Yoga is a philosophy and body science developed over thousands of years to create harmony in the mind and body, as well as to eventually guide a student to an advanced union with her spiritual beliefs. In many gym and studio settings, instructors present yoga in its fitness-geared element of poses (asanas) and breath work (pranayama) with a sprinkling of the meditative and lifestyle components. Instructors often call poses out in Sanskrit, which is the language of yoga.
Mind
Yoga instructors encourage students to stay in the present moment and let go of judgment so they can learn to truly listen to the body and inner self. Deeper yoga philosophy details how students can eventually learn to let go of worldly attachments and the ego. Within the period between 5000 B.C. and 300 A.D., the sage Patanjali outlined details on disciplining the mind (as well as the body) with the famous text, "The Yoga Sutras."
Breathing
Yoga classes of all styles include breath work. Yogis consider breathing exercises a tool to calm the nervous system, to achieve higher states of meditation and to oxygenate muscles as they move through yoga poses. Common breathing exercises include alternate nostril breathing, abdominal breath and complete breath. A Vinyasa style class means that most poses are linked together with inhales and exhales.
Body
Ancient and modern yogis designed poses (asanas) to strengthen the body for meditation and to promote longevity. Poses build flexibility, strength, endurance and balance. With thousands of possible variations of yoga poses, classes can vary greatly even within the same style. Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kundalini, Bikram, Sivananda and Anusara are popular yoga styles under the Hatha Yoga (yoga of poses) branch of yoga. Instructors use many of the same poses across styles, just with different focuses.
Poses
Yoga Journal divides yoga poses into different categories including inversions, forward folds, core, seated and twisting, standing, backbends, arm balancing and restorative. A commonly used pose from each category, respectively, includes shoulderstand, seated forward bend, boat, bound angle, warrior one, wheel, crane and child's pose. Almost all yoga classes devote a portion of the end of class to relaxation which falls under the restorative category. Poses may be contraindicated for medical conditions or injuries, so instructors encourage students to reveal this information to them if applicable.
Lifestyle
Some students incorporate the other limbs of yoga into their lifestyle. Included in the eight limbs (described in the Yoga Sutras) are Yama (morals and ethics), Niyama (development of the self), Asana (poses), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (detachment from sensory experience), Dharana (meditation on a single thought), Dhyana (awareness without thought) and Samadhi (connection to the divine). For example, some yogis become vegetarian as part of following Ahimsa (non-violence), which falls under the Yama limb.
References
- "The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Translation and Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda"; Sri Swami Satchidananda; 1978
- Yoga Journal: Pose Finder
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