Yoga for Life
Yoga for Runners
Yoga for Stress Relief
Yoga for Rock Climbers
Yoga for Sleep
Yoga for Chronic Pain
Yoga for the Pelvic Floor
Yoga for a Healthy Spine
Yoga for Men
Yoga for Women
Yoga for Queers
Yoga for Sexual Renewal
Yoga for Athletes
Yoga for Children….
There is honestly NO DOUBT in my mind I could sit here for the next 45 minutes and just ramble off all the things that yoga has attached itself too. I always prefer to draw a straight line from A to B- it seems that we can intellectually conclude that yoga is just flat out good for you. There are a plethora of benefits to be derived from the practice no matter who you are off the mat or what you are experiencing in your day to day life. To break that down one step further; whether you’re training for a triathlon or dealing with horrible grief after losing someone close in your life- yoga’s got your back.
I understand the marketing reasons as well as the necessary categorical reasons behind creating these sub-cultures of yoga. I mean I do NOT want a 4 year old with a french fry in his hand next to me while I’m focusing in my down dog, but I think there’s balance to be found in all things and at some point, intuition and intelligence should pop into the mind. I mean when do we start actually creating division among one another rather than community? Can’t rock climbers and runner’s practice side by side? Can’t queers practice next to heterosexuals? Can’t children…. no no no, definitely give children their own class! In some cases it IS good to differentiate what type of class you’re walking into as there are many varying options for practice in the modern yoga world (power vinyasa vs. yin), I’m just thinking/typing out loud wanting to remind myself and everyone, that yoga is ultimately about UNION- not only with, of and for thyself, but also with one another. It’s choosing to learn that we are everyone and no one all at the same time.
The tradition of practicing yoga consists of so much more than postures. Postures are just a fraction as to the art, science and practice of yoga. In all honestly, they are simply shapes that we make with the body that have the awesome side effects of building strength, developing concentration, increasing flexibility etc etc. But the OTHER aspects of yoga should not be neglected. To truly experience yoga, one needs to make their way to this understanding.
Integrating the entire system of yoga into your life doesn’t happen overnight (I can certainly attest to that) sometimes from a teacher or studios standpoint, it’s just about getting people in the door so you can be afforded the opportunity to educate them ABOUT the larger picture; to stimulate a spark of curiosity, to have them ask the question “what DOES svadhyaya mean?” So that’s where the gimmicks come in. Here’s the thing though runners, climbers, young + old - we are ALL human - if you have a great teacher they will be able to help support you on your path, no matter what else you do outside of the studio.