What is Yoga Practice?

The obvious answer would be, when you roll out your yoga mat, and devote 90 minutes to asana, pranayama and meditation — either alone, or in a group setting, of course!

But, what is yoga practice? Why do we stretch, breathe, relax and introspect? Perhaps the question is better phrased as such: “What is yoga, practice for?” From this perspective, the question is best answered quite simply: for life.

Preparation for Life

Yoga practice is really a preparation for life. This is why it’s called ‘practice,’ because when you step out the studio door, turn on your phone, get behind the wheel and remember the long list of things you have to accomplish that day, that’s when yoga really begins.

The most amazing thing is that yoga practice prepares you for almost everything you encounter in your life, either directly or indirectly: whether it strengthens your shoulders and back to carry your first child, or helps keep you calm and patient while tackling your income taxes, yoga practice imbues you with the physical, mental and spiritual strength to conquer anything life puts in your path, with compassion and grace.

Physical Preparation

In your yoga practice, you have probably heard this repeatedly, “let your shoulder blades slide down your back, and open your heart to the sky.” This simple action becomes ingrained in your body after months or years of patient yoga practice. And it will instinctively arise, even off the yoga mat, at those times when you need it the most.

For example, you may be driving and, on one particular exhale, your body remembers what to do, and softens, relaxing and releasing the stored tension. In this way, yoga practice prepares your body to deal with outward expressions of inner tension, or simply the physical realities of life, like driving, office work, bad shoes and grocery bags. These stresses are all inevitable and potentially harmful side effects of life.

Mental Preparation

As we meet and compassionately greet our body in our asana practice, we learn patience and acceptance. Think of your yoga practice, on the mat, as a microcosm of your life.

In your practice, you learn to accep the limitations of your hamstrings, so you can relax in standing forward fold. This attitude of acceptance will serve you well when your boss is driving you crazy and you are within an inch of quitting.

Treating life’s challenges with the same cultivated patience will carry you through life, as you learn to differentiate between those things which you can control and those which you cannot.

Spiritual Preparation

An awareness of our innate spirituality is the least perceptible yet most important preparation that our yoga practice provides us with. Regardless of your social, cultural or religious background, you will inevitably bump into major life events, or even tiny inner shifts, that force you to look at the deeper questions in life, like what happens when we die, or what am I supposed to do with my life?

The point may not be to actually answer these questions, assuming they are even answerable; rather, the goal is to shift into this subtle way of seeing life not as a process of material loss or gain, but for the powerful inner life of all things. Yoga prepares us to perceive and appreciate the spark of life that exists in all beings, as we begin, on the mat, with ourselves.

Why Yoga Teachers Need to Be Students

When we ask, “Who is yoga for?”, we probably don’t think about yoga teachers. It is often overlooked that yoga teachers also need to practice, and not just at home in their personal yoga practice, but as students in a yoga studio setting. Yoga teachers need to be students as much as anyone else, but with a few extra reasons.

Lifelong Students

Yoga is very difficult, if not impossible, to master. It’s not a month-long course; rather, it’s an endeavour which carries on over the course of your life. Part of becoming a yoga teacher is the commitment to being a life-long student.

This means continuous study of texts and countless hour of practicing at home. It also means going out and learning from a variety of teachers.

Community

Not only do we, as yoga teachers, learn the little details of asana, pranayama, anatomy and meditation from our fellow teachers, but we also absorb new yoga teaching techniques. When we set aside our ‘teacher’ hats, and fully embrace our role as a student, we become better teachers.

When we attend yoga classes as students exploring new perspectives and interpretations, we strengthen what yogis and Buddhists call ‘sangha’ or spiritual community. Practicing anything in complete isolation is much more difficult than receiving the support of a community of like-minded practitioners.

Surrendering Teacher Ego

I definitely struggle with being a student. I can’t always keep my teacher mind from butting in, especially if I am challenging myself to practice in a very different style than I teach.

I often find myself scrutinizing and even judging my teacher over any incongruence with my ideal teaching style. This is obviously an unhealthy student attitude, one which blocks learning while building ego and negativity.

This is an interesting experiment for teachers, because it offers us another way to practice yoga. In these situations, we are again letting our ego control our thoughts and emotions. Of course it’s natural to believe that the yoga you teach is the best form, because it is the best: for you.

