Before we go any further down this yogic path together, I think it’s a good idea to chat about what yoga actually is.  I’ve met a ton of people that become super resistant when they hear the word ‘yoga.’ 

“Yoga isn’t for me, I’m not flexible.”

“Isn’t yoga a religion?”

“It’s too spiritual for me, I’m not into chanting.”

“I don’t understand the other language the teacher uses when she talks about poses.”

Yep.  Been there, heard that.  I get it.  Anything new is scary.  And when we’re trying to reduce our stress, the last thing we want to try is something that actually causes us additional stress.  So here are some quick yoga FAQs, courtesy of Yoga Journal, to help you understand a bit more about this ancient practice we call yoga.

What is yoga?

The word yoga, from the Sanskrit word yuj means to yoke or bind and is often interpreted as "union" or a method of discipline. 

The Indian sage Patanjali is believed to have collated the practice of yoga into the Yoga Sutra an estimated 2,000 years ago. The Sutra is a collection of 195 statements that serves as a philosophical guidebook for most of the yoga that is practiced today. It also outlines eight limbs of yoga: the yamas (restraints),niyamas (observances), asana (postures), pPranayama(breathing), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana(concentration), dhyani (meditation), and samadhi(absorption). As we explore these eight limbs, we begin by refining our behavior in the outer world, and then we focus inwardly until we reach samadhi (liberation, enlightenment).

Today most people practicing yoga are engaged in the third limb, asana, which is a program of physical postures designed to purify the body and provide the physical strength and stamina required for long periods of meditation.

What does OM mean?

Om is a mantra, or vibration, that is traditionally chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions. It is said to be the sound of the universe. What does that mean?

Somehow the ancient yogis knew what scientists today are telling us—that the entire universe is moving. Nothing is ever solid or still. Everything that exists pulsates, creating a rhythmic vibration that the ancient yogis acknowledged with the sound of Om. We may not always be aware of this sound in our daily lives, but we can hear it in the rustling of the autumn leaves, the waves on the shore, the inside of a seashell.

Chanting Om allows us to recognize our experience as a reflection of how the whole universe moves—the setting sun, the rising moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, the beating of our hearts. As we chant Om, it takes us for a ride on this universal movement, through our breath, our awareness, and our physical energy, and we begin to sense a bigger connection that is both uplifting and soothing.

Do I have to be a vegetarian to practice yoga?

The first principle of yoga philosophy is ahimsa, which means nonharming to self and others. Some people interpret this to include not eating animal products. There is debate about this in the yoga community—I believe that it is a personal decision that everyone has to make for themselves. If you are considering becoming a vegetarian, be sure to take into account your personal health issues as well how your choices will affect those with whom you live. Being a vegetarian should not be something that you impose on others—that kind of aggressive action in itself is not an expression of ahimsa.

How many times a week do I have to practice?

Yoga is amazing—even if you only practice for one hour a week, you will experience the benefits of the practice. If you can do more than that, you will certainly experience more benefits. I suggest starting with two or three times a week, for an hour or an hour and a half each time. If you can only do 20 minutes per session, that's fine too. Don't let time constraints or unrealistic goals be an obstacle—do what you can and don't worry about it. You will likely find that after awhile your desire to practice expands naturally and you will find yourself doing more and more.

How is yoga different from other forms of fitness?

Unlike stretching or fitness, yoga is more than just physical postures. Patanjali's eight-fold path illustrates how the physical practice is just one aspect of yoga. Even within the physical practice, yoga is unique because we connect the movement of the body and the fluctuations of the mind to the rhythm of our breath. Connecting the mind, body, and breath helps us to direct our attention inward. Through this process of inward attention, we learn to recognize our habitual thought patterns without labeling them, judging them, or trying to change them. We become more aware of our experiences from moment to moment. The awareness that we cultivate is what makes yoga a practice, rather than a task or a goal to be completed. Your body will most likely become much more flexible by doing yoga, and so will your mind.

Is yoga a religion?

Yoga is not a religion. It is a philosophy that began in India an estimated 5,000 years ago. The father of classical ashtanga yoga (the eight-limbed path, not to be confused with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois' Ashtanga yoga) is said to be Patanjali, who wrote the Yoga Sutra. These scriptures provide a framework for spiritual growth and mastery over the physical and mental body. Yoga sometimes interweaves other philosophies such as Hinduism or Buddhism, but it is not necessary to study those paths in order to practice or study yoga.

Can I practice yoga if I’m not flexible?

Yes! You are a perfect candidate for yoga. Many people think that they need to be flexible to begin yoga, but that's a little bit like thinking that you need to be able to play tennis in order to take tennis lessons. Come as you are and you will find that yoga practice will help you become more flexible.

Ok, I’ll try a class.  What do I need?

All you really need to begin practicing yoga is your body, your mind, and a bit of curiosity. But it is also helpful to have a pair of sweat pants, leggings, or shorts, and a t-shirt that's not too baggy. No special footgear is required because you will be barefoot. It's nice to bring a towel to class with you. As your practice develops you might want to buy your own yoga mat, but most studios will have mats and other props available for you

*full article can be found here

Xo b 

I watched a documentary today called Stress- The Silent Killer.  Of course, the title grabbed my attention right away!  It’s about a researcher that goes to Kenya and studies the stress response in baboons in order to find out more information, on a cellular level, as to what happens to humans during a stress response. 

Let’s break it down a little bit.  If you don’t know what a stress response is, it’s what people often refer to as our ‘fight or flight’ response.  It’s what animals and people use as a way to save their lives if they sense immediate danger; immediate danger being anything from a possible animal attack to a mugging.  Real life-or-death type stuff!  What actually happens during this response?  There are two hormones that work with the stress response and those are adrenaline and glucocorticoids (which comes from the adrenal glands).  These are the backbones of our stress response.  This response is meant to help us survive and our body begins to focus on the basics.  Our lungs work overtime to get more oxygen, the heart races to get the oxygen through the body and muscles are able to respond instantly.  Every other body function becomes secondary.  However, the trouble is that this response may kick in for you at times when you’re not actually in immediate danger.  Maybe you’re about to give a presentation to a new work client or get on a plane.  These situations, while they may cause some nerves, are not the kind of situations that warrant a full-blown stress response.  And it seems more and more people are now experiencing this stress response in their daily lives. This response now comes on due to psychological fears and we are lacking the ability to effectively turn it off! 

And here’s another interesting tidbit- our “rank” in life can be a factor in how much stress we have in our lives.  After discovering that the rank of a baboon in the hierarchy of its clan directly affected the amount of stress it had, a study was then conducted on humans and found a similar link.  The lower “rank” or position we have in our jobs, the more stress we feel.  The higher we are, the less stress.

So now we know what stress is and what it looks like and feels like in our bodies.  But what happens when we overstress and don’t shut off our stress response?  What about the affects we don’t immediately feel?  Here’s where all our stress-related illnesses come in.  High blood pressure, ulcers, migraines, stomachaches… you name it.  Because, as you know now, when our stress response is kickin’ it in high gear, few other body functions are running as scheduled.  And that includes our immune system.  It also includes our cardiovascular system.  You can actually see the impacts of stress on our internal systems!  And mentally, stress makes us miserable.  Under stress, we become irritable, tired and forgetful. 

So what started out as something built in to protect us, has now developed into something that (when not controlled) can hurt us. 

This documentary was really interesting.  We all know stress is bad when it’s overwhelming, but it’s so powerful to understand exactly what it’s doing to our bodies and minds.  Check it out to learn more about their stress findings and the long-term impacts it can have in our lives if we don’t start to work on it now.

Xo b