When you’re brand new to yoga, it can feel intimidating and be difficult to know exactly where and how to get started. Yoga is in no way exclusive—being able to practice yoga does not matter how old you are, how much you weigh, what you do for a living, where you live, or what religion you practice.
So what is yoga?
Yoga is breath and body alignment. Yoga is not about flexibility and fancy tight pants (say what??!!). The practice of yoga is about stacking our skeletal system and strengthening our muscles to hold us in proper alignment. Yoga helps improve physical movement and patterns of behavior that are beneficial to our bodies.
In Sanskrit, yoga means “to concentrate” or “to yoke”. Yoga comes from the root word “yuj”, which means “to unite, add, or join”. The practice of yoga is ancient and dates back to 6th/5th century BCE.
Why should I try or practice yoga?
Yoga offers us the opportunity to slow down, check in, and reset. The meditative components and physical flow of yoga creates space that helps balance our inner selves and outer spaces. Much wisdom and peace can be found by integrating a yoga practice into our busy and chaotic lives.
Yoga is accessible for just about everyone.
If you have a medical condition or a recent injury, it can be challenging or dangerous to do certain types of yoga, specific poses, or breathing techniques. Usually, there are alternatives or modifications that can allow you to practice safely, and many common complaints have specific yoga therapy remedies. If you are recovering from an injury or are in poor health, we recommended consulting with a physician or other qualified health care professional before beginning yoga.