“FLEXIBILITY IS A BY-PRODUCT, NOT A PRE-REQUISITE, OF YOGA”

Many people steer clear of yoga in the erroneous belief that they need to be flexible in order to attend a yoga class.

It’s simply NOT TRUE!   Let’s face it – would you WANT to be able do what this woman is doing?  Impressive though it is, that’s years and years of hours and hours each day.  I couldn’t get near that and I’ve been practicing on and off since I was seven years’ old!

Of course, if you practice yoga often enough and with dedication, then you will certainly become more flexible – that goes without saying.  It works in the same way as practicing anything – the piano, or playing tennis, you will become more adept at finding the notes, or hitting the ball if you do it more than once a year…

However Yoga is NOT aimed at the flexible – nor is it, contrary to other beliefs,  a weird practice involving people sitting around humming or chanting endlessly in hippy clothes with dreadlocks for that matter!

So what is Yoga all about?

Well, if you come more than once a week, you will certainly over time gently lengthen your muscles – that’s what determines whether you are flexible or not.  So you WILL become more flexible.  But that’s not WHY we practice Yoga.

The other potential benefits are endless :

Reduced heart beat

Reduced stress levels

Increased stamina, strength, mobility, concentration

Pain management or dissipation

Lessening or cessation of back pain

Purification of blood and lymph

Increased lung capacity

Stimulation of all organs including heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, reproductive

Stimulation of circulatory system

Stimulation of reproductive system

Emotional balance

Lessening of depressive / mental health issues

Greater control over thoughts

Natural detoxification of organs

Increased energy levels

 

The list goes on and on … in fact if you can think of a condition, Yoga can probably help to improve it…

 

My own teacher, Anne Marie Newland of Sun Power Yoga, has taught Yoga to people who are paralysed from the neck down – which really does emphasise the point that you don’t even need to be able to move ….

 

So it’s not about being Flexible! – although yes, your flexibility WILL improve over time if that’s your focus.  But if that’s the only reason for coming, maybe a hard core gymnastics class would get you super bendy more quickly?!

For a full schedule of our classes, please go to our Herefordshire Yoga Class Schedule or call me on 07985 252166.