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Yoga is For Everyone (But is it really?)
We have all seen the catchphrase “yoga is for everyone”, regardless of body shape, age, ability, experience or background we come from. In this article we look at this statement a bit more critically. Is it really for everyone? Is a general mixed class really appropriate for everyone or is it not that simple to cater for all in a general class?
Before we get stuck in, please begin by typing “yoga/group yoga” (for some examples see the top two images below) in your search engine and look at the images that come up. Do these images look diverse to you? Do you think that they cater for everyone? Even better type in “yoga is for everyone” (for some examples see the bottom two images below). The bottom right one is the most diverse one we could find, and it was a difficult image to find. Still not as culturally diverse as one would like but nevertheless it is great to see a variety of ages and body types.
When looking at these images there are two things to note:
By diverse we are searching for group classes that cater for ages 18+; different body shapes, abilities and limitations and from different cultural backgrounds.
The images we have chosen throughout this article have been purposefully chosen of people doing yoga poses which most people can access. Later on, you will see images of people practicing yoga from our classes. We believe these do show a more diverse group of people but there is still a lack of people from different cultural backgrounds in our classes.
Definition
To be best placed to answer this question we need to explore a tantric meaning for yoga…
“Yoga is both the path and the destination”
If we imagine that our cosmology of the world is that of an ocean. Our self-awareness is the waves and universal awareness is the ocean, neither of them can be separated. As children the duality that we experience in later years is not present. The separation we experience begins to occur through our family, societal and cultural experiences and education. So technically our life, our essence nature and our universal awareness are one and the same, but we lose our path and we begin to see duality in everything, including ourselves, essence nature and universal awareness.
According to this definition our essence nature and connection to universal awareness is not something we need to achieve; it is not something that does not already exist within us. It stands to reason that if we have not lost our path then everything is yoga and there is no need for us to ever step onto a yoga mat. All we need to do is bring our awareness back home by connecting to the breath and as we go about our daily tasks, we will experience the oneness in all we do.
For example – when washing the dishes are we fully present of what we are doing? Can we feel the breath flowing through us? Can we feel the water, smell the dish soap, listen to the sounds being made and other sensations we experience when undertaking the task. We may find when we bring awareness to the task at hand – in this case washing dishes – that our mind becomes quiet and for perhaps fleeting moments or maybe longer we are fully present, fully engaged, immersed, time seems to stop and we feel fully embodied in the moment with a connection to something bigger – universal awareness.
This is quite a liberating definition because it opens practice up to truly everyone and resonates with another catchphrase which is used quite a lot to promote yoga, “if we breath then we can practice yoga”. That means if we are immobile, bedbound or have mobility issues and other health sensitivities then we can practice yoga too. All we need to do is bring awareness, focus, breath, visualisation, mantra and mudra into our day-to-day.
If this is all yoga is then why are we not all practicing it? First and foremost, most yoga classes are postural classes and do not even touch upon this definition. Secondly, for many this truth has been hidden or forgotten due to the years of family, societal and cultural conditioning we have experienced. It is just out-of-sight and if we wish to reawaken an experienced teacher (they do not need to come from a yoga background) can help us discover that self-truth, that all that we need is within us. Yoga - let’s be clear certain yoga teachers and classes - is one of the many ways which can support and lovingly guide us back to the being within the human being.
Two metaphors to demonstrate this point
The Musk Deer
Let us take the parable of the musk deer. The musk deer smells this incredible sweet fragrance and spends her life searching high and low through mountains, woodlands, streams, villages and cities to find where this sweet fragrance comes from. Experiencing equally great hardships and joys along the way but never really being fully in the flow and present with each moment life shares, always being distracted and not quite satisfied. Sadly, it is only upon the musk deer’s death bed that she realises that the scent was coming from her navel.
The Tibetan mantra – Om mani padme hum
Om Mani Padme Hum - the jewel is in the lotus. This too points us to the reality that all that we are is within us, there is no separation and no need to seek beyond ourselves.
Both of these metaphors enable yoga to be what it was intended for. A powerful and radical way to live life. Every breath enables us to be fully present, focused and connected with our own consciousness and with universal consciousness. We realise we are not separate. From this standpoint we then understand that everything is connected in the complex web of life. This is powerful because we then immerse ourselves in integrity and tolerance for all beings, sentient and non-sentient. Everyone and everything have a magnificent and splendid part to play.
