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MIND
& SPIRIT
| Yoga |
"Yoga is a life of self-discipline. Yoga balances,
harmonizes, purifies and strengthens the body, mind and
soul. It shows the way to perfect health, perfect mind control
and perfect peace with one's own Self, the world, nature
and God."
- Swami Vishnu-devananda
Here
is a selection of FAQs about Yoga provided by
www.yogasite.com
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What is Yoga?
Developed
in India, Yoga is a psycho-physical discipline with roots
going back about 5,000 years. Today, most Yoga practices in
the West focuses on the physical postures called "asanas,"
breathing exercises called "pranayama," and meditation.
However, there's more to it than that, and the deeper you
go the richer and more diverse the tradition becomes. The
word "Yoga" means union. Linguistically, it is related
to the Old English "yoke." Traditionally, the goal
of Yoga is union with the Absolute, known as Brahman, or with
Atman, the true self. These days the the focus is often on
the more down-to-earth benefits of Yoga, including improved
physical fitness, mental clarity, greater self-understanding,
stress control and general well-being. Spirituality, however,
is a strong underlying theme to most practices. The beauty
of Yoga is in its versatility, allowing practitioners to focus
on the physical, psychological or spiritual, or a combination
of all three.
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How many types of Yoga are there?
Many. There are four paths of Yoga: 1)Jnana, the path of knowledge
or wisdom; 2)Bhakti, the path of devotion; 3) Karma, the path
of action; and 4) Raja, the path of self control. Hatha Yoga,
which includes postures and breathing, and is the form most
popular in the West, is actually part of Raja Yoga, the path
of self control. The path most followed in India is thought
to be Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion. Within Hatha Yoga there
are many styles, such as Iyengar, Astanga, Integral, Kripalu
and Jiva Mukti, to name a few. These Yogas all share a common
lineage back to Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, a text outlining the
basic philosophy and practices of Classical Yoga. It was written
sometime between the second century B.C. and the first century
A.D.
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Is Yoga a religion?
No and...maybe. It depends on how you define "religion"
and how the Yoga practitioner approaches his or her practice.
The physical and psychological benefits of Yoga are real and
don't discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, political
persuasion or any other way people like (or dislike) to categorize
themselve. The benefits also don't depend on chanting Om. On
the spiritual side, most mystical traditions -- East or West
-- draw similar maps of the spiritual path. So in that respect,
Yoga is mainstream. Like Shakespeare said, "A rose by any
name would smell as sweet." For these reasons, many people
feel they can practice Yoga without conflict with their religious
beliefs. However, Yoga is connected to the Hindu tradition and
draws on many Hindu beliefs -- karma, dharma, reincarnation,
Atman, etc.
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Has it been "proved" that Yoga is good for you?
Yes. Western science has been studying Yoga for nearly 50 years,
and the evidence shows numerous physical and psychological benefits
from Yoga. Interestingly, there seems to be something about
Yoga -- vs. exercise and controlled breathing -- that is beneficial.
For example, a recent study with heart patients showed that
those who followed a stress reduction program that included
many Yoga practices did better than patients who exercised or
did nothing. Further, preliminary studies in the United States
and India suggest that Yoga maybe helpful for specific conditions,
such as asthma, epilepsy, anxiety, stress and others.
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What's the best way to get started, especially if I'm out of
shape?
Find a teacher, get a book and/or video. One-on-one interaction
with a teacher is invaluable experence. However, books and videos
have their place, too. Remember, there is a Yoga level for everyone,
regardless of physical condition.
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Is Yoga aerobic exercise?
Yes
and...maybe. Aerobic exercise is simply exercise that improves
oxygenization of the blood through an increased heart rate and
deeper breathing. Yoga can do that, expecially those styles
such as Astanga and ViniYoga that have a strong focus on the
flow of one posture to another.
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Is Yoga a New Age practice?
Yoga is an ancient practice with a written history going back
thousands of years. It is not New Age, although various New
Age movements have adopted and adaped elements of Yoga. In addition,
Yoga and New Age movements share a focus on mind/body development.
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What's the difference between Yoga and just plain stretching
and normal exercise?
