5 Myths About Yoga You Should Ignore

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As a yoga instructor I have tried countless times to win over the anti-yogi’s who have every excuse in the world NOT to do yoga. Here are the top 5 reasons why they say “I do not do yoga!” Along with their excuses I’ve included some compelling reasons why, if you are opposed to yoga, you may want to reconsider. I hope that once you have the scoop you will take a chance with yourself and get on the mat!

1. Yoga is for rich people. While yoga can be very expensive in some areas, there are plenty of yoga studios that offer work-for-trade programs. Karma yoga is a big deal at a lot of these spaces and they often offer opportunities to perform karmic duty in exchange for yoga classes. I can personally say that Karma Yoga at various studios around the city has saved my life and kept a lot of money in my wallet!

2. Yoga is not challenging. One of the most challenging things for most of us to do is relinquish power and control. It can serve as an obstacle for a lot of us to sit comfortably in our vulnerability and just be. For others, it can be a major task to sit in stillness without fidgeting about. Many people are also very surprised at the amount of strength and control it takes to hold certain postures and breathe through them.  The great thing is that if you are doing it properly you will be challenged wonderfully (even if just a little bit)  during your yoga practice because there is always a way to take your practice to a more rigorous level.

3. Yoga is a religion. Yoga is not a religion. I repeat, yoga is not meant to take you away from your religious practice. Yoga is all about tapping into our sacred source and opening channels within the body for self exploration and thus  growing more deeply in your faith. People from all walks of life can practice yoga and make it their own while still engaging in religious activities.

4. Yoga is for girls. B.K.S. Iyengar, Dharma Mittra, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Sting!  Need I say more?? Yoga can serve as a full body work out for men since every part of  your body is being worked during a well rounded practice.  When committed to a regular yoga practice men can also receive improved focus, raised energy levels, and more positive thinking patterns.

5. I am not flexible enough to do yoga.  This is really just the worst. If you are not flexible, yoga will increase your flexibility over time. Flexibility must begin in the mind before one can even think of it entering the body.  In almost all instances the way we show up on our mats is a direct reflection of our cognitive process.  Breath is also a major component in obtaining the optimal level of physical flexibility. When you come to practice with an open mind, the possibilities are endless.

 Namaste.

~ Sihnuu Hetep

To learn more about Sihnuu, click here