Embracing the value of each style, for its unique contribution to the whole body of yoga, has a very liberating effect. When we open and integrate numerous yogic perspectives, we form a more fully complete picture of this expansive practice; this is of benefit for our own yoga practice and, most importantly as teachers, for our students.

Fill Your Teacher Toolbox

Just as no two students are the same, so too are yoga teachers different from one another. We all learn and need different things in different ways, so having a yoga teacher toolbox is essential. When you notice one way of explaining a movement or position isn’t working, you can draw from other teachers to find what works.

Why are Yoga Clothes Like a Yoga Pose?

Yoga clothing has now become as varied and diverse as yoga styles. Once you’ve decided on what kind of yoga you should practice, there’s a more prosaic question: “What kind of yoga pants should I wear?”

Flexible Fashion

Yoga clothes are not immune to fashion trends, and since yoga has made a major mark on our cultural psyche, yoga clothes and clothing companies have proliferated to meet a demanding market.

There are fascinating yoga apparel trends like the infinitely comfortable yoga jeans that lets you hop onto your yoga mat, right off the street. Then there are creatively cut shawls that provide built in eye pillows for relaxation.

If you are in the market for some new yoga threads, here are two yogic points to keep in mind while you shop for yoga clothes.

A Reflection of You

First, stop to consider what attracts you to a particular pair of yoga pants or yoga top. Be honest with yourself.

Of course it’s okay that you like the color or the shimmery fabric; indeed, aesthetic considerations are totally natural.

Let your yoga clothing be a reflection of your personality, whether that be bright and bubbly or quiet and calm. Just be true to your taste and style, and avoid making purchases that you may regret based on trends.

Yoga Clothes are like Yoga Poses

Second, and most important, forget about how the yoga clothing looks. Much in the way you should investigate how you feel in a yoga pose, think about how the yoga clothes feel.

Avoid the change room mirrors entirely at first, perhaps closing your eyes and really feeling the yoga clothes on your body.

A Few Cursory Questions

Once you have tried on an item (say, a yoga top), notice if you can breath easily while you engage your full three-part breath. Does the item of yoga clothing restrict or inhibit your breathing in any way? What about movement? Can you bend over into a standing forward fold and relax?

This pose is also a perfect test for women, as it will make sure you are held and supported properly. Many yoga tops may look amazing when you are standing tall in mountain pose, but how about downward facing dog? That might be a different story.

Don’t Dress for Distraction

Your ideal yoga clothes will feel comfortable enough on you, while allowing a full range of motion. Ultimately, you won’t even think about what you are wearing, because you will be so deeply immersed in your yoga practice.

The best yoga clothes should provide you with enough comfort and support that you can focus on your yoga practice. If a piece of clothing is too revealing, tight or constraining, it is inappropriate, because it becomes a distraction from your yoga practice.

Just like a yoga pose, it’s not how the pose looks, but how it feels. The same goes for yoga clothes. You don’t want to be perpetually adjusting and finicking with the fabric.

Yes, go ahead and choose your favorite color and fabric, but in the end, find something that won’t make everyone else’s eyes wander your way. Your yoga clothes need to facilitate a deep yoga practice, not distract you.

Winter Yoga Retreats: What to Expect

We all want to get away from winter right now; dreaming of escaping the cold and snow to hit the beach and, maybe, throw in a few sun salutations. But before booking your next (or perhaps first) spot at a yoga retreat, it may be wise to ask yourself, just what is a yoga retreat, and what do I expect from it?

What is a Yoga Retreat?

The core purpose of any yoga retreat is immersion. You are providing yourself a unique opportunity to dive into the heart of your practice and deepen your knowledge of the traditions and techniques of yoga as well as your understanding and connection with your body and your mind.

In this sense, one should approach a yoga retreat, especially destination yoga retreats to tropical paradises, with a few things in mind. However tempting it is to view your retreat as a party week (with yoga thrown in as detox aid), you will get more out of the experience if you bring the right mindset with you.

Indeed, yoga retreats provide an opportunity for you to unplug and re-sensitize to stillness and quiet. Challenge yourself to keep your cell phone and laptop buried at the bottom of your suitcase, and notice how different your travel experience will be.

Retreat: Running Away from or Towards?

The idea of a yoga retreat can be a bit deceptive. It all sounds so ideal — yoga and meditation; healthy vegetarian food; sea, sand and surf — but do not be tempted to treat it like a trip to Club Med. While you may be taking a break, or literally, retreating from your daily grind, any serious yoga retreat will take you on a journey deep inside the particular issues and stresses you are currently dealing with.

