It has become common today to dismiss yoga because of the label that it is just for young, skinny, flexible, females. The truth is, yoga can be for anyone. To illustrate, according to the article “Yoga: It’s a Guy Thing” by Alan Crawford (2002), yoga is becoming more and more popular amongst men (p. 69). In fact, a report by the Yoga Journal claims that 17 percent of all yogis are men as of 2013, and that number continues to grow as yoga is becoming trendier for both men and women. I understand that yoga has its setbacks for men. To make clear, Gregoire’s article in the Huffington Post talks about how many men feel intimidated by doing yoga because of the flexibility needed for some yoga poses and the fact that there are mostly women in the room. Moreover, men’s delicate egos can be damaged if they were to do yoga (Gregoire, 2013). I can empathize with men that yoga would possibly be harder for them to do and it could hurt their self-pride; however, the fact cannot be hid that yoga can and should be for everyone, regardless of sex.
Not to mention, it can safely be said that many men are finding their egos to be just fine after yoga. “Yoga Man” tells the story of Eddie George and his yoga experience. Edward (Eddie) George, a famous Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys football player who won the Heisman trophy, felt slightly uncomfortable walking into a yoga studio. After all, a 235 pound, 6’3” African American man is not what many would consider the standard yogi. Even he, himself stated that “the perception was that it was a girl thing.” However, later in the article, he said, “If you’re comfortable with yourself, it shouldn’t matter if a class is all guys or if you’re the only guy. Yoga’s just good for you” (Altobelli & Kennedy, 2004, p. 63). It is incredible that George put his pride and embarrassment aside because George realized that the benefits that he received from yoga outweighed the expenditure of shame and humiliation. Eddie broke the label of “only skinny, young, white girls do yoga,” and I believe that others should follow in his footsteps. Not only that, what man would not want to spend time in a room filled with girls in tight pants?
In addition, I understand that it can be hard
I have always loved taking care of myself; I eat right, and I exercise regularly. However, one thing that has always plagued me is how inflexible I am. I have tried many times in the past to try incorporating stretching into my routine, but my efforts were futile. Ultimately, however, I have tried to get into yoga. Unfortunately, I never really had the patience for it. For my study, I want to study those that engage in yoga, collectively dubbed Yogis. I am pretty unfamiliar with this group, so I want to take this opportunity to familiarize myself with it.
inwards and become one with themselves in a more practical way. Yoga take the exoteric the outside, and unites it with the esoteric, the internal knowledge. However, through the process of westernization, yoga has now become “secular yoga.” Meaning, it is for the fit rather than for the spiritual. North America and Western Europe focus on making money, raising a family, and staying healthy. These societies have departed from the Bible and have turned to a more “practical” way of life. Western yoga is sometimes called “Hollywood Yoga” (says Usharbudh Arya). This is because the people who do it just want to stay looking young and recharged. It is directed towards aesthetically beautiful people who “‘desire a slim figure, a young body and a long
Yoga has been associated with stress. The larger the amount of stress a person has, the less likely that person is to feel in control of themselves and their surroundings. Yoga has also been linked to a person’s health and wellbeing. During a one week experiment, a researcher did yoga once a day at 7:00 pm for a half hour. A survey was taken twice, in hour intervals, after the yoga session was completed, at 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm. The surveys are what was used to find the data that created the results of the experiment. One type of yoga, integrated yoga, was used throughout the week. The results concluded yoga helps relieve stress for one hour after the session was completed, but was stressed again shortly after that hour was finished. Different styles of yoga classes could be offered and more times could be made available at the Elmen Center. Yoga is currently offered at 4:30 pm in the Back Alley, but more class times could be 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm. Different styles include hot yoga, iyengar yoga, or hatha yoga. To improve evaluations, a person could add questions about their level of stress before and after the yoga class. These improvements will allow researchers to see if the results are true for the majority of people.
