What is Yoga?
When most people talk about taking “yoga classes” they are really talking about doing “hatha yoga, which is the health and wellness part of yoga. There are many different styles of hatha yoga (Iyengar, Bikram Yoga, ) but anytime you work with your physical body you are practicing hatha yoga.
Hatha Yoga is sometimes called “asana practice” because the exercises of hatha yoga are known as asanas. (sarvangasana is shoulderstand, adho mukha svanasana is downward facing dog).
“When you do asana practice you are systematically working with your body
and your mind toward the goal of being strong, flexible and relaxed
no matter what position you find yourself in.”
Yoga has become a way of life for me. I find it a very reliable system for keeping my life in balance in today's world. I move and breathe in certain asanas or sequences of asanas (hatha yoga) to keep my body healthy and strong. The philosophy of yoga presents me with a common sense view of life based on principles (yamas and niyamas) very much like the ten commandments. I practice yoga when I need to relax, or when I have a few minutes to myself (I call this yoga moments). I can work hard to release pent up energy, or I can put myself into positions where I rest quietly and let my body renew itself.
“I cannot imagine my life without my yoga practice.”