"Yoga is a way of moving into stillness in order to experience the truth of who you are."
Erich Schiffmann
What is Yoga?
It seems that everywhere you turn these days there's Yoga going on. But what's it really all about?
Ask your average man on the street and he'll tell you it has something to do with bending and stretching, maybe throw in something about relaxation for good measure. Ask a dozen Yoga students or teachers and they'll give you a dozen distinct answers, the experiential nature of Yoga making the practice of Yoga slightly different for every student.
In simple terms, however, Yoga is best thought of as a system for improving the holistic wellbeing of an individual. We use a varied range of techniques and practices that have been explored and developed over the past 5,000 years to help students find the balance in life that evades many people. Our concept of holistic wellbeing is a vision of total health, extending not just to the physical body but also, where appropriate to the mental, emotional (and sometimes spiritual) part of your being.
But the important thing to remember is that it is all about YOU. So perhaps it might be more useful to ask, what approach to Yoga is right for you?
What do YOU want?
Whatever your life situation, it is our firm belief that Yoga can help. But first, YOU need to work out what it is that you are looking for from a Yoga practice. To help you, we have roughly categorised into four different approaches:
1) Yoga for Development
Well, you might use Yoga as a way to develop the physical body - to stretch and strengthen your muscles, and improve the balance of your entire body. Such a practice can bring you strength and stamina, improve flexibility and balance, and improve your energy level. The main tool for this is Asana practice, which are the postures you see being done in Yoga classes. You might also take a developmental approach to your breath and your mind, using breathing techniques, chanting and meditation to improve your concentration, memory and intellect.
2) Yoga for Wellbeing
If your life is more hectic, a developmental approach might be draining and impossible to keep up, so a Yoga practice intended to maintain your energy may be more appropriate. Such a practice would still include the physical postures, however Pranayama, the breathing control techniques of Yoga, would be the main focus. This would preserve and enhance your energy levels to allow you to continue with your daily life, improving the structural stability and mobility of your body and enabling you to extend the active period of your life beyond the norm.
It should be noted that if you are Pregnant, or have had a baby in the past year or so, your needs are so specialised that you should not attend regular Yoga classes. In order to meet these needs we have designed specialist classes in Yoga for Pregnancy and Post-Natal Yoga.
3) Yoga for Transformation
At some point in life, our attention begins to turn inwards, and we realise that concerns of the material world do not matter quite so much as it once seemed. For most, though not for all, this occurs later on in life and at this point the transformational approach to Yoga is best. Through the use of Meditation techniques and other tools such as gesture, symbolism and prayer, those seeking spiritual transformation often find the deeper meaning of life that has evaded them so far. It is important to note that although it evolved in the Hindu society of India, Yoga is not a religious system and can be practiced without compromising your specific religious beliefs (or indeed without any religious belief whatsoever).
4) Yoga for Healing
The fourth approach to Yoga, which may be suitable at any stage in life, comes when we find ourselves suffering from an injury, disease or other affliction. At these times, Yoga can be approached in a therapeutic manner, designed to relieve suffering and improve healing. As a complementary therapy, Yoga can help alleviate common ailments such as back pain or high blood pressure, or help students deal with difficult times and situations.
Yoga for YOU
So now that you've chosen the approach to Yoga that meets your current life situation, the next step is to decide which method of learning best suits your needs. To this end, we offer our guidance and experience in Yoga practices in two main ways - One-to-One Sessions and Group Classes.
Yoga was traditionally taught on a One-to-One basis, with the teacher getting to know your hopes and aspirations, and designing an individualised practice to help you achieve these. One-to-One Yoga allows a teacher to truly recognise your individuality, help you to set achievable goals, and truly explore all aspects of Yoga that will be helpful to you.
If you are interested in Yoga for Development, Transformation or Healing, then One-to-One sessions are the only way for you to learn Yoga properly. This is especially true if you suffer from any injuries or illnesses that would prevent you from participating in a Group class, where the teacher would not have the time to be able to individualise your practice. Even if your interest is in Yoga for Wellbeing, One-to-One sessions will lead to a deeper, more focused practice that will meet your needs more fully.
Group classes are a fun social experience, and group dynamics can bring an added element of energy and motivation to your practice. We aim to make every such class an interactive experience, encouraging the development of a community within the class, allowing you to explore Yoga practices in an intuitive way rather than a the limited "I say, you do" approach.
It's All Up to You
So now you have all the information that you need to know about the how and what's of Yoga.
It's crunch time - what are you going to do about it? Are you just going to sit there and do nothing about the things you want to change? Or are you going to get in touch, book a class and actually start doing something about them?
We hope that you do!
"Every moment of our life can be the beginning of great things."
Juan Mascaro
© 2005 - 2008 Explore Yoga
Explore Yoga: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living