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Yoga is one of the oldest physical sciences of human history, dating back to ages of the Vedas in ancient India circa 800 BCE. For the ancients, yoga served as a method for attaining bodily, mental, and spiritual perfection. The Sanskrit term “yoga” is often translated as “union,” so the practice of yoga is literally the practice of unifying the mind, body, and spirit. In these ancient times, true health meant achieving such union.

As yoga became popular in the West, the physical practice of yoga known as asanas emerged as a focal point and overshadowed the other equally important aspects (which include everything from keeping the body clean to practicing morals such as non-violence, non-stealing, and compassion) of a true yoga practice. Yoga teaches us that our overall health requires more than keeping the body fit, it requires controlling the mind and satisfying the spirit. Therefore, when we speak of yoga, we speak of a way to be rather than something we simply do.

Like every body, every yoga practice is different and what works for one body and personality may not necessarily work for another. Every yoga posture and style has different variations and modifications that make the practice of yoga accessible to all different body types and personalities. Yoga teachers often encourage their students to request postures or describe feelings of discomfort in order to assure that everybody receives some benefit from his or her yoga practice, not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.

To personalize one’s yoga practice, it is up to practitioner to turn inward and begin to bring awareness into the body. The technique yoga practitioners utilize to achieve this consciousness of the body is called or pranayama, or breath control. Controlling the breath is essential to yoga practice because it requires both physical and mental awareness and concentration.

Linking each posture with the breath allows yoga practitioners to find a linkage between mental and physical regulation. Instead of pushing the body to extremes and huffing and puffing through each asana, maintaining a deep and rhythmic breath opens the body, releases tension, and allows for the postures to be helpful instead of hurtful. A sure sign that a yoga posture is too challenging is short, shallow breathing, in which case the practitioner should take a variation, modification, or simply assume a resting pose for a few breaths.

The journey of yoga, though a personal experience, is not one that should be traveled alone. To prevent injury, it is strongly advised to always seek out an experienced and knowledgeable teacher to help guide each practitioner on his or her journey. Yoga is an expansive topic, and all practitioners should feel comfortable asking their teachers any and all questions and should feel satisfied with answers given. At Renew Health Center, we provide a staff of qualified yoga teachers who are more than willing to guide you on your path to uniting the body, mind, and spirit in a healthy way of being. Namaste.