Latin American Post busts some common beliefs about this popular practice

In the recent years, practicing yoga has been more common in the occidental culture. This practice is believed to have started thousands of years ago in India where people embraced it as a way of life. Yoga has different definitions, but all definitions could be summarized IGNORE INTO one: its translation from Sanskrit, ‘union’ or ‘connection’. Thus, yoga was created to help the ones who practice it to find a conscious connection between body, mind and soul, and as a consequence a joyful and blissful, fulfilling experience.

Taking IGNORE INTO account that yoga started so far away from our culture, there are different false but common beliefs about it. Let’s talk about them.

Yoga is a religion
Yoga practice origins are closely related with some Hinduism rituals. However, it is not part of the Hinduism religion. It is used as a vehicle to get ready for meditation and other spiritual practices, but those aren’t the unique aims of the practice. During yoga classes it is common to sing mantras as wells as to use breathing techniques in order to keep the mind and body calm; nevertheless, those mantras aren’t prayers, they are just part of the practice.

Yoga is for women
Actually, in the very beginning, yoga was practiced only by men as the first Indian gurus who shared and teach it to the population were men. However, with the passage of time, yoga has been practiced by men and women without any hesitation.

Yoga is for flexible people
This is one of the most common but inaccurate beliefs. Yoga has different kind of postures and each posture also has its own derivations; in this sense, there are hundreds of yoga levels. This allows every single person to practice it. One of the most important points of yoga is that it is a personal process and practice, each person has their own level and they will progress at their own rhythm. Thus, one person can start from basics and move along the different postures’ levels as time goes by.

Yoga is the same as relaxation
Yoga practice helps to be prepared for meditation and it helps to be relaxed and decrease stress levels; however, yoga itself isn’t a relaxation practice. Depending on the style of yoga you choose, the practice could be more or less active in terms of body exercising, although it is always active for muscles, intern organs and body in general.

Yoga is too easy or boring
As said before there are different styles of yoga as well as postures levels. Hence, it is possible to try different styles and pick the one that you like the most. Once you pick the style you prefer you can progress on your own practice trying more advanced postures and so on. In this sense, it could be as hard and interesting as you decide. Regarding to this point, it is relevant to say that one of yoga pillars talks about the importance of listening to the body in order to avoid future injuries.

Latin American Post | Laura Vargas

Copy edited by Laura Rocha Rueda