What is yoga...?

Yoga originated in ancient India, and was traditionally passed down from teacher to student by word of mouth and consequently there are several interpretations of what yoga is. The word ‘Yoga’ comes from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’ meaning ‘to yoke or to unite’, therefore one of the most widely known and accepted definition is that yoga is a spiritual practice of mind/body harmony aimed to awaken the inner consciousness, and ultimately leading to universal consciousness.
One of the main texts that’s often referenced as a guide to achieving this mind/body and cosmic harmony is Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, in which he offers “8 Limbs of Yoga”, an eightfold path to lead you through this journey.
However, modern yoga today tends more to be linked to the practice of asana; a physical aspect of this discipline involving postures and movements to build strength, flexibility, balance, coordination and mobility. Rather than one-to-one teacher to student initiation, yoga nowadays is largely shared and practised in a group environment in the form of open classes. ​

BENEFITS OF YOGA

The ultimate purpose of yoga is summed up in a traditional Sanskrit principle - Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah (Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1:2) – yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind.
And with the assault of stimuli we are fed constantly, this practice of physical, mental & spiritual discipline from ancient India, has become more relevant to life today.
A wonderful aid for our well-being, some physical and psychological benefits attributed to yoga include -
  • Improved physical & mental self-awareness
  • Increasing flexibility, agility & coordination
  • Improve muscle tone & strength
  • Support better respiration awareness & capacity
  • Energising & revitalising
  • Restorative & nurturing
  • Improve cardio & circulatory health
  • Helps with confidence & feeling good about oneself
Considered a form of low impact exercise, its sequence and poses can be adjusted to meet the physical ability of a class, making it a relatively safe and holistic practice that most people can adopt to their lives for better physical, mental and emotional health. 
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