I am not flexible, can I do yoga?

I get asked this question ALL the time. You do not need to be flexible, or ultra-bendy, or for your body to be in any particular way, shape or form to practice yoga.

What is Yoga?

It’s very easy to think of Yoga as purely of form of exercise. Most of us will have discovered yoga through the practice of āsanas - or postures. There’s nothing wrong with that. I truly believe that with our lifestyles more sedentary now than ever, a physical practice is not a bad place to start.

But the practice of āsanas is only one of the 8 limbs - or stages - of yoga, These 8 limbs (see image below) aim to bring the practitioner to a state of Union; an understanding of her/his ownself, a search for one’s own divinity.

These 8 limbs are:

1) Yamas or universal moral commandments: non-violence (ahimsā), truth (satya), non-stealing (asteya), continence (brahmacharya) and non-covetousness (aparigraha);

2) Niyamas or individual ethical disciplines: purity (śaucha), contentment (santosa), austerity (tapas), study of the scriptures (svādhyayā) and self-surrender (Īśvara pranidhānā);

3) Āsanas or postures;

4) Prānāyama; control of the breath (prānā = life force);

5) Pratyāhāra: control of the mind and quieting of the senses;

6) Dhāranā: Concentration, total attention on a single point;

7) Dyāna: meditation

8) Samādhi: Blissfulness, freedom, beatitude.

“The word “Yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit '‘yuj’ which means to bind, join, attach and yoke, to direct and concentrate the attention in order to use it for meditation. Yoga, therefore, is the art which brings an incoherent and scattered mind to a reflective and coherent state. It is the communion of the human soul with Divinity”. B.K.S Iyengar

Is LYT® really Yoga then?

The practice of Āsanas as it was introduced in the early 20th century was actually created for young men…..so some of the poses really were not recommended for most bodies! Our bodies, and especially in this era of desk sitting and sedentary living, are not made for the crazy bendy yoga you see on Instagram.

At its essence, the LYT® practice is founded on Ahimsā - the concept of non-harming: ensuring that we treat our body with the kindness it deserves so it can serve us for as long as possible.

Through our LYT® practice, we gain an increased awareness of our movements