About Yoga
The word yoga means "union" in Sanskrit, a language of ancient India. We can think of the union occurring between the mind, body and spirit. We are at our best and most joyful when we live with harmony or union among our three selves. This is living a yoga life.
Asana - Postures
Poses are a powerful part of the yoga path and your life can transform with your time on your mat. Even if your intention for doing yoga is purely physical, yoga will have benefits that you take off the mat into your daily life. Every posture helps the align your physical body with wellness. Strength, flexibility, and the allowance of your natural energy to flow freely are the physical benefits of yoga.
Surprising as it may seem, the yoga poses are only one of the 8 "limbs" of yoga practice. The Yoga Sutra by Patanjali is a practice of living "in spirit" (or in-spired!!). The 8 limbs are guideposts of a way of life. What many people think of when considering yoga are pretzel-like poses that look uncomfortable, strange or impossible. Cool or strange as that may look, those pictures are so unlike what most lovers of yoga are experiencing. Let's leave the pictures as something neat and inspirational (or even funny), but celebrate and be proud of our bodies for where they are right now. With regular practice your body will open up and take you to places that will thrill you; that however is only part of the benefits. Enter yoga with an intention for a peaceful quiet mind, a light open heart, a life of joy, and a strong supple free feeling body. This is is the gift of practicing yoga.
During the posture portion of the yoga practice your body will be challenged and allowed to expand. We will also guide you in bringing what you are learning in the yoga class into your daily life. Living yoga is so much more than "doing" yoga.
Keep your practice personal
Comparing or judging yourself against others in the class or against a picture in a book doesn't serve you. Be grateful to yourself for giving yourself yoga and be in love with where you are and your body right now. Simply allow the expansion.
Sanskrit and other languages used in yoga
While in our classes we will use English for instruction and for most of the postures, you will also hear our teachers use words in Sanskrit. It's a beautiful language and the words often have deep meaning.
The tradition of using Sanskrit or other spiritual languages of yoga and chant may sound strange or exotic at first, however when you learn the heart or meaning behind the words, the continuation of the ancient language is really quite beautiful. Many of the languages were purely used in the practice of seeking a personal, spiritual connection with God or our inner light. Therefore it has a pure vibration (feeling) in your heart and body when you speak or chant it. Throughout the classes at Yoga Inspired you will be introduced to some Sanskrit posture terms as well as some mind/spirit practices that involve ancient languages.
At first these practices may seem weird or foreign, and maybe even pointless. If you don't have an understanding or intention behind the practice it is simply rote movement. Your teacher will do his or her best to help you understand the meaning behind, the purpose of, or the essence of any practice being taught in class. Once explained, understood, and felt you will find they are just simply beautiful, uplifting, and most importantly feel wonderful when practiced. As with anything, take into your life what resonates with you and leave the rest. This practice is for you and no one else.