The wide world of yoga
Yoga's popularity in the West can be attributed to its many forms that can be easily adapted for any age or ability. Each individual will get something different from yoga. For some, it is a great stretch or workout, while for others, it's a chance to unwind, get in touch with their bodies and meditate.
'Yoga works every part of your body, ensuring immense physical benefits as well as developing feelings of inner calm and well-being,' says Swami Satchinanda, Chairman of the Education Committee for The British Wheel of Yoga, the governing body for yoga in the UK. Most recreational yogis (people who practise yoga on average once or twice a week) benefit, both mentally and physically, once they have discovered a class that suits them. In looking for the type of yoga that is right for you, keep the following in mind:
- Find a method that suits your body type and your lifestyle
- Remember each yoga method has the same ingredients but in slightly different quantities
- Always work at your own pace
- Find a teacher who suits you
However finding a yoga class is not always as easy as it seems. Lucy, a 25-year-old legal assistant, was attracted to the concept of yoga, but put off by the classes she attended. 'I kept trying different things. First I went to my gym and then to a class in a church hall. Neither of them worked for me. I didn't like the teachers. In one, they did the whole class using the Sanskrit words for the positions. I didn't have a clue what they were talking about.' Lucy finally found a class she liked via word of mouth. 'A friend told me about an Iyengar yoga centre where a precise, more technical style of yoga is practised. I went once and was hooked.'
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