Frequently Asked Questions about Yoga

by Sally Van Vleck

1. Why do yoga?
Yoga is an ancient system that has survived for thousands of years because it works. Yoga balances all the systems of your body, such as respiratory, circulatory, digestive, eliminative, and keeps them healthy and functioning efficiently. It strengthens the muscles, increases stamina, endurance and energy levels, and counteracts some of the effects of aging. And, if that isn't enough, it also helps to reconnect you to your deeper self, bringing a greater sense of peace, calm, and happiness.

2. Wow! Why doesn't everyone do yoga?
Yoga, like any other serious endeavor, takes practice and discipline. You have to get on the mat. Every day. Or as close to every day as you can get. The rewards are great. No matter how you feel when you begin, you will feel better than you did by doing just a few poses.

3. Can anyone do yoga?
Yoga can be strenuous exercise, but it can also be practiced gently and carefully. It is appropriate for almost everybody. You just go at your own pace, stretch as far as it feels okay, or, if you're holding a pose, come out of the pose when you become too tired or strained in the pose. In a class, I always encourage my students to listen to their bodies, and respect their limits. Gradually, with practice, the limitations decrease, and stamina, strength, and flexibility increase. There are a few people who may only be able to practice deep breathing (pranyama), meditation and relaxation due to severe physical limitations. If you have a question about this, you should speak with your doctor about it.

4. Is yoga a religion?
Yoga is not a religion. It does have a spiritual side, however. It was developed 7,000 years ago by holy men who desired to achieve enlightenment through long meditations. They designed yoga postures to increase their flexibility and stamina in order to sit for hours at a time. As yoga evolved over time, it was used more and more as part of a spiritual practice, but is not considered a religion. An individual can choose to use yoga strictly for physical fitness, and not pursue the spritual aspects of it. However, most people who practice yoga enjoy the spiritual benefits that come with quieting and focusing the mind, and getting in touch with their deeper self. Some use yoga as a way of understanding themselves more deeply; others pursue a goal of becoming closer to God or Divine Energy or a power greater than ourselves. This is totally up to the individual. In my classes, we meditate silently at the end of each class. I introduce some different methods of meditation, but I don't talk much about God. I value the spiritual aspects of yoga, and try to create an atmosphere of peace and safety for my students to experience their individual spiritual pursuits.

5.What's so special about yoga?
Yoga is so wonderful because the practice can be individualized for the needs of each person. It has the potential of strengthening the body, increasing flexibility, while calming the mind, and connecting us with our inner self. It helps to bring you in touch with your physical body, so that you can recognize blockages and potential difficulties before they develop into health problems. You don't need special equipment, although it's nice to have a non-slip mat. You can practice anywhere, anytime, once you know the poses. It works.

6. Do I need a teacher?
You can learn yoga from books and video tapes, but at some point, it's advisable to practice with a teacher. He or she can observe and correct your alignment in the poses, and just make sure you're on the right track. You can ask questions, get advice, and your teacher can help figure out the best poses for you. Attending classes helps to keep the practice alive and growing. And, it's fun to practice with others.

7. Do I have to wear tights and a tank top?
It's important to wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes so you can move easily. We are seeing lots of skinny women in tight, tight clothes in the media, doing yoga poses while selling everything from cars to perfume. These images do a disservice to yoga. Sweatpants and tee-shirts are fine, as are tights. I recommend bringing a sweater or sweatshirt to put on for the relaxation and meditation as we cool down.

8. It seems most people who practice yoga are women. Is yoga for men?
It's a funny thing in this country, but yoga is dominated by female yoga students. As for teachers, there are as many men, or more, than women. I'm not sure why this is. In India, yoga was developed mostly by men. Yoga is wonderful for men, but I'm afraid many men in our culture are intimidated because they aren't as flexible as women, or don't look good in tights. The idea that you aren't competing in yoga, and that how far you stretch isn't important, is difficult for men to grasp in our highly competitive culture. Somehow, women aren't as caught up in this struggle as men are, although we women have to remind ourselves not to keep looking at the person on the next mat with envy as she touches her toes. Yoga is not about how far you stretch in a pose; it is more about tuning in to yourself, playing the edge of your endurance and flexibility, and focusing your attention on certain parts of your body. I had a class once called "Yoga for Busy, Old Stiff Guys". If you are interested in an all male class, please let me know. In the meantime, men are welcome in all of my classes.

10 Benefits of Yoga

1. Increases muscle strength

2. Increases flexibility

3. Works to keep all internal systems healthy and functioning well: circulatory, digestive, reproductive, eliminative, endocrine, respiratory

4. Increases energy level

5. Counteracts some of the effects of aging

6. Releases stress

7. Brings a sense of well-being and inner peace

8. Helps tune into inner self, brings greater awareness of body

9. Balances mind, body and spirit

10. Increases stamina and endurance

Yoga Offerings Grow!

We are in the process of planning the expansion of our yoga program here at the Inn. We're looking at ideas such as: bringing in some different teachers--yoga as well as other classes, such as improvisational dance, belly dancing, and more; offering some weekend workshops of various lengths; Sally is interested in pursuing some classes which focus on a specific topic, such as meditation or pranyama (breathing techniques).

Please let us know if you're interested and we'll keep you posted. We welcome your suggestions and feedback on specific classes, schedules, etc. that would work for you.

Mailing List

These large "rural route" mailings are a great way to find out who is interested in yoga and massage on the Old Mission Peninsula. However, since we hate to contribute to junk mail we are developing our own Peninsula mailing list of folks who are interested in yoga, massage and other health-related topics, so that we don't waste resources. Please let us know (call 223-7315 or email: sally@nrec.org) if you're interested in being on our list. We're also collecting email addresses, and again, we'll be frugal with our mailings; only reminding you of class schedules and special offerings occasionally.

---

Back to Sally's Yoga Page