Why do yoga? No easy answers!

Published: Sep 14, 2017 by Lucy Tennyson

The start of a new term of yoga is a good time to return to the core basics that underlie everything we do in class:

Why practise yoga? And even ‘What is yoga?’

Whether you are a beginner, or have been doing yoga for years, there is no easy answer, and it’s likely that you’ll find your feelings about why you are practising change and evolve over time.

We can probably all agree that yoga is an ancient discipline that originated in India. But quite when and where is something for scholars to argue about; all we know that today in the west most of us come to class wanting to practise physical or hatha yoga. That suits us, as we lead largely sedentary lives, spending far too much time sitting down in chairs or sofas.

In contrast, the yoga that evolved in India embraced far more, including philosophy, breathing, meditation, diet and lifestyle. But what all forms of yoga share is that it is a holistic practice. It covers mind, body and spirit – we are aiming to work at the level of the whole body.

So, reflecting on YOUR practice, that’s just it – it’s yours, you are unique and you are your own healer. A teacher can offer direction, but it is down to you the student to be an active participant, learning to listen to your body and what it needs.

The sketches below aim to act as a reminder (not a guide) to some of what we did in class this week.

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