Postural Yoga
You have probably gathered by now that the yoga defined above is very rarely even touched upon in a typical yoga class. Most people have come to view yoga as a set of postures explored on a mat which are linked to the breath. There is no doubt that these classes have fantastic benefits on the people who can access them. However, can everyone access these classes? Do these classes embody and explore the full depths of what yoga is all about or do they miss something inherently important that makes yoga different to other activities and exercise routines? Do they enable people to create radical change within themselves and the global community?
In a moment we will have a look at a couple of scenarios but to help us gain an understanding of what is going on in a general mixed class it is important to talk about class dynamics, energy and the teacher-student relationship.
Dynamics of General Mixed Yoga Class
There is an intimate dialogue and alchemical dance being explored in general mixed classes between the students and the teacher. The alchemical dance has the following ingredients in it:
A certain pace and rhythm in the class.
Teachers assessing where their students are at and changing/adapting as necessary.
Teachers offering a variety of options to cater for the needs of students on a physical, energetic and emotional level.
Teachers communicating clearly and explaining contraindications.
Students being able to digest instructions at the pace of the class and being able to adapt and modify as necessary.
Students assessing how they are feeling physically, energetically and emotionally, listening and choosing options that are right for where they are at.
Students having a certain level of proprioception (an idea of where their body is in relation to the space around them).
Teachers and students honouring their abilities, limitations, energy levels and adjusting accordingly.
With this in mind, now let’s have a look at a couple of case scenarios…
Scenario 1: General mixed postural yoga classes for people with advanced stages of a neurological disease such as Huntington’s; people who have mobility issues; people with a limb missing; people in a wheelchair or simply people with very bad arthritis in the knees (there are many other examples, but we get the gist of things with these few).
Having taught yoga for 20 years plus and having experienced this case scenario in reality, and even though we are highly trained and very skilled yoga teachers, our experience is that a general mixed postural class is not suitable for the people described in this scenario. It is also important to bear in mind that in our classes we teach simple, safe and functional yoga movements which the majority of people can access. Yes, we can give different options and modifications to individuals; yes we can ask them to visualise a practice rather than doing it physically but in a general mixed class there is a certain dynamic between the teachers and the students; a level of competency, communication, understanding and a certain pace which means that some people cannot access the yoga or digest the information being shared with them fast enough to keep with the pace of the whole group.
This means that a general postural yoga class is not really for that individual and that individual when attending these classes is truthfully not receiving the wonderful benefits that yoga has to share. There is absolutely nothing wrong if as yoga teachers we admit that these individuals would benefit more by being guided towards postural yoga in a chair or perhaps even one to ones. Depending on how the illness is manifesting in the individual it may be that all that can be shared with them is visualisations, breathing, mantra and simple hand gestures. Thereby circling back to the original definition that we shared earlier on.
Scenario 2: General mixed postural yoga classes for people who are not that flexible, who are over-weight, who feel intimidated by competition and fitness, who are neurologically diverse.
I (Joanna) am a plus size girl, I am neurologically diverse, mortified of competition and even though I consider myself to have good flexibility I do not have the flexibility of teachers on Instagram and cannot do most of the shapes those teachers demonstrate, in fact I can’t even do a headstand! Ben on the other hand is thin and tall, not that flexible and also neurologically diverse, he too is mortified by competition and fitness. We would say that to find a class that caters for our needs both online and in person is generally quite hard and we need to undertake a lot of research to find one.
Over ten years ago when yoga was still considered to be a fringe activity it was a lot easier to find classes which catered for “everyday people” where simple, safe and functional yoga movements were being explored. Nowadays because yoga has been commodified by the fitness and wellbeing industry it is more of a challenge to find mixed classes which promote simple, safe movements linked to the breath. Let alone classes that give you a full yoga experience and help you to connect to your essence nature as defined earlier on in this article.
What is a full yoga experience?
Firstly, to have a full yoga experience the teacher/s need to have had excellent yoga teacher training which is longer than 12 months; have been practicing themselves for a minimum of three years and are committed to continuous learning.
Like everything in life certain practices in yoga take time to master. To be able to gain a richness and depth to one’s quality of teaching then the individual needs to have been practicing for years. If we just focus on the postural side of yoga and do not take into consideration anything else. Understanding human anatomy, physiology and pathology is not an easy thing to learn. To understand why some shapes suit certain body types and others don’t and how to modify in a trauma informed way takes a long time to learn.