Yoga is another great fitness program, but it is difference in that it helps you create a balance in the body through developing both strength and flexibility. Yoga classes include instructions on breathing, meditation, and spiritual readings. Many people join yoga class because it is relaxing and reduces stress. Yoga instructors teach you how to breathe correctly, which calms the brain and body, as you twist your body into the different poses. The correct way of breathing is to slowly inhale through your nose and exhale out through your mouth. My experience with Yoga was about 8 months ago and it was horrible. Not because of the instructor, but just because I couldn’t stop moving, and yoga seemed to force you to slow down and meditate. I was constantly watching the time thinking about other things I needed to do when class ended. The room had dim lighting, candles burning, soft music playing, and we were stretching in varies poses on a thin mat. Some of the poses we performed in class were Downward Dog, which made me get down on all fours with my hands under my shoulders, knees under my hips and my rear end in the air. This was an uncomfortable position to hold for several minutes. The Warrior Stand made me stand with legs and feet apart, turning my right foot out and left foot in, with arms spread away from each other. I felt off balance and like I might fall. The Tree Pose had my arms at my sides balancing all my weight on
The four paths of yoga are used in different ethnic backgrounds. In my understanding of yoga which in today’s society many believe the same. I believed that yoga was a form of exercise which you contort your body in different angles. I was sadly mistaken by what I believed was right was not right at all. As a matter of fact Yoga is actually a form of religion. In Yoga religion they have different paths. One path is the Jnana or better known as “Way of Knowledge”. In this path which from what I have learned is that those who practice it uses the rational mind rather than trying to transcend it by concentration practices. In my own words this means that the person believes that instead of focusing straight ahead that
Yoga enthusiasts already know that there are health benefits to be gained from the practice. This is especially true if you have the good fortune to meet a true teacher who will impart not only the physical poses to you, but
Everyone can do yoga with perfection with a little amount of care and patience, yoga triggers our body’s natural adaptive and rejuvenating powers and unless we use those powers we will lose it and with yoga we can get most of it back. It is even claimed by many that yoga gave them more vitality than they ever had in their lives. Even late beginners have benefited a lot from its practice.
The beauty of yoga lies in its simplicity, everyone can do yoga. By everyone we mean you never need to be super flexible that you can touch your toe with your head flipped backward to do yoga. Trust me; you just need your mat and a yoga instructor. One other amazing thing about yoga is that it is not a one style art; there are different kinds of yoga depending on your needs. Those different kinds of yoga are set according to the different needs of people. Some people do yoga to maintain spiritual balance,
Power yoga, hot yoga, hatha yoga, ashtanga yoga and many forms of the practice tend to form a buzz word. But instead of getting overwhelmed by the heavy words, it is recommended that you get to know the essence of Yoga. It is powerful in its own sweet way and can have a profound impact on your everyday life. Even if you are a corporate wizard or stay at home mom, yoga has been known to create that balance and harmony which we tend to lack in the parts of our existence. Originating in the lands of India, the holistic practice has spread its roots globally and how!
As a practioner of yoga for nearly 20 years , I have come to see, feel and reap the benefits of this practice, not only on a physical level but on a physiological and spiritual level too.
Yoga - is a form of meditation in motion that requires focus attention on the body - has many physical, mental, emotional and even spiritual benefits that could be useful for people who have health problems related to pain and / or stress As you learn new ways to move and respond to your body; Your mind and your emotions also tend to make a transition and change. In a sense, not only does he become more physically flexible, but his mental outlook and focus on life may also become more flexible. This paper will cover how Yoga can help and improve our mental health.
Yoga has been an increased interest among individuals who want to promote physical and mental health. Yoga may be taught in groups and individually, that is tailored to a specific need and preference. A goal of yoga is to treat and soothe mental conflicts and reduce conscious and unconscious problems (Vorkapic, 2016). Many people begin to practice yoga because they have problems that they wish to reduce. Vorkapic (2016), mentions that if they did not acknowledge stressful problems that affect their lives, then they would not have had the motivation to incorporate yoga into their daily routine. According to yoga psychology, the strongest drive is
Why do yoga? The obvious reasons are to gain and maintain strength and flexibility, but researchers have found that the positive effects of yoga on your body and mind go far beyond the obvious. Yoga is an ancient practice originating in India. Nowadays it’s popular the world over. The benefits of being active and doing any type of exercise are well known. But is there more to the overall sense of wellbeing you feel after a yoga session than after doing other types of exercise? Scientific studies suggest that there is. Here are some benefits you didn’t know about.
Many Americans are getting more involved with yoga because it is easy to do and the benefits are amazing. Yoga can be done anywhere, in the privacy of your own home where you follow it through videos on the television, or in a classroom with a certified instructor who teaches you the poses and the breathing techniques. The Columbia Journalism “Everybody loves yoga; sixteen and a half million Americans practice it regularly, and twenty-five million more say they will try it this year. If you’ve been awake and breathing air in the twenty-first century, you already know that this Hindu practice of health and spirituality has long ago moved on from the toe-ring set. Yoga is American; it has graced the cover of Time twice, acquired the approval of A-list