Without yoga, it's difficult to conceive the present fitness and wellness sector. However,
there are many misconceptions about yoga and the people who practice it. The most common ones are debunked.
When you hear the word yoga, what comes to mind first? It's likely that any association you have is a myth. Because a lot of what people think of when they think of yoga is founded on the bias. Yoga can only be practiced by ladies who are hyper-flexible and thin. Or that yoga is a super-esoteric practice that requires you to live off sprouts and abstain from all earthly pleasures. We took a deeper look at some of the most common yoga myths.
The 5 biggest myths about yoga - and why they're wrong
1. Yoga requires a lot of flexibility.
Many people believe they are unable to practice yoga due to a lack of flexibility. That's akin to claiming you're too filthy to shower. This is because the body evolves and gets more flexible over time as a result of frequent yoga practice. One of the most rewarding aspects of yoga is witnessing how movements you thought you'd never be able to accomplish just a few months ago suddenly become doable.
And the second important point about flexibility: every body is different. Yoga isn't about forcing each person into a certain posture - it's about adapting the asana (physical yoga exercise) so that it's just right for your body. There are also yogi:nis who, after years, still can't do certain poses (me, for example). And that's totally okay, because the goal of yoga is not athletic performance, but the connection of body and mind.
2. Yoga is only for young women who are skinny.
There are also "physical prerequisites" in this myth. Without going too far, I'll say this: Yoga began as a spiritual practice for males in India some 2500 years ago. Even if it looks different in today's Western yoga studios: Yoga was not created with women in mind. Yoga was (and still is) essentially a spiritual discipline, thus it didn't matter how fat or thin you were.
But that probably doesn't change the fact that many overweight people don't necessarily feel comfortable in the yoga class among the super-slim young women. A good yoga teacher, however, manages to make the practice accessible to everyone. He or she shows variations of the exercises so that everyone can do them. Or he or she can offer classes that are tailored to the needs of people with bodies outside the norm.
3. To do yoga, you must be completely quiet and relaxed.
Because yoga is a practice that is (also) about quieting the mind, it's a little like being filthy and taking a shower. The purpose of it all is to bring the continually buzzing carousel of thoughts to a halt, if only for a moment.
Many people, however, feel disheartened when, even after weeks or months of consistent practice, their minds do not truly calm down during the final relaxation and continue to ride joyfully on roller coasters. Here's where there's a tremendous misunderstanding. Because it's not so much about learning to observe and let thoughts arise as it is about learning to simply observe and let them be.
4. Yoga is only practiced by occultists.
Many people believe that all yogi:nis have incense and crystals in their houses, eat a completely vegan diet, and never drink alcohol. There is undoubtedly a kernel of truth here, as with many tales. Of fact, some individuals use incense and healing stones to energetically cleanse their houses, but no one is obligated to do so. Many Yogi:nis follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, as well as the mindful use of alcohol, because they adhere to the concept of non-violence, or "Ahimsa," and/or may feel their spiritual practice more intensely that way. However, no one is condemned or labeled as "bad" at yoga because of this.
Yoga is first and foremost a spiritual practice to bring body, mind and soul into harmony. For this purpose, there is a large potpourri of different styles, techniques and teachings. For some, a more ascetic lifestyle may work better. Someone who has absolutely no use for incense sticks and chanting mantras can just as well choose the components of the yoga practice that do him/her good.
Yoga is a sport, after all.
Then there's the opposite end of the spectrum. Many individuals in the Western world regard yoga as merely a workout because of the way it is presented in many facilities. Yoga, on the other hand, is far more than a sport. Because, in fact, the physical yoga activities were designed to prepare the body for long periods of time sitting during meditation. As a result, the real practice is mental, with the physical component serving as a tool to train the mind.
Of course, this does not mean that it is wrong for someone to practice "only" the asanas, that is, the physical exercises. After all, yoga is very good for the back and can be preventive for many diseases. But one should not forget where the roots of yoga lie and approach the practice with mindfulness - both for the spiritual and philosophical underpinnings and for one's own body and its limitations.
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