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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) On this page will try to answer many common questions regarding Yoga. 1. Is Yoga aerobic exercise? 2. Is Yoga a religion? 3. Is Yoga a "new-age" practice? 4. How many types of Yoga are there? 5. What's the difference between Yoga and just plain stretching and normal exercise? 6. How many times a week should I do Yoga and for how long? 7. Do I have to be a vegetarian to practice Yoga? 8. Is it okay to practice Yoga while pregnant? 9. Which Yoga style is for me? 10. Has there been any formal research into the benefits of Yoga?
1. Is Yoga aerobic exercise?
Yes and...maybe. Aerobic exercise is simply exercise that improves oxygenation of the blood through an increased heart rate and deeper breathing. Yoga can do that, especially those styles such as Astanga and ViniYoga that have a strong focus on the flow of one posture to another. (top)
2. Is Yoga a religion?
No and...maybe. It depends on how you define "religion" and how the Yoga practitioner approaches his or her practice. The physical and psychological benefits of Yoga are real and don't discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, political persuasion or any other way people like (or dislike) to categorize themselves. The benefits also don't depend on chanting Om. On the spiritual side, most mystical traditions -- East or West -- draw similar maps of the spiritual path. So in that respect, Yoga is mainstream. Like Shakespeare said, "A rose by any name would smell as sweet." For these reasons, many people feel they can practice Yoga without conflict with their religious beliefs. However, Yoga is connected to the Hindu tradition and draws on many Hindu beliefs -- karma, dharma, reincarnation, Atman, etc. (top)
3. Is Yoga a New Age practice?
Yoga is an ancient practice with a written history going back thousands of years. It is not New Age, although various New Age movements have adopted and adapted elements of Yoga. In addition, Yoga and New Age movements share a focus on mind/body development. (top)
4. How many types of Yoga are there?
Many. There are four paths of Yoga:
5. What's the difference between Yoga and
just plain stretching and normal exercise?
Traditional exercise is goal oriented: How many push ups can I do? Can I touch my toes? I'm going to do 10 more crunches today than I did yesterday. Yoga, by contrast, is a process. The idea is to focus your awareness on what you are doing and how you feel as you perform the postures. In exercise, you fail if you miss your goal. In Yoga, you succeed by trying. There's also a difference on the physical level. Weight training, for example, makes you stronger by breaking down and rebuilding muscle tissue. It's this breaking down and rebuilding that results in the bulky muscle look. Yoga increases strength by toning the muscles. (top)
6. How many times a week should I do Yoga
and for how long?
Most schools teach a practice session that lasts 60-90 minutes. If you can do that everyday -- great. If not, try and do that much a few days a week, including a class or two, and fill in with shorter sessions on days when you don't have as much time. Any Yoga is better than no Yoga, and 20 to 30 minutes a day is better than 90 minutes once a week. (top)
7. Do I have to be a vegetarian to practice
Yoga?
Although the traditional Y oga diet is vegetarian, you don't have to be a vegetarian to practice Yoga. In fact, in a recent survey by the Yoga Site only about one out of every three Yoga practitioners was a vegetarian. (top)
8. Is it okay to practice Yoga while pregnant?
It's okay to continue practicing Yoga while you are pregnant as long as you were practicing before conception. Yoga is a great way to keep fit during pregnancy. In particular it can help strengthen the pelvic area, normalize thyroid functioning and blood pressure, and help keep you calm and relaxed -- all of which is good for the baby, too. In general, however, you want to avoid strain, compressing the belly or abdomen and inverted postures, especially in the later stages. The Yoga Site's Bookstore has a couple of books about Yoga and pregnancy (www.Yogasite.com/pregnancy.htm). In addition, many public libraries also carry books about Yoga and pregnancy. It' s also a good idea to work with a Yoga teacher with pre-natal Yoga experience. (top)
9. Which Yoga style is for me?
The best thing to do would be to sample each of the styles and pursue the one which best fits yourself. Don't give up on a given style too easily, though. (top)
10. Has there been any formal research into
the benefits of Yoga?
There's been quite a lot of research, particularly in India. The Yoga Site's Yoga Therapy Report covers some of the latest studies reported in research journals. In addition, it includes a list of some of the major organizations researching Yoga therapy. (top) |
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