yoga mania

I must admit that yoga is truly harder than I anticipated. Remembering to breathe and stretch correctly is a difficult task. I also didn’t realize that stretching could be so PAINFUL. Participating in the yoga class helped me to realize I do have muscles that I don’t stretch nor did I realize that they were even there. It helped being in a class with others because it forced me not to give up because I honestly really wanted to. I agree with the articles that we were supposed to read before attending the class. The main focus of my class was the stretching and not the breathing. While teaching the poses the instructor of course mentioned the proper breathing techniques but never really concentrated on making sure it was done right. In my opinion the breathing aspect is equally as important as the stretching itself. Without the proper breathing techniques the stretching is not as effective. The most interesting thing I learned from the “westernized” yoga was some of the true health benefits. Some of the exercises help with speeding up ones metabolism. I personally find this interesting because I didn’t realize that certain movements could in prove a person’s metabolism. Yoga has become a common form of exercise in America and because of this I once agree with the article. Westernized yoga is based on stretching and the occasional breathing. However the true purpose of physical yoga is to obtain tranquility and spiritual insight through stretching and breathing. In other words physical yoga is a form of meditation. As Americans we have altered the true nature of yoga and used it as a means of creating physically healthy citizens. My instructor failed to emphasis on the importance of the stretching coupled with breathing to produce a time of tranquility and spiritual insight. Aside from it all, as a beginner I don’t see how I would have received tranquility or spiritual insight because I was too busy concentrating on the pain that I was in! I too wish that we Americans would stop reducing ancient traditions of other cultures to “nothing but a hollow shell of their true selves.”