If we move on to the more esoteric practices yoga has to offer such as pranayama (breathing), even ones considered simple such as alternate nostril breathing or the deep yogic breath can take years to master. Gaining an understanding of the energetics in a posture, in a breathing practice and understanding the energy body and chakras takes a phenomenally long time to master and we have not even touched on meditation. There are no two ways about it, meditation is hard and that means mastering it takes a lot of time and practice.
We haven’t even talked about the history and philosophy of yoga. Yoga has had a long history, there are many different types of yoga and philosophical paths to learn, understand and perhaps follow or dismiss. Navigating this cannot be done in a weekend course or a one month intensive. Furthermore, from our experience most of the teacher trainings do not offer a syllabus that is wide nor diverse to cover the history and philosophy of yoga. They tend to focus on a couple of core texts which lead to a very skewed view and understanding of what yoga is and the texts that they do focus on more often than not have been misinterpreted creating a great deal of misinformation being shared in the yoga world.
If we circle back to our tantric definition of yoga – “yoga is both the path and the destination” – then to be able to share with people that yoga is more than a physical practice and is a way of living a radical life, a way of coming home to oneself and realising we are whole and complete, remembering our essential nature then we need time and commitment not only from our teacher but also from the student. A weekly class should be at least 90 minutes long so that the student is able to experience the full depth and richness that yoga has to offer. The class should include the following elements: various yoga postures, breathing practises, energy body and chakra exploration, mudras (hand, body and internal gestures), meditations, yoga philosophy, mantra, poetry, relaxation and sometimes yoga nidra and most importantly of all how all these practices can be applied in our daily lives so that real radical change can be explored in each moment with every breath.
Conclusion
To conclude, let us ask again, is yoga for everyone and everybody? It depends on (1) the definition we give to yoga; (2) the qualifications and experience of the teacher and (3) the student. If we define yoga as more than a set of physical practices, if we find a teacher with a richness of experience, education and that teacher embodies yoga in the way they live their life and if the student recognises that there are a number of different yoga options available to them depending on their level of health, ability and limitations then a resounding YES yoga is for everyone and everybody!
www.yoganaturesheffield.org.uk
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"Yoga is not just a workout, it's a journey of self-discovery. Join me in celebrating International Yoga Day! 🌸🌟"
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Yoga is about creating balance in your life. You can do this by balancing your senses, body, and soul so that you feel healthy both physically and emotionally. Let the practice of yoga make your life more peaceful and healthier. Happy International Yoga Day!!
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There is always something good of letting go in every situation. Letting go of control means that I stop over-trying, that I detached from the outcome. Same as in yoga practice, you over try postures and when you let them go then they happen naturally. Letting go of control means that I understand and respect boundaries mine and others. That I understand the difference between the transgression of the self and its exhaustion Letting go of control means to accept that there are things that can be changed….and to accept that there are those who cannot. #lettinggo #letitflow #yogapractice #yogaasana #yogaeveryday #yogaeverywhere #yogajourney #selflovejourney #selfawareness #selflove #kindness #happiness #yogaisforeveryone #meninyoga #yogalifestyle #yogaliving #travelphotography #yogachallenge #yogalove https://www.instagram.com/p/Ciw07GSsM_E/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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It’s our final day of our challenge and I thought I would share some of the down sides of RV living so far It cost us $7 to wash and dry a load of laundry We can only go about 2 days before we need to empty our tanks (currently I have emptied tanks as many times as Greg has) We have to actually light the pilot light to start the oven and today I forgot to turn it off when I was done using it 😳🤦🏼♀️ The walls seem like they’re made of cardboard when people are outside talking or playing music it actually sounds like they are in the camper with you