Busting Yoga Myths

The Real Facts About Yoga

I wrote this article to participate in the Internation Yoga Week Seminar which my graduation college held. The profound joy that I felt in being a part of that forum was heartfelt. I passed out of Jesus & Mary College, Delhi University a decade and a half back and the time I spent there with my three best friends were some of the best years of my life.

JMC was my safe space. I got to campus every day at 6 am to play basketball and squeeze the rest of the day in with whatever made me happy. I can go on and on about those blissful times at length but I will take that opportunity at another relevant juncture.

I have never studied yoga. I hold no certifications in this discipline but I respect it immensely. My association with yoga is that of healing.

Back in 2011, I twisted my right ankle on a trekking trip and lost the ligament. I limped around for half a year before I could walk straight and was told by my doctors to forget about any high-impact activity in the future.

That was the time I turned to yoga. It helped me stabilize my mind and my ankle. For two years every day, I went to The Shivananda Yoga Centre in East of Kailash, New Delhi for the 6 pm class. I remember feeling at peace as I limped home every day.?

So when I was asked to talk about yoga I thought of all the things I believed yoga to be and then figure out how much of what I thought was true. I read up a lot and realized I had a lot to learn. Hence, I thought of putting the most relevant information in one place and busting some myths

And here goes:

What We Most Probably Know?

Derived from the Sanskrit word ‘yuj’ which means ‘to unite or integrate, yoga is a 5,000-year-old Indian body of knowledge.

Yoga denotes cardio-respiratory health and mindfulness above all.?

It reduces the risk of heart disease and lowers blood pressure, bad cholesterol (HDL), and glucose levels leading to good health

Yoga is not just about bending and twisting your body into various shapes, it is about the mind, body and soul.

But many things need to be highlighted and I as explore the vast depths of this extensive subject, I have time and again been awed by some surprising hidden facts?

Let’s get some right information on board

What We May Not Know

1. Yoga does not cause injuries

• False

If not done correctly under the right guidance, the same poses meant to heal your mind, body and soul and to alleviate the ailments can cause muscle injuries.?

It is important to learn and practise yoga under the right guidance to ensure that the asanas are executed in the right form. This is true of any form of movement that you perform be it running, swimming, weight training or any other. And while we are wary of other forms of exercise somehow we perceive yoga to be safe and slow which is not the case.

2. Yoga as a form of exercise is not intense for me.

• False

There are different forms of yoga out there to choose from. If you went for a yoga session and didn’t like what you did, you probably haven’t found the right form for you. Some popular options are:

i) Hatha Yoga?

If you’ve ever taken a basic yoga class, it was probably called “Hatha yoga” or the principles of the class were rooted in Hatha yoga. Hatha is simply an umbrella term for all of the different styles of yoga.?

Beginner Hatha classes are typically slow-paced and involve a series of simple movements unless you take advanced classes

ii) Bikram Yoga

This type of yoga involves doing a set of poses in a hot, humid room. Typically, the room is set to 105 degrees and 40% humidity. Doing yoga in this environment helps you loosen your muscles and joints so you can become more flexible and have an easier time performing poses. Bikram yoga consists of 26 basic postures, each of which you perform twice.

iii) Ashtanga Yoga?

Ashtanga yoga is not for the beginner, as it involves a very demanding sequence of poses. But if you’re looking to take your yoga practice to the next level, this may be the type of yoga for you.?

iv) Vinyasa Yoga?

This athletic style of yoga involves transitioning directly from one asana to the next. In Sanskrit, the word vinyasa translates to, “to place especially.” In this case, the thing you’re placing in your body. Vinyasa yoga grew out of ashtanga yoga in the 1980s.

v) Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga is best for those who want to reap both the physical and spiritual benefits of yoga. This style of yoga focuses on releasing the kundalini energy in your body. It focuses on fast-moving poses that work your core and force you to focus on your breathing.

