it encompasses so much and evolves for each person according to their needs. In our classes at Way to Yoga we teach mindful breathing (pranayama), poses (asana), and meditation (dhyana). Some of the benefits you may find through your practice are: flexibility, strength, stress relief, improved balance, increased lung capacity, mind/body awareness, improved overall health, and better quality of life.
Most students comment that the first three things they become aware of after practicing for a few weeks are: shoulders relax away from the ears during the day, jaw becomes unclenched, and breathing goes past the chest deeper into the belly.
We do not teach religion at our classes, however you may come to a deeper place spiritually as we encourage gratitude and appreciation for life. A part of yoga is about learning to accept and appreciate who you are and finding out more about yourself by turning your awareness inward. That being said, you can also choose to go through your practice and make it a workout without any deeper meaning - it is your practice and your choice. We are here to guide you to what you are looking for.
The yoga we teach is called Hatha yoga. This is Sanskrit for union (yoga) of the sun (ha) and moon (tha).
95% of people who come to our studio for the first time state they are not flexible. That is a good reason to practice yoga, it helps you open your body and release tension. You will learn how to breathe into the resistance which allows your muscles to relax so that you will become more flexible. Someone once stated, "if you can breathe, you can do yoga" and we believe this to be true. You do not have to wrap yourself into a pretzel to practice yoga. As far as the asana or pose part of your yoga practice, there are modifications so you can go into poses according to where your body is during your class and you will get better at listening to your body with practice.
Wear clothes that are comfortable. You want to be able to move around easily and breathe into your belly. T-shirts, tank tops, shorts, sweatpants, yoga pants, stretch pants - pretty much anything other than jeans work well.
It is best to practice yoga barefoot. This is because you are better able to grip the mat with bare feet. I find that some people are uncomfortable with this at first, but it soon becomes second nature to shed your shoes at the front door. Besides, our studio is dimly lit and everybody is too busy practicing to be checking out each other's feet!
If you have your own mat, you are welcome to bring it. We do have mats you can use at the studio, as well as props if you need them (props support your body as you go into poses, until your body opens and releases so you can go fully into the poses).
Yoga Myths
One of the important components of yoga is the practice of physical postures, known as asanas in Sanskrit. Due to this physical aspect of yoga, some people think of yoga as a sport or an activity akin to body building. In this sense, yoga is seen as a casual pastime which one can take up and practice now and then like any sport.
The fact is that yoga is the art and science of physical, mental and spiritual development. Although the yoga postures may look like the stretching exercises found in some sports. The exercises in yoga are one part of an all-around program of personal development. The postures are not an end in themselves, but are meant to help prepare one's body for mental and spiritual development.
Although the practice of yoga postures is the most commonly known aspect of yoga, it is not the most important part. In fact, the ancient system of yoga begins with the understanding and practice of moral precepts and living a life in harmony with self and society.
The foundation of yoga lies on the observance of principles such as not harming others, acting in the spirit of welfare, non stealing, non accumulation of excessive physical wealth, viewing all things as an expression of Consciousness, purity of mind, contentment, and selfless service.
If you can learn how to live in harmony with those around you, and at the same time work on your own inner development, then the other components of yoga (postures, concentration and meditation) can be practiced with the best possible effects
In some parts of the world the majority of yoga students are women, and some men may have gotten the idea that yoga is not for them. The fact is that all people are searching for inner peace and all people wish to avoid disease and live a healthy life. Yoga offers something for anyone who wishes an effective method of physical, mental or spiritual development and should not be thought of as a discipline reserved only for women or only for men.
Yoga really has nothing to do with being flexible. Postures are created to heal or maintain the health and vitality of the places they expose. If you are carrying a lot of tension in an area that a pose exposes, the tension will release, and your range of motion will increase. Yet, if there is no tension in the area, there is no need to release any, and the pose's job is now to maintain its tension free status as well as create stimulation, which facilitates circulation which promotes oxygenation which is a prerequisite for regeneration as well as flushing out toxicity. The goal is to maintain vitality, not to create flexibility. Too much flexibility creates a state of instability and that's not healthy.
Yoga is not a religion. It is just a practice like prayer, meditation, or lighting candles which can be used by people from many religions (or none at all). While traditional yoga focuses more on the spiritual, today many people use purely physical yoga just for exercise. Yoga promotes freedom, so you should not be held bondage to someone else's beliefs. You should be free to live whichever way is right for you.