What is Yoga?
If you’re new to exercise and healthy living, you may wonder what this whole yoga trend is about. Maybe you’ve seen people doing headstands, handstands and all kinds of other crazy twists and turns in social media lately.
September 2014 is National Yoga Month.
Liz and I are here to tell you there’s nothing to be afraid of if you’re new to yoga. Anyone can start at any level and any age (and no you don’t have to go upside down & every which way right off the bat — this often takes years of daily practice, so be patient).
Yoga can increase your wellbeing and help you reach your health and fitness goals.
One of the biggest misconceptions about yoga is that it is a religion, when in fact yoga is simply a way to unite your body and mind as one. Yoga can help you gain body awareness and control of all the muscles throughout your entire body to improve your overall health and vitality.
The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit root “yuj,” which means “to yoke” or “to unite” the mind and physical body together. Yoga has evolved over thousands of years to include many different styles and disciplines (Ashtanga, Iyengar, Bikram, Hatha, etc).
Ancient Yogis believed that in order for an individual to reach harmony with oneself and their environment, they need to integrate the body, mind and spirit as one. In order to do this, they focused on physical asana (poses), breathing exercises and seated meditation.
Yoga is for everyone!
You don’t have to be a full-on yogi or some sort of spiritual gangster to incorporate yoga into your routine. In fact, you don’t really need much at all to get started — it’s great for children, moms-to-be, athletes, elders and everyone in between. All you need is your own bodyweight, patience and an open mind.
Think about it… we’ve been naturally doing yoga since we were babies! Have you ever seen a baby lay on their back and grab their feet? Well, they’re doing a yoga pose called “Happy Baby” – pretty clever, huh? 😉
Yoga not only increases your flexibility and posture, it also simulates your abdominal organs to help improve digestion. Yoga also helps decrease stress levels, increase strength and improve the functioning of your respiratory, circulatory, and hormonal systems.
What do you really have to lose? Give it a shot! You may even find it becoming your new favorite workout.
If you’re not sure where to start, you can try one of our yoga routines on YouTube or come take a class with me at yoga80 if you’re ever in San Diego!
If you’re looking for a way to get started from the comfort of your own home, GUESS WHAT!! Soon you can join our brand new program, Yoga Body Bootcamp, to be released Winter 2014. Sign up for our mailing list to be the first to know all the deets 😉
xoxo,
Sara
