11 myths about yoga

There are a lot of misperceptions about yoga : 1. Yoga is a religion. 2. Yoga is for flexible, young and fit people only 3. Yoga is for girls only 4. Yoga is for the weaker folks - gentle stretch 5. Yoga is a form of exercise/fitness workout 6. Yoga helps to lose weight / doesn’t help to lose weight 7. Yoga is not meditation 8. Yoga practitioners must be vegetarian/ vegan

9. Yoga is dangerous 10. Yoga is expensive

11. Yoga can replace doctor. What exactly is yoga ? Yoga derived from sanskrit word : Yog/Yug/Jog means the union of body and mind.

Here are the myth busters :

1. Yoga is a religion - NO There is no “sacred” place for “worshiping’ Yoga. No church/temple/mosque/ synagogue for Yoga. There is no sacred deity or icon of yoga to worship. There is no ritual, no institutional structure, leader or group of overseers. There is no requirement for confession of faith. Yoga is a teaching, a way of life where you learn about yourself, self-love, self-acceptance and grow. Yoga gives you space where you can really learn and know about yourself. Ultimately you want to be able to stay centered, found your inner peace and not allow things around you to affect you. Religion is when you follow the footsteps/experience of a /the wise one. Spirituality is about you finding your own path to your inner being, peace and happiness. I like the way Sadhguru’s response when being questioned if yoga a religion. He simply asked him back : can you breath? Yes? Then this is religious ? Can you bend ? Yes? And this is religious ?

1. Yoga is for flexible, young and fit people only - NOT Is like you are saying you are too dirty to take a bath. Yoga is for any body type and ages. If you know a little bit more about yoga styles, there are gentle ones like Hatha yoga or Yin Yoga to a challenging ones like Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga or Vinyasa Flow. You don’t have to be flexible and fit to practice yoga, you will get flexible and toned over time. Consistency is the key

1. Yoga is for girls only - NO Thanks to the social media who is focusing on beautiful fit lady doing yoga poses. There are many serious yoga practitioners are male and most of them do not have the ego to put their faces out in the public trying to gain fame or approval.

2. Yoga is for the weaker folks - gentle stretch - NOT really Yoga asana ( postures ) can be as gentle as for the plus size or senior citizen, but there are different style of yoga like Ashtanga Vinyasa and Vinyasa flow that will work more on muscle strength and cardiovascular to pump up the rate rate. Ultimately it helps to tone and shape your body.

3. Yoga is a form of exercise/fitness workout - NO Yoga is not just physical/ posture practice. Asana ( postures ) is just one of the 8 practices ( limbs ) of yoga. There are :

5.1 Yamas ( Self-Restraint )

5,2. Niyamas (Obseverence)

5.3. Asana ( posture ) 5.4. Pranayama ( Breathing exercise )

5.5. Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses)

5.6. Dharana (concentration) 5.7. Dhyana (meditation) 5.8. Samadhi (oneness) Yoga consist of all the above practices, is a way of life. Not religion, not a workout. As my guru said : Yoga is not a workout, is a work-in. Work on the inside, our mind, emotions, self-realization

6. Yoga helps to lose weight / doesn’t help to lose weight - YES and NO

First of all, heavier weight doesn’t mean you are fat. The right measurement is the fat percentage. Weight of our body consists of water, bones, muscles and fat. Yoga will not help you lose weight, you will gain more muscle mass which will make you heavier but you will lose fat. The one who wear “S” size shirt may have the same weight with the one who wear “L” size shirt. Yoga helps to tone and shape your body. Generally a yoga practitioner will have a nicer body shape.

7. Yoga is not meditation - NO I am a little surprised to read some of the yoga teachers/practitioners still think that meditation and yoga are two separate practices. Some people find the word

“meditation” is a religion practice. Actually is just the noun. Meditation is also mindfulness practice. As mentioned earlier, Dhyana ( meditation ) is the 7th limb of yoga, hence meditation / mindfulness practice is part of yoga. Yoga is not just asana ( postures) . Asana is just a brick, you cannot call a brick- a house. When one practices all the above 8 limbs, only is considered as yoga.

8. Yoga practitioners must be vegetarian/ vegan - NO

Yoga is not a religion hence there is no enforcement to the practitioner must follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. Although one of the practice - Ahimsa means no-violent. Some practitioner is following this path but not killing animals thus chose not to eat mean, is totally by choice. So, no, you don’t have to be a vegetarian/vega to practice yoga asana, pranayama, dharana and dhyana

9. Yoga is dangerous - Yes and No

Yes yoga asana may be dangerous if you are not following instructions and trying to push through your body limit. You may also be feeling faint if you retain your breath ( khumbaka ) during pranayama practice by pushing your limits.

No it won’t be dangerous if you follow the instructions carefully, remove that ego of “I must do this, better than the one next to me”. Yoga is about learning our body, limitation. Yoga is an inward practice where you learn about yourself. By listening to your body carefully, you will know when to stop without pushing. An inward practice about removing that ego, being competitive.

10. Yoga is expensive - NO If you are pursuing the branded yoga outfit, yoga mat and many other yoga props - yes. You can still practice with a decent comfortable clothing and and a simple yoga mat. No doubt some of the yoga teacher charges high fees, it could be due to their experience. There are still genuine teacher who charge reasonable fee with the same kind of experience. Yoga is about simplicity, minimalist. If you are still chasing after branded outfit, I am sorry, your yoga journey so till a long to go or haven't even started.

11. Yoga can replace doctor - absolutely NOT Yes there are yoga therapist. But still not a qualified doctor. There are many chronic disease/pain you still need a doctor. A yoga therapist is to help you in prevention of relapse and maintenance. The “rehab” center is physiotherapy/yoga therapy. Is still not a doctor.