Traditional
exercise is goal oriented: How many push ups can I do? Can I
touch my toes? I'm going to do 10 more crunches today than I
did yesterday. Yoga, by contrast, is a process. The idea is
to focus your awareness on what you are doing and how you feel
as you perform the postures. In exercise, you fail if you miss
your goal. In Yoga, you succeed by trying. There's also a difference
on the physical level. Weight training, for example, makes you
stronger by breaking down and rebuilding muscle tissue. It's
this breaking down and rebuilding that results in the bulky
muscle look. Yoga increases strength by toning the muscles.
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What's the difference between a yogi, a guru and a swami?
A
yogi is someone who practices Yoga. A yogin is a male Yoga student,
a yogini a female student. A guru is a teacher. "Swami"
is a title of respect for a spiritual master.
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What is Om?
Om, also spelled "Aum," is a sacred Hindu sound symbolizing
the Absolute. It often is used as a mantra during meditation.
Although often pronounced as if it rhymed with "home,"
it is also pronounced "ah-oo-mm."
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How many times a week should I do Yoga and for how long?
Most schools teach a practice session that lasts 60-90 minutes.
If you can't do that everyday -- great. If not, try and do that
much a few days a week, including a class or two, and fill in
with shorter sessions on days when you don't have as much time.
Any Yoga is better than no Yoga, and 20 to 30 minutes a day
is better than 90 minutes once a week.
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I am considering traveling to India to study Yoga in an ashram.
Any suggestions as to where to start my research?
There's a new book called From Here to Nirvana: The Yoga Journal's
Guide to Spiritual India. It has everything you need to know
about ashrams in India -- who runs them, what they're like,
how much it costs, how to get there, etc.
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Is there much demand for Yoga teachers and where should I go
to become certified?
Yoga is very popular right now, so there seems to be a demand
for Yoga teachers. Although some teachers make a living teaching
Yoga full time, many teach part time in addition to another
job. The
Yoga Site's Teacher Training Calendar has links to major
Yoga organizations offering teacher certification programs.
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Has there been any formal research into the benefits of Yoga?
There's been quite a lot of research, particularly in India.
The Yoga Site's Yoga Therapy Report covers some of the latest
studies reported in research journals. In addition, it includes
a list of some of the major organizations researching Yoga therapy.
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Do I have to be a vegetarian to practice Yoga?
Although the traditional Yoga diet is vegetarian, you don't
have to be a vegetarian to practice Yoga. In fact, in a recent
survey by the Yoga Site only about one out of every three Yoga
practitioners was a vegetarian.
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How can Yoga help children diagnosed with ADD?
Depending on the age of the child, Yoga may help him/her get
a better sense of control of both mind and body. There's an
organization called "Yoga for the Special Child" that
may be able to offer specific help.
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Will Yoga help me lose weight and which style is best?
Yoga can make you look and feel better, regardless of your weight.
That said, Yoga can help you slim down in a couple of ways.
First, the exercises will help you burn calories. In addition,
they'll help tone your muscles and improve of your posture.
Yoga is also about healthy living, which includes a healthy
diet. That doesn't mean you have to become a vegetarian, just
that you should be conscious of the foods you eat, sticking
with natural, fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, etc. as much
as possible while limiting your intake of junk food and foods
high in fat, like red meat. Any of the basic hatha styles will
help. The important thing is to practice daily (or at least
4-5 days a week). If possible, try and find a teacher. Books,
videos and website can be a great help, but nothing beats a
live instructor.
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What is the most physically challenging form of Yoga?
Any one of the basic styles can be physically challenging. It
depends on what you do and how you approach it. Some styles
focus on holding postures for a long time, which can be very
challenging, while others link a series of postures into a single
flow, which results in physical workout. Ashtanga, Bikram's,
Iyengar and Power Yoga are probably the most physicallt focused
forms of Yoga.
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I am a 60 year old male runner who is just starting the "Power
Yoga" routine. Is this the correct program for me or should
I consider a different program? I have never been in
a Yoga program.
Most forms of hatha Yoga will help increase your flexibility.
Power Yoga, as you've probably noticed, can be quite a workout.
