It may not seem like it, what with all the cool Instagram pictures, Pinterest links, and general visuals that make yoga seem like some incredible contortionist feat, but yoga is for everyBODY.
I hate it that so many people have heard that yoga might help them in their endeavors to better health, but then become discouraged because they don’t think that yoga is for them or their body. I get so sad when I hear from interested folk that they simply can’t go to yoga because they are too old, too big, too weak, too…different. Different from what they have seen as the newfangled brand of yoga fitness.
I am not opposed to evolution, growth, and change. By no means, am I a yoga purist. And truth be told, there is still worlds to learn about yoga philosophy and history. That said, one of the prevailing tenets and gems that can be found in modern yoga, is that yoga is for everyBODY.
- There is more to yoga than poses. Modern yoga includes breathing techniques that are meant to improve physical and emotional health as well as meditation (which isn’t as abstract or as difficult as it may seem) that enables us to more fully relax and calm ourselves in a fast-paced world. In fact, many classes, such as Grow’s Gentle Restore class, spends equal amounts of time focusing on breathing and beginning meditation. Of course, these practices aren’t as easily photographed, so that’s why we don’t see them.
- Yoga isn’t a competitive sport. Unlike soccer, basketball, or gymnastics, yoga is not a sport in which one competes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with competition. Yoga just isn’t it. Yoga is about the individual; about the self, but not in a narcissistic, egotistical way. No, it is about gaining body awareness and appreciating ourselves as we are, or rather, accepting that there are some things we can’t change. And that’s okay because we get to honor our unique differences by listening to ourselves, becoming more body positive, and resisting the urge to put our feet behind our head and thus, avoiding hip dislocations. As we practice empathy to ourselves, we do so toward others.
- Yoga shouldn’t be about looks. Again, to repeat: yoga is not a spectator sport. While those photos of people back-bending over the Grand Canyon can be inspirational and really freaking cool, it is not necessarily something one should feel that they have to aspire or that they have to be able to do in order for their practice to be “real” yoga. Note: I am not admonishing these practitioners, but I do feel that it should be acknowledged that this behavior can make yoga unnecessarily exclusive and maybe even dangerous.
So, if you have been thinking about attending a yoga class but have held back because you think that you need to look a certain way or need to have specific abilities, I encourage you to seek out a teacher in your area who is inclusive and encourages you to find a practice that works for you. Yoga is, and should be, for everyBODY.
Grow Yoga 