Isn’t it funny that 5,000 years ago people would tie themselves into pretzel shapes just for fun? What yoga has become today is actually not how it originated. American culture has twisted it into a Western version of dysmorphic exercise. Yoga takes incredible discipline and strength to attain the flexibility that has won it fame in the 21st century.
It actually originated as a practice to control the senses and prepare the body for meditation. The word yoga originated from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means “to yolk or union”. Linking the physical body with the breath, the mind and internal intuition brings deeper connection to meditation as well as the entire day. Yoga is a type of meditation. In the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course yoga is taught as Mindful Movement. Modern research shows changing the body’s shape changes the release of certain neurotransmitters and can actually change mood and outlook on life.
So the next time someone asks, “Would you like to go to a yoga class with me?” and the words “No thanks, I can’t touch my toes.” start to come out, remember its about something very different.
