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There are also some
articles from the Chapel Hill News that I wrote that could
answer some questions as well. Click here to go to our Articles
Page.
What
is yoga?
Yoga is a self-health care system using one's body, mind,
and spirit to grow in strength, flexibility, relaxation, and
enjoyment in life.
That's the short answer. Yoga, it is believed, originally
developed in India as a means of strengthening the body so
it could stay in a meditative state for longer periods of
time, enabling one to become enlightened.
Its origins are thousands of years old and its interpretations
are vast and varied. Westerners have boiled yoga down some
and customized the practices quite a bit.
For our purposes, it is a form of exercise for the body, mind,
and spirit that rejuvenates and relaxes, tones and loosens,
an amazing workout that makes us feel brand new.
What
type of yoga do you offer?
Mostly we focus on hatha yoga, which is the physical practice
of yoga poses. Hatha is the umbrella name for many methods
of yoga, including Iyengar, Ashtanga, Anusara, and Flow practices,
which we offer. Check out our Class Descriptions page
to learn more about the different styles of yoga.
About
50% of our schedule is geared towards beginners or all levels.
This means anyone can come in and get something from the class.
Those new to yoga can get a good foundation and workout, while
those experienced yogis coming in can go deeper in their own
practice.
We also have some great specialty classes available: Yoga
for the Bones, Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga, Restorative Yoga,
Yoga for Athletes, Tai Chi Qi Gong, as well as our Power Light
Yoga. Who knows what we'll come up with next?
I've
never done yoga. Do you have a starter or beginners' class
to help me learn the ropes?
Yoga 101 is designed with you in mind. I remember my first
yoga class was foreign and intimidating, because I had no
idea of what was going on. This series of six classes is built
to take you through everything you'll need to feel confident
in any of our other classes.
We'll explain why we sit quietly for a few minutes at the
beginning of class to separate from the stresses of our day.
Then we will break down basic postures for alignment and modifications
to suit your needs and abilities. Saving the best for last,
we dive into relaxation and all of the benefits thereof.
Is
yoga hard to learn? I can't exactly put my ankles behind my
head.
Whoa! Neither can I. Yoga is about starting from where you
are. If you can get out of bed and stretch in the morning,
then you can do yoga. The best facet of this style of working
out is it's your practice, on your level, on your terms. You're
in charge of taking care of yourself and knowing your limits.
We're here to help you grow safely and in the right direction
with the practice. It's challenging and it will take effort,
but the results are worth it.
What are some of the benefits
of yoga?
Strength, flexibility, and an overall sense of peace are the
big ones. Endurance, improved breathing, more balanced heart
rate and blood pressure come as well. Spinal alignment, a
leaner body, a richer enjoyment of yourself and your self-awareness--these
are just some of the many benefits.
Will yoga help me to lose weight?
Yoga will help you to build muscle. Muscle burns calories
and replaces fat. Like anything, what you put into it you
get out of it. My teacher told me if you do yoga once a week
it's just enough to keep sore. Two or more times a week will
show results, but maybe not the results you were looking for.
You won't "shed those pounds in a matter of days!"
But you will feel longer and leaner from improved posture.
You'll feel more relaxed, energized, hopeful, and more peaceful.
In life, that's better than fitting into tight jeans in the
long run. The jeans will come. The peace will be immediate.
How
do I find the right yoga class?
Ask us. We'll help. We've got a good variety of basic to advanced
classes at standardized times throughout the day. It's always
better to start easier and work your way up.
I
want to try yoga, but I'm afraid everyone is so much better
than I am.
Well, here's one of the philosophies of yoga that I love and
that has helped me through. Yoga is a personal experience.
A calming of your mind, focusing of your breath, and stretching
of your own body. Like any other exercise class, though, you're
having this personal experience in a shared room full of people
led by an instructor. The point is, you're doing your exercise
for you, and they are doing their exercise for them. My teacher
always says, "Close your eyes so no one can see you."
It's an inner journey that will get you further. And yeah,
in the world there will always be people who are better at
some things than us.
That's why we're not on the cover of Yoga Journal or in Cirque
de Soleil. But comparing ourselves to others will only distract
us from getting further in our own growth. Besides, it's kind
of fun to get into the movements and steal away all of our
attention on just ourselves for awhile. It's luxurious and
makes you feel good!
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