Does Yoga Have Prerequisites?
There are no prerequisites to yoga, despite what some books or classes may imply. You do not have to give up smoking, eating meat, or all your worldly goods!All you need is a yoga mat, or a towel or rug, instruction on how to do yoga, and some quiet time to do it.
Yoga has traditionally been used to develop a relationship with the Divine. And, of course, that relationship is fundamental to our very existence. However, we find the Divine by developing first our relationship with ourselves (the Divine within each of us), and by clearing our body and our lives of the things that get in the way of knowing and expressing that. We won't find the Divine in any 'gurus', or anything that asks us to place our power outside of ourselves.
Yoga asanas are excellent for centering ourselves, clearing blockages and stiffness within the body, and many other things. For that alone, they are worth doing. But we certainly don't have to subscibe to any belief system to get the physical benefits of yoga.
Some of the benefits of a regular yoga practice include:- lose some weight
- tone up our body
- become healthier
- more flexible
Other benefits of a regular yoga practice include an
- improved posture
- a stronger back
- a greater stillness of being
- a sense of peace within your own body
- improved concentration
This can spill over to bring great benefits in our work, and yoga is a great way of handling stress and revitalizing ourselves physically and mentally.
The Breath
In yoga, the breath is joined with the movement of each posture. And every movement is led by the breath. The breath is also a long subject in yoga, and there are articles on various aspects of it on this site. If you are new to yoga, or new to this aspect of yoga, its a good idea to read through these as it is integral to the practice of the asanas.
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