About Yoga
A modern day language and approach for Yoga without sacrificing its timeless wisdom and ideals
yoga
Yoga is an ancient yet living and evolving collection of practices relating to physical, mental and spiritual development. In this way it covers a wide spectrum of knowledge including health, fitness, psychology and spirituality.
hatha yoga
Hatha yoga is the most recognisable form of yoga to most of us outside India. It includes postures and breathing practices and is essentially about creating balance on many levels of our physical structure, breath and mind. As an essentially practical and experiential discipline, it is accessible and beneficial to anyone providing they choose the right level to start.
Styles of Hatha yoga
Various approaches to hatha yoga exist which have developed through different teachers and cultural contexts. The varying styles all have core similarities but vary in emphasis. Some are dynamic and quick moving, others slower, more static and more obviously internalised; and there are plenty of fusions which are part of the creative process of how yoga styles develop.
Which is the right approach for you will depend on your general health and stage of life. As often as not it is likely that you will find a teacher that you are comfortable working with rather than a particular style. As a beginner it takes time to learn your alphabet in yoga and it is wise to do this slowly and thoroughly.
My own preferred interpretation is that hatha yoga should in essence be a creative form which one practices according to health, constitutional tendencies, stage of life, time of day and other factors. When practiced with awareness and inner listening, hatha yoga provides a great set of life skills to facilitate conscious and safe movement towards physical and mental health and well-being.
yoga and spirituality
Many people are content with a hatha yoga practice as a support for their general health and well-being. Beyond that yoga has a spiritual philosophy and accompanying meditation practices which require a further level of interest and commitment.
Yoga philosophy in essence carries the message that at a deep level all of life is interconnected. Meditation, study and inquiry provide the means to directly realise this for ourselves beyond conceptual doubt; this type of practice may in turn influence how we choose to live.
Whilst this more directly spiritual end of the yoga spectrum can be practiced by itself, hatha yoga practices provide an invaluable base and support for it.
why do yoga?
Even those of us who have practiced this for decades find ourselves asking this question. Here are a few reasons why I think I have stuck with it for over 20 years now.
- It keeps me centred, healthy, fit and strong in proportion to the amount I practice.
- The practices release mental and physical tension that would otherwise be very draining. This releases more energy to live my life.
- Contained within the practice and philosophy are all the answers to life's big questions that I feel I need to know.
- It gets more interesting the longer I do it.
yoga for beginners
As a beginner in yoga it is best to start without assumptions of any kind, yoga is fun to start for the joy and freedom of movement, to relax or for no good reason at all! For those prepared to practice it can inspire your life!
Why Do Yoga?
Why do Yoga?
Why Do Yoga?