haha I can feel Sage rolling over in her bed at night 😬😂 Today is my sons 21st birthday so we’re going downtown so he can order his first adult beverage in public haha. Should be fun with his pregnant wife, 16 year old sister and sober mom. He and dad gonna be wildin 😀 What do you have planned for the holiday weekend? New Challenge Announcement 8/29 - 9/2 #yogisgearingupforfall The rustling of leaves, all colors anew, Whisper change is coming, a new season in view. The crisp air softly beckons me, come, Settle in. A fresh season unfurls, and newness begins. Just us as we embark upon #yogisgearingupforfall……. Hosts: @xpmoves @brsorenson @yogajeannee @ethereal.flame @lunayogatx Sponsor: @gearbunchofficial Pose line up: Day 1- I tune into hear…. 🍁 Day 2- I fix my gaze upon….🍁 Day 3- I open my heart to….🍁 Day 4- I feel….🍁 Day 5- choice 🍁 Rules: 🍂Repost the flyer and tag a few friends to join 🍂Daily participation is required to win a prize: use #yogisgearingupforfall and tag the hosts & sponsors in the caption 🍂Winner will be chosen by the hosts and announced in a post and story. #splitseverywhere #splitsaremyjam #splits #labordayweekend #yogabenefits #igyogachallenges #yogashapes #yogalooksgood #yogaforthesoul #yogamagic #yogagoddess #yogaisforeveryone #yoganewbie #yogamovement #yogaover40 #yogaworkout #balancelife #yogafeature #fitmomjourney #upperbodystrength #yogashapes #happyyogi #bodyconfidencemovement #yogamovement (at San Diego, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiA9VYmPvA4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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New art, I wanted to create a really joyful yoga piece for the new year - this woman knows how to rock double animal print in her yoga practice ❤️ I know a lot of you already have a yoga practice but I’ve seen a lot of posts in fat community groups this week about starting a yoga practice and not knowing the best fat accessible and safe space teachers or yoga channels to look out for ... so I’m going to be adding some links to my stories for yoga teachers I recommend and admire 💜💜💜 #fatyoga #bodypositivity #curvyyoga #yogaisforeverybody #yogaisforeveryone #yogaforall #yogaforallbodies #yogaactivism #bodyacceptance #bodyloveyoga #fatart #fatpositiveart https://www.instagram.com/p/CJlW4D9FDLq/?igshid=11dz224wzt7i
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ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!" "Trust the wait! Embrace the uncertainty, enjoy the beauty of becoming! Rise above your CHALLENGES 💜" #internationalyogaday #yogaisforeveryone #yogaismagic #ofsimplethings #morningworkoutdone #mentalwellness #tophatgirl #naveenasapra #mindfluence #mentalhealth #yogaeveryday #jaipurblogger #jaipurdiaries @ (at Yoga Forever) https://www.instagram.com/p/CB8L9Qdh090/?igshid=1in69jsmnphzr
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Yoga for kids is a powerful💥way To teach children about self awareness how to self regulate how to build strength ,flexibility , courage and be in community with other children without competition#yogaforkidsandteens#kidsloveyoga#kidsandyoga#yogainspirationyogafit#kidsandyoga#teachkidsyoga#yogaisforeveryone#yogaislife#yogaisforeverybodyContact 👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽TaeBond@https://www.fitbytaebond.com/ start the children now to develop a yogapractice by the time they are young adults they will be ahead in life physically spiritually mentally emotionally and socially💜🙏🏽🌸💜🙏🏽🌸🔮📿🧘🏽♀️🔮📿 https://www.instagram.com/p/CcvHiVZLOqt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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#Shivohamyogaschool #yogateacher#mindfulmovement #beginneryoga #homepractice #yogateachertrainingcourse #yogateachertrainings #yogaofinstagram#yogateachertrainingindia ##yogateachertrainingprogram#ytt200 #yogateachertraining #teachingyoga ##yogaisforeveryone#yognidraclass#meditation#yogattc#yogateachertraining#yogaclasses#yogainstructor#yoga#yogaforall#everydayyoga
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Men Spiritual Yoga Retreat
Mexico
20-27 January 2023
Enjoy a retreat designed for men and all levels of yoga experience.
This is an excellent opportunity to stretch, meditate, dance, connect, relax, discover new aspects of your life and practice with friendly, supportive likeminded people.
Please message me for more information 🙏🏻🌈
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#Shivohamyogaschool #yogateacher#mindfulmovement #beginneryoga #homepractice #yogateachertrainingcourse #yogateachertrainings #yogaofinstagram#yogateachertrainingindia ##yogateachertrainingprogram#ytt200 #yogateachertraining #teachingyoga ##yogaisforeveryone#yognidraclass#meditation#yogattc#yogateachertraining#yogaclasses#yogainstructor#yoga#yogaforall#everydayyoga
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