So while you may be geographically farther away from your problems, in reality a successful yoga retreat with bring you face to face with your challenges, so that you can move past them.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

Preparation is key. In addition to your yoga mat, yoga towel and yoga pants, you might need to pack a few more “supplies,” of a type that weigh nothing at all: a good supply of energy.

Try to get yourself on the sleep regimen of the yoga retreat a good one to two weeks before you go. This is advisable especially if you usually operate on a late-to-bed, late-to-rise schedule.

Yoga retreats mainly follow traditional yogic practices of going to bed quiet early, usually around 9pm, and then getting up for your morning yoga practice at 5am. It will be much to your advantage to prepare yourself for this sleeping pattern well in advance, especially if you are going for a short stay.

Expect the Unexpected

Many times, yoga has a funny way of giving us what we need, though this may not necessarily be what we wanted or had hoped for.

The same can be said about an intensive yoga retreat. Be aware of your expectations and goals, yet hold them ever so lightly. If you do end up working with, and working out the aspects of your yoga practice that you may have planned, wonderful.

But if you end up without a resolution for your current marital issue, or not mastering your handstands, remember that is the ultimate lesson of your yoga practice: move with intention, but be receptive to whatever actually happens.

Are you slipping or sliding on your yoga mat?

Everybody experiences a slip or slide on their yoga mat from time to time.

You’re on your yoga mat in a particular posture, and you notice your hands or feet are slipping or sliding a little bit. It’s an annoying experience which compromises your ability to hold a pose and distracts you from what’s really important: the here and now of your yoga practice.

If you’re practicing on an old yoga mat, you might think it’s time to get a new one. That would be a wise investment, as yoga mats do wear out over time. So if old faithful has lost its luster, it’s time to buy a new yoga mat.

But you might find yourself in the opposite situation; namely, you just bought a brand spanking new yoga mat and you’re trying it out for the first or second time. Suddenly you feel your hands or feet slip or slide a bit, and you get a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach.

“Oh no,” you think to yourself, “I hope I didn’t get a lemon. What’s wrong with this yoga mat?”

More likely than not, there is nothing wrong

It’s a normal concern for someone testing out a new mat. The good news is that, more likely than not, there is nothing wrong with your new yoga mat.

“But I’m slipping and sliding all over the place, just like Paul Simon,” you exclaim. “How can you tell me there’s nothing wrong?”

Well, I can’t tell you with 100% accuracy that there’s nothing wrong. But in the majority of cases, you will be dealing with one of two simple explanations. So I’m going to break these two cases down for you.

Case #1: Your yoga mat requires a break-in period

The first explanation is that your new yoga mat needs to be broken in. Think of a new pair of leather shoes. They might chafe your feet for a week or two, but eventually the leather softens and you’re left with a comfortable pair of durable shoes which will give you years of enjoyment.

The same principle is true for many types of yoga mats. When fresh out of their packaging, these mats have a slight protective film which must wear off before the yoga mat achieves its maximum grip.

So if you have a new yoga mat, you need to allow several weeks of daily practice before the film wears off and the yoga mat attains the level of traction you need for your practice.

You can speed up the break-in process by rubbing the mat with a cotton cloth before and after practice. You can also try spraying and wiping the yoga mat down with yoga mat cleaner.

But you don’t need to do anything special to break in the yoga mat. Just use it as much as possible, and you will see the traction improve within several weeks of regular practice.

(And, really, shouldn’t you be practicing every day?)

Case #2: You are practicing hot yoga (bikram yoga) with sweaty hands or feet

The second explanation is that you are practicing hot yoga, also known as bikram yoga. In hot yoga, you are practicing in a heated room which causes you to sweat profusely.

Under these conditions, your hands and feet will become very sweaty. Taken to an extreme, you might even find yourself in a dripping pool of sweat. All that moisture needs somewhere to go; otherwise, your hands and feet will certainly slip and slide.

Some yoga mats are porous and, being porous, they will soak up the sweat like a sponge. People practicing on this style of yoga mat will experience less slipperiness. But the flip side is that your yoga mat will accumulate the sweat and all the microbes that come along with perspiration. If that’s the case, you’ll need to clean that yoga mat on a regular basis.

