Yoga, originally stemming from the Sanskrit word for ‘yuj’ (meaning ‘to unite’) has rapidly become one of the most popular trends and practices in the world at this current moment.
This tradition and spiritual practice dates back over 5,000 years, all the way to Northern India. There are currently an estimated two billion people that practice the yoga around the world.
However, just like all concepts and practices that go around the world, there are many rumours and superstitions that follow it. So, to help you understand the truth, here are five of the most common yoga myths and the truth behind them.
#1 – Yoga is for Flexible People
The number of times I’ve been to a yoga class and spoken to people afterwards who didn’t attend the class say that they like the idea of yoga, but they’re not flexible enough. This is easily one of the most common myths in the industry.
Firstly, the only way you’re ever going to get stronger and more flexible is by practising yoga, but you don’t even need to start with yoga itself. Asana is known as the physical practice of yoga, but there’s also a spiritual side that many Western classes seem to bypass.
Traditionally, monks would move through a series of asana poses for hours in utter silent and stillness. For beginners, give it a try and but remember to ask yourself whether or not you feel comfortable and safe. These are your main priorities.
#2 – It’s Just Too Difficult
Like anything in life, everything can seem challenging when you try it for the first time, and the same can be said for yoga. A common problem that I hear day in, day out, is the fact that yoga is too hard, and people simply won’t try because of that.
However, just like learning like a new language or driving a car, the only way to get better and to enhance your skills is through practice. One suggestion is that that yoga challenges ego more than anything else. Of course, to a certain extent, it’s easy to step onto a mat and put your body into poses while focusing on your breath.
However, putting yourself out there, doing in front people and admitting when you can’t do something but you’re willing to learn is far more challenging and rewarding to your personal benefit.
#3 – All Yoga is the Same
There are over 600 different types of yoga. There are some very intense types, some that focus on flexibility, some for losing weight, improve your posture or even focusing on spirituality. There’s even yoga that that’s designed to help you sleep and alleviating pain around your body.
At the end of the day, there is a type of yoga for everybody, so if you try one type, that doesn’t mean that you’ve tried them all. It’s safe to say that there’s a yoga practice for everybody.
#4 – Yoga is for Hippies
This is easily one of the most popular rumours that surround yoga. When a lot of people think of yoga, they think dread-headed individuals on a beach, wearing beads and hugging trees, but this is far from the case.
Anybody can do yoga, from any generation, including children, all the way through the elderly. In my personal yoga class, we have men and women from all walks of life from business owners to people who just want to get fit and healthy.
There are so many health benefits of yoga, from reducing stress and anxiety and lowering blood pressure to even improving your memory functions. These are benefits that can be enjoyed by everyone.
#5 – Yoga Is Not For Men
Perhaps surprisingly, traditionally, yoga was a male-only practice all the way up to 1947. This was when yoga teacher, the first woman to practice yoga, opened her own studio in the U.S. Nowadays; the tables have turned. Out of the estimated 20 million people that practice yoga in the US, only 18% are men.
It’s suggested that this is perhaps thanks to platforms like social media that predominantly portrays yoga as a feminine practice, or the actual practice seems feminine to many men, but this is far from the case. There are men who practice yoga, some at a professional level. However, as the practice becomes more and more popular, this is a rumour that is slowly disappearing.
