Yoga is not all about stretching

Whenever somebody mentions “Yoga”, the first thing that comes to mind is stretching. Yes of course, Stretching is part of Yoga, but that is not the full picture; there is more to Yoga than stretching.

Taking from our episode with Yogi Aaron, here are some helpful insights that will help you understand some other aspects of Yoga which go beyond stretching:

The Pranayama Breathing Practice: There is a life energy in our body that is referred to as prana. Pranayama involves controlling your breathing and regulating the flow of your prana. This helps you breathe more effectively, calms your mind, and balances your nervous system, which helps to improve your concentration and reduce your stress levels. There are different forms of Pranayama practices in terms of complexity, ranging from simple deep breathing to advanced techniques involving breath retention and rapid inhaling and exhaling, each serving different purposes in supporting physical and mental well-being.
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Meditation and Mindfulness: It is about being present in the moment, which involves focusing your mind and paying closer attention. This helps reduce your stress levels, clears your mind, and puts you in a very balanced emotional state, which contributes to your overall well-being. Through regular meditation, you can develop a deeper connection with yourself, leading to improved concentration, patience, and a sense of inner peace.

Philosophical Teachings: Have you heard of the Yoga Sutras of Patanji? probably not. They are teachings that outline the eight limbs of yoga, which are guiding principles for living a meaningful life. They encourage you to engage in self-discipline, personal growth, and a deeper understanding of yourself and the universe, thereby creating a balanced connection between your mind, body, and spirit. Let me know in the comment section if you've heard about ​the Yoga Sutras of Patanji.

Emotional Balance: We earlier talked about the Pranayama practice which involves controlling your breathing and regulating the state of your prana. When this is perfectly integrated with your physical posture, it gives you a life changing result. It can significantly boost your emotional resilience, reduces your stress, and improves your concentration levels. In the long run, this integrated approach can improve your physical health, clears your mind, and makes you emotionally stable, which profoundly impacts your overall well-being and quality of life.

Community and Connection: When you are involved in yoga, you will be connected with different people of different backgrounds and ethnicity through shared practices, workshops, and events. This creates a sense of community and facilitates support. In yoga, sharing experiences helps you grow personally and feel better together with other people. Yoga places are welcoming to all kinds of people, letting you connect deeply beyond just doing poses. Yoga focuses on shared values and kindness, making the yoga community stronger.

So yoga is not all about stretching, it involves different aspects of life as discussed above; controlling your breath, focusing your mind and paying closer attention, philosophical teachings about self-discipline and personal growth, integrating your breathing with your physical posture, and being connected with other people in a community.

Click HERE to watch our episode with Yogi Aaron, author of Stop Stretching and the creator of the revolutionary approach to yoga — Applied Yoga Anatomy + Muscle Activation™ (AYAMA).  

We delve into the misconceptions surrounding yoga and the importance of understanding the true purpose of the practice. You definitely don’t want to miss this!