My suggestion would be to try these forms and see what you like best. I’m sure you will have a favourite which you look forward to.

3. Yoga can help you quit smoking

• False

It is a popular belief that yoga can help you quit smoking, however, there is no proven research that can claim so.?

What does happen in real terms is that yoga or any other exercise will distract you and curb the urge to smoke for a short period.

Also, if one aims to perform better and achieve new goals by performing yoga or any other form of exercise, then our lungs need to be in good shape and one night be motivated to reduce or altogether quit smoking.

4. While doing yoga, we breathe only to relax

• False

Breathing while doing yoga is about relaxation yes but also the connection of your soul and mind. Plus it helps you get into the rhythm.

Moreover, many yogis believe that we have a limited number of breaths. This is the main reason why breathing is so controlled in yoga. Yogis often practiced it as a means to increase their lifespan. As they believed that each human has a limited amount of breaths allotted to them, controlling their breath would help them prolong their life.

5. Doing more advanced poses means you are better at yoga

• False

Advanced asana doesn’t translate to advanced yoga. “Advanced asana” is a relative term that does not necessarily imply advanced yoga. These are used at times to ‘sell’ yoga since the images look beautiful when captured.?

A common question that comes up isn’t yoga a stress buster? The goal of asana—if there is such a thing—is to embody in each shape a perfect balance between strength and softness, allowing us, the practitioners, to be both secure enough in our surroundings and fluid enough not to get too stuck in them.

Variations and degrees of difficulty in asana exist so we have places to go and new challenges to meet. A lot happens when you attempt something difficult for you, hence the relatively.?

We have to wait for that moment for body and breath to become one so that the mind can take a backseat, which can happen in any asana, not just the fancy-looking ones.

A yogi doesn’t care if he ever touches his toes.?The real joy reveals itself while trying. We use the postures to get into the body; not the body to get into the postures

6. No yoga on periods?

• False

Yoga is the practice of holding a position (asanas) while focusing on your breathing. Many of these asanas are inverted which put your head a level below the heart and hence is considered controversial.?

Inverted positions during periods are not recommended as you are against your flow.?Apart from that yoga can help you ease period cramps and calm your mind which helps get rid of the cranky feeling that we all women experience popularly known as PMS.

A recent study found that yoga was able to significantly reduce moderate to severe pain, abdominal swelling, and breast tenderness associated with the menstrual cycle

7. Yoga is not for asthmatics

• False

Asthma is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways by spastic contraction of the smooth muscle in the bronchioles, which partially obstructs the bronchioles and causes recurring periods of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing

Yoga can't be considered a routine intervention for patients with asthma at this time. But it can be considered an alternative to breathing exercises for asthma patients interested in complementary interventions.

As an alternate therapy to complement the treatment plan, yoga can help reduce the severity of the symptoms but not together alleviate them.?

If yoga makes a patient feel better, one should no doubt practice it.

However, there are some yoga poses which are contradictory to the conditions of asthma - e.g. plow pose or the boat pose. A full list can be found online - (link: https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/contraindications-modifications/asthma-contraindications-modifications.

8. Yoga leads to weight loss

• This question needs context before it is answered.

That to me is the most interesting question, hence I have kept it last on my list.

In my line of work, weight loss is the goal most people come to me with. So first and foremost - Weight Loss is not an indicator of a better-looking, toned body. White yes, some weight change will be a part of the journey to good health, in isolation, it is not indicative of complete progress.

Any exercise, be it yoga, weight training, or running contributes a maximum of 30% of calories utilized during the day and that too if your intensity is at its highest. The remaining gets used up in other stuff.?

So while it’s tempting to think that you can eat whatever you want whilst you exercise, it’s not true.

What leads to weight loss is a calorie deficit and the key to that is nutrition.

Yoga will help you lose weight if you are in a deficit however that is not the key ingredient that makes up the dish.

Just know, it's not about being good at something. It's about being good to yourself. and that your longest journey will be inwards.

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