Whilst many people believe yoga is a series of postures, this isn’t entirely true. The word yoga literally means to yoke or union. Meaning, in a person’s experience there is no longer any separation between themselves and the rest of the existence. The various systems of yoga are simply methods that help us move towards this state. We start with the gross (body) and move towards the subtler aspects of ourselves (breath and mind). The postures only make up a very small part of what yoga has to offer.

Through the use of many different techniques (including sound, postures, movement, breath awareness, breathing exercises, relaxation, concentration, self-inquiry and meditation) yoga seeks to cultivate perfect balance and harmony within the human system.

Yes, absolutely! Unless you have a gymnastic, dance or similar background most of us arrive on our mats with tight hamstrings, tight hips, tight everything!

What the posture looks like is definitely not the point. We all come with bodies of different shapes and sizes that may or may not become flexible over time. The important thing is that your mind becomes flexible – this is how you know you are really progressing in yoga.

No.

Unfortunately in the West, we have been led to believe that yoga is a form of exercise and this is simply not the case. Here is an excerpt from the book “Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha” by Swami Satyananda Saraswati that explains the difference between Exercise and Yoga Postures (yogasanas).

“Yogasanas are not exercises but techniques which place the physical body in in positions that cultivate awareness, relaxation, concentration and meditation. Part of the process is the development of good physical health by stretching, massaging and stimulating the pranic channels and internal organs  – so yogasanas (yoga postures) are complementary to exercise.

Exercise imposes a beneficial stress on the body. Without it the muscles waste and bones become weak, the capacity to absorb oxygen decreases, insulin insensitivity can occur and the ability to meet the physical demands of sudden activity is lost. When yogasanas are preformed, respiration and metabolic rates slow down, the consumption of oxygen and the body temperature drop. During exercise however, the breath and metabolism speed up, oxygen consumption rises and the body gets hot. Yoga postures tend to arrest catabolism whereas exercise promotes it. In addition, asanas are designed to have specific effects on the glands and internal organs, and alter electrochemical activity in the nervous system.”

No, yoga is a secular universal practice that welcomes practitioners from all walks of life. It is simply methods to enhance your perception.

Most ‘styles’ of yoga as it is being taught in the West is some variation of Hatha Yoga as taught by Krishnamacharaya. Adaptions and modifications were made by various individuals to accomodate different physical (bodies) and mental (minds) structures. The modern ‘styles’ of yoga are very different to the way in which yoga was traditionally imparted.

Traditional lineages that maintain the ‘guru-disciple’ relationship in which practices are transmitted is second to none as you will receive yoga in its full depth and dimension – as a living process. If you are truly looking for yoga as a path to self realisation, there is simply no substitute for this.

Meditation is a type of Yoga. The higher yogic practices of concentration (Dharana) and meditation (Dhyana) and Samadhi are all part of the system of yoga. If you practice meditation, you are knowingly or unknowingly practicing yoga.