Yoga DefinedExercise crazes and fitness fads come and go, but the practice of yoga, believed to have originated 5,000 years ago in India, never seems to go out of style. Most people grasp that yoga is about more than stretching and body movement, but beyond this there are some basic tenets and goals.
Mark Blanchard has been practicing yoga for over two decades and has studied with many of yoga's most respected teachers, including the legendary B.K.S. Iyengar. Blanchard has been an instructor for five years and currently teaches classes at his studio, Mark Blanchard's Power Yoga (www.markblanchardspoweryoga.com). Here he offers a basic definition of the practice for people who have always wondered what yoga is all about:
- Yoke or union: Yoga is a Sanskrit term meaning yoke or union, and its central idea is one of balance.
- Physical and mental balance: In yoga, balance means more than the ability to stand on one foot without falling over. It's about remaining mentally balanced when under duress. If you find yourself under extreme stress at your job, can you remain balanced, with your mind in tune with your heart?
- Releases ego: In contrast to most other forms of exercise, yoga is about the release of one's ego. Yoga practitioners work towards accepting whatever level they are at.
- Non-judgmental: Disciplines like weightlifting are all about judgement; you judge how much weight you're lifting or how many reps you complete and compare it to other lifters or previous results. But in yoga, you don't judge anything. You simply work towards finding balance between your heart and mind and accept that this is what yoga does for you.
For more information on yoga, visit a yoga center in your area or check out the following organizations and websites:
Yoga Journal
www.yogajournal.com
The Yoga Site
www.yogasite.com
Yoga Research and Education Center (YREC)
2400A County Center Drive
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-566-9000, www.yrec.org
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