Many people prefer yoga mats which will not absorb moisture, such as a yoga mat made from Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE). TPE yoga mats simply cannot absorb moisture because of the molecular make-up of the material. That makes them clean & hygienic, but their disadvantage is that the sweat will accumulate in pools on the surface of the yoga mat.

That moisture needs to be mopped up, and this is the perfect situation for a hot yoga towel. Place a yoga towel over your mat and it will absorb the sweat you throw off during your practice. When you’re done, you can just toss the towel into the washing machine and you’re ready to go for the next time.

By using a yoga towel, you make sure your hands and feet don’t slip or slide, and at the same time you keep your yoga mat nice and clean. And what was that expression about cleanliness? Cleanliness is next to — what? Well, you get the idea.

So, you have just learned the two most common reasons for slipping and sliding on a yoga mat. You are now empowered with the knowledge required to tame that yoga mat and get on with your practice.

Enjoy the process — and namaste from Dusky Leaf!

Embracing the True Purpose of Yoga

What is yoga for? It seems like a straightforward question. Everybody knows what yoga is for, right? Well, maybe not.

For a moment, let’s forget about complicated arm balances, ongoing debates in the media about the safety of asana practice, and how tight your hamstrings still are after 8 years of dedicated practice. Let’s get to the real issue.

What is Yoga?

In essence, what is yoga? What unites the multitude of schools and branches that now exist all around the world?

The beginning of the answer is just that: unity. The word yoga means union; in more philosophical terms, it means liberation from duality. But just what are we trying to unite?

A Psycho-Spiritual Tradition

We have all heard of the ego. In the West, many are raised on Sigmund Freud’s model of the mind. A pioneer of modern psychology, Freud argued the mind was divided into three parts: the id, ego, and superego.

Well, just like Freud set out to map the psyche, so too did the ancient yogis of India. The yogic idea of unity — of spiritual liberation from duality — was the answer to the same question that preoccupied Freud: namely, what are the fundamental conditions of the human mind, and how can we find mental health and happiness?

What sets yoga apart from Western psychology is yoga’s assertion of the fundamental role of spirituality in psychology. Hence, yoga is a psycho-spiritual tradition in the sense that, through an exploration of the mind (psychology), we discover a profound spiritual connection with the universe (spirituality).

Just like Freud, the ancient yogis discovered that, while there are numerous levels of consciousness, everything can be simplified down to two dimensions: our transcendental self and our ego-self.

The ego-self can be thought of as our mind, while the transcendental self represents a deeper state of awareness beyond time and space — a connection to the divine.

Leaving Home

The ego-self is where most of us live, most of the time, without being aware of it. Often we don’t even realize there is an alternative.Imagine if you had never left your house, you wouldn’t know what you were missing. Indeed, you wouldn’t even realize that there was anything else to experience in the world.

The ego-self thinks incessantly; it is scattered, anxious, self-obsessed, and focused on object reality. The ego-self functions in a linear idea of time, social mores and emotional reactions. In short, it’s pretty much where we all hang out and live our lives for most (if not all) of the time.

Deep Still Waters

The transcendental mind is like the calm water deep underneath the volatile currents of the ego-self. The transcendental mind is seen as a constant state of bliss or ecstasy. It is the place where there is neither self nor other; neither viewer nor viewed; neither conscious subject nor mental object. Instead, the transcendental mind represents a unification of dualities into one state of ecstatic being.

Yoga, and all the practices and ideas that have flourished since its humble beginnings, are based on the quest for samadhi: a state of ecstatic union between the fickle mind and stable consciousness. Practiced now for reasons ranging from superficial beauty to ego-driven ideals of success, the yoga of today has strayed dramatically from its original intents and concerns.

So, before you get back on your mat, consider reexamining the reasons why you do yoga and be honest. Try exploring the real purpose of yoga, and never stop asking that fundamental question: What is yoga really for?

How to De-Stress Using Yogic Breathing

If I were to do only one yoga practice for the rest of my life, it would be pranayama, or breath-control. Yogic breathing techniques are incredibly powerful. They can transform stress and anxiety into calming surrender, and they can energize a lethargic mind and body.

Relaxation

It’s almost impossible to relax completely, yet deep relaxation is essential to our health and well-being. Turning off our “fight or flight” reflex fully, for even ten minutes at the end of your yoga practice, relieves your immune system from the taxations of stress which, in an extended long-term state, can be severely damaging to your body.

Slow Breathing

You can use the yogic technique of pranayama (breath-control) during shivasana (corpse pose) to counterbalance your stress and give your parasympathetic nervous system, and your mind, a rest.

Start by gradually slowing down your breathing. Count to four for your inhales and exhales, then start to add a second to each side every few breaths, as much as feels right. Compare how you felt when you first sat down to how you feel this pranayama, and see what feels different.

Long Breathing

At this point you may want to do some seated yoga poses — like some sun-breaths and side-stretches. These will open up your back and chest. Maintaining your slow breathing pattern, start to fill your lower abdomen with air as you inhale. Imagine your body like a vase being filled with water from the bottom up: feel your breath sink down and then rise up, filling your mid-belly and ribs, then finally at the top of your breath fill your chest right up to your collarbones. Exhale, counting slowly, releasing your breath from the top, down.

Counterbalancing Breath

After a few minutes of slow, long, even breathing, you should notice a profound change in your mental and physical state. Moving from anxiety and stress can be tough, we seem to cling, in a way, to stress, because it also helps define ‘us’ or our egos.

To deepen your state of relaxation further, bring your inhale back to a 5 count, and then lengthen your exhales. In yogic terms, exhales create a calming effect on the body and mind, while inhales stimulate. In this way, you counterbalance deep states of stress with deep states of calm.

Still Holding On?

Check to see if you are still holding on to any mental stressors by noticing your thoughts. Drop out of your brain and into your breath, feel your lungs stretch and expand your abdominal and chest muscles as you relax and soften. If you are lying down in shivasana (corpse pose), feel the gentle massage of your back against your yoga mat as you ripple your breath up and down your spine. Stay with this sensation, listening to the sound of your breath.

Map Your Yoga Body

Mapping your yoga body can help you explore areas of tension and stress in your physical being.

Visual Learners

Since approximately 60% of us are visual learners, it may be beneficial, and fun, to break out the art supplies and draw a map of your yoga body. In this way you can use colors, shapes, words, and even textures to record the results of your body scans. You can keep track of changes over time, noticing overlaps or repetition of sensations, new aches and pains, or changes in your existing trouble-spots.

Your Yoga Body

To draw a map of your body, you can either make it life-size by having someone trace your outline by lying on a large sheet of drafting paper, or you can scale it down with a freehand drawing or tracing an image from your favorite yoga anatomy book. You can use just one image, or create numerous maps based on different areas of your body, such as one sketch for muscles and one sketch for organs.

Scan your body from head to toe, from the surface of your skin to your bone-marrow, and track everything you find by marking points on your yoga body map. From this, you will begin to create your unique body map — and a work of art!

The Texture of Emotion

Start mapping your ongoing trouble-spots by asking yourself what the quality of each sensation is like. Is it a color, a texture, an emotion or even a temperature? Is that spot between your shoulder blades — the one which acts up when you are stressed — a green circle? Perhaps it feels more like red crosshatches or a solid purple square? Go beyond crayons and markers by adding textures like feathers or rice or even blobs of glue. There’s no right or wrong ‘representation’ here, the purpose is to solidify your awareness of your body and its needs by associating them with visual imagery.

Have fun with this exercise; think of it as a break from doing yoga poses. Don’t be afraid if you can’t paint or draw, as this is for your eyes only. Once your map is completed, notice any patterns or trends, links or associations between map points, and what they might represent or signify. This is your tool for self-healing.

From Red to Blue

As time goes by, refer to your yoga body map and make note of changes. Maybe all those deep hip openers have released some sciatic pain and turned that area from a red start to a blue wave? What do all these changes mean, to you?

‘How to Prevent Yoga Injuries’ introduced the concept of ‘scanning’ your body for aches and pains, either chronic or momentary. The purpose of scanning your body is to create a baseline of awareness from which to build your most safe and beneficial yoga practice.

Yet sometimes it’s hard to keep track of everything going on and to remember the particular details of the sensations that you come across. That’s why mapping your yoga body can be so beneficial.

Yoga and Menstruation

As of 2005, 1.4 million Canadians were practicing yoga and 72% of them were women. With 1 million plus women filling up yoga studios across the country, the yoga community is replete with discussions over how to practice yoga while Auntie Flo is in town for her monthly visit.

Two major questions arise regarding doing yoga during menstruation. One is the question of whether it is safe to practice inversions, and the other is about how vigorous your yoga practice should be. Here is a brief run down of both issues to help support your yoga practice during that one special week every month.

Should I Do Yoga?

Yes, it is absolutely safe, and beneficial, to practice yoga while you are menstruating. You just need to adjust your practice to suit your body on that day; something we should strive for during every yoga practice.

There is no need to stop practicing, but you should let your body relax during this week. You may want to drop the vigorous vinyasa, settling instead into a restful restorative yoga class. This is naturally a period of low energy. It’s important to remember that, while life doesn’t stop, honoring your body by quieting down can be incredibly therapeutic. And doing so may also mitigate PMS.

Should I Practice Inversions?

The jury is still out on this one. Those against inversions argue that tilting the uterus upside down temporarily stops your flow, thereby prolonging your period. While this shows to be true, it has yet to be determined whether an elongated menstruation causes any harm. In fact, some yoginis use inversions to quell ultra-heavy flows and to help manage irregular periods.

Another argument against doing inversion asanas is based on the yogic principle of energetic flow. Apana is the energetic current in our bodies governing our waste elimination processes. The course of this elimination is downward flowing, so you are going against the energetic flow when you are inverted.

That being said, the final say on whether to practice yoga during menstruation is up to you. Ultimately, you should listen to your body and be smart about the way you choose your asanas.

Which Asanas Should I Do? Which Should I Avoid?

Here are a few yoga poses that will help support your body during your moon cycle. Try adding these to your yoga routine: Cobra pose, Upward Boat pose, Bow pose, Camel pose, Fish pose and, naturally, Half-Moon pose.

In general, it’s advisable to avoid practicing half or full shoulder stand, Plow pose, supported headstand and full handstands. However, if you do want to test out the less intense inversions such as shoulder stand, hold the pose for a much shorter duration than usual — say, five breaths at most. If practicing gentle inversions for a minimal time feels right for your moon cycle practice, go ahead; just listen to your body and practice with sensitivity to your condition.

Defining Yoga Jargon

We’ve all heard jokes mocking the ‘unscientific’ and ‘vacuous’ new-age yogi. Usually they’re about someone holding their index finger and thumb together pretending to levitate while complaining that their chakras are out of balance.

References to downward dog pop up in soap ads, editorial commentaries, Hollywood comedies and the evening news. While yoga’s popularity proves its powerful potential, it has also shaped negative stereotypes of the philosophy and of those who practice it.

Yoga Jargon

Jargon is a major factor influencing this fluffy yogi label, which often overshadows the solid and ancient wisdom of yoga. When it comes to strange words or ideas, it’s easy to make fun of or criticize something we don’t understand.

Found in Translation

If we need to translate words from another language to understand what someone is saying, then we need to start by translating the language of yoga into words and ideas that we are familiar with here and now. The following are two yoga words that are overused and ill-defined in popular culture.

Chakras

The best way to start to understand chakras is to think of them as different words for what we call in biomedical terms, the major systems of our body.

We all accept that our bodies contain a reproductive system, a pulmonary system and a cardiovascular system, for example. Speaking the language of yoga, we would call these systems the second, third and fourth chakras, respectively.

There are seven chakras, relating to each of the major systems we recognize as responsible for the proper functioning and health of our physical bodies. If you look at a map of the chakras and their placement on the human body, they line up with the biomedical systems to a T.

Translated in this way, we can see the logic and knowledge inherent to the chakra system. They represent a universal understanding of the human body that makes sense to humanity as a whole. The difference is simply in the way those understandings are expressed across different cultures.

Namaste

The basic translation of namaste is: “from the divine light within me, to the divine light within you.” In India, namaste is used to say; ‘hello,’ ‘goodbye,’ ‘thank you,’ ‘you are welcome,’ among many other uses.

The common misconception is that this word is exclusive to spiritual practice and that it denotes a sense of subjugation between student and yoga teacher. This is because it has it has been introduced to our society in the context of the yoga class.

However, this could not be farther from the truth. The literal translation of namaste is the recognition of divinity, or spirit, or god, whichever word you choose to use, within all of us. We are more than bodies, and to recognize this in a person at each interaction, no matter how insignificant, is to bring a deeper level of awareness into our daily lives.

Getting clear on what popular yoga terms mean will deepen your yoga experiences. At the very least, that clarity will help you make educated yoga jokes!