For those who are unfamiliar with yoga, it’s likely they’ll conjure images of super-flexible yogis. Or it may be a mental image of someone who is lithe beyond belief – not an ounce of body fat in sight.
These kinds of assumptions may be holding some people back from trying yoga for themselves. The good news is… yoga is for everyone! There are absolutely no rules, written or implied, excluding anyone from trying yoga.
Read on to find out more about the truth behind these common yoga myths.
Only Flexible People Practice Yoga
For those who can’t quite imagine ever getting to the point of putting their foot behind their ear - you’re not alone!
Behind every hyper-flexible practitioner of yoga is someone who probably couldn’t touch their toes when they first began. And for every hyper-flexible yogi is another yogi who has been practicing for exactly as long, whose body doesn’t allow them the same level of flexibility.
A dedicated yogi begins to learn the yoga isn’t about getting the most flexible body possible. In fact, practicing yoga isn’t really about being flexible at all! Practicing yoga is about helping your body feel good, and flexibility is no barrier to that.
Only Thin People Practice Yoga
Walking into any yoga class, you're likely to see students of every shape, size and color. Although a person’s body probably will change with a consistent yoga practice, there are no guidelines as to how exactly the change will come about. Some may lose weight, but their body will never appear “thin” to an outsider’s perspective.
One of the reasons to practice yoga is to feel healthy and energetic. There are no rules as to what a healthy and energetic person looks like. In fact, some so-called thin people would probably be healthier if they gained a few pounds.
Practicing yoga is about accepting the person you are, and the person you’re meant to be. If you’re meant to have a naturally thin frame, that’s fine. And so is being heavy-set - as long as you’re healthy and happy.
Only Vegetarians Practice Yoga
Yoga practitioners are often amazed at how much they learn about themselves after a steady practice. This includes listening to their body’s demands, and responding so that heart, soul, and body are all cared for.
Many yogis choose to be vegetarians or vegans because they’ve learned that doing so matches with their beliefs. However, there are also many yogis who feel they need to eat meat to live a healthy life.
The bottom line is that there are no set rules when it comes to a yogic diet. The aim of yoga is to eventually get to a point where you can feel comfortable making your own rules.
Only Health Nuts Practice Yoga
Some people who practice yoga would never think of smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. But then there are others who see nothing wrong with sharing a social bottle of wine, or nibbling on a decadent slice of chocolate cake.
Again, this is a matter of individual preference, and knowing yourself well enough to decide what works and what doesn’t. Hopefully you will have enough brio to stand your ground if someone tries to judge what works best for you!
As you get further along in your practice of yoga, you’ll become more and more secure in your lifestyle choices. Ask three different yogis how they make decisions about their health, and their day-to-day health choices, and you’re sure to get three different answers.
Try not to let other people’s opinions about yoga, or commonly held beliefs, hinder you in any way from trying out the practice for yourself. There’s only one way to sort out the fact from the fiction – find a yoga class and prove it to yourself.
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