It's usually considered a physically advanced form of Yoga,
however, and therefore may not be suited to a beginner. Check
around for a beginner's class in any style. Once you've got
the basics down, then go back to Power Yoga. If you're working
from books, try The Sivananda Companion to Yoga; videos, both
Lilias Folan and the Yoga Journal offer excellent intro videos
(try your local library).
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Is it okay to practice Yoga while pregnant?
It's okay to continue practicing Yoga while you are pregnant
as long as you were practicing before conception. Yoga is a
great way to keep fit during pregnancy. In particular it can
help strengthen the pelvic area, normalize thyroid functioning
and blood pressure, and help keep you calm and relaxed -- all
of which is good for the baby, too. In general, however, you
want to avoid strain, compressing the belly or abdomen and inverted
postures, especially in the later stages. It's also a good idea
to work with a Yoga teacher with pre-natal Yoga experience.
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Can Yoga control high blood pressure?
Sometimes. Studies have shown that certain Yoga practices
can help some patients control their high blood pressure.
In general, Yoga promotes health, a sense of calm and relaxation.
In addition, it teaches you to be aware of your body and to
listen to the signals it sends -- all of which can be very
useful.
Specific
techniques that may be helpful controlling high blood pressure
include diaphragmatic or belly breathing, which has been shown
to reduce stress and induce relaxation, and a pranayama (controlled
breathing) technique called Nadi Shodhana, or alternate nostril
breathing, which also helps reduce stress and induce relaxation.
Moreover, there have been a number of studies that show meditation
can be a great help in controlling high blood pressure.
Certain
Yoga postures should be avoided, however, if you have high
blood pressure, including the shoulderstand, headstand and
downward dog. There are also a number of postures that you
should approach with caution and not hold for extended periods
of time (more than a few breaths). These include Warrior I
and II, Mountain, Triangle, Half Moon, Tree, Standing Squat
and Symbol of Yoga.
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Can Yoga help cure migraines?
Migraines
are caused by the sudden constriction and then dilation of blood
vessels to the brain. No one knows what causes the blood vessels
to behave this way. It could be genetics, stress or a something
else entirely. Regular practice of Yoga, including postures,
pranayama (breath exercises) and meditation can help relieve
some of the suffering and make the condition more manageable.
Postures will help improve blood circulation and also relieve
physical tension and stress, which may be a contributing factor
to migraines. The book Yoga for Common Ailments suggests that
you avoid excessive forward bends and back bends, however, because
they increase the flow of blood to the head, as do inversions.
In addition, breath work and meditation will help balance the
emotions and relieve mental stress and tension. As part of a
regular Yoga practice, try the neck and shoulder exercises described
in Head & Shoulders Yoga. To relieve the effects of a migraine,
lie down and close and cover your eyes. Practice savasana the
corpse pose. If possible, try a progressive relaxation exercise
while in savasana. Simply bring your awareness to a specific
area of the body and relax that area, allowing the muscles to
grow soft and release their holding. Begin at the feet and work
your way up through the ankles, calves, knees, thighs, hips,
stomach, chest, back, shoulders, neck, face and head. Take a
few breaths at each area to explore where the holding may be.
Repeat the exercise. Also, if you're are in pain, lie die in
savasana with your eyes covered. Use the breath to relax as
much as possible. Once your breath is steady and deep, use it
to soften the pain. As you inhale, imagine the breath going
to the center of pain and soothing that area, cooling it and
releasing its grip. As you exhale, imagine the breath expelling
the pain from your body. Always breathe slowly, deeply and gently.
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All the different places that offer teacher training seem
to have different criteria or hours to become a teacher. Is
there an "official" criteria one must fullfill to
become a "certified yoga teacher" or is it basically
individual to the certain yoga schools?
There
are no nationally recognized standards. So-called "certification"
programs range from a weekend course to multi-year programs
that are the equivalent of a college degree. In fact, there's
a mini controversy within the Yoga community about the issue
of national standards. Some teachers and organizations support
the creation of uniform standards while others oppose them
on the grounds that Yoga is so rich and diverse it would be
impossible -- and destructive -- to set a single standard.
That said, the Yoga Alliance, the organization at the center
of the controversy, has outlined minimum training requirements
that Yoga tachers must meet in order to become "registered"
Yoga teachers. Registration has no national or official significance.
However, the training requirements are reasonable and followed
by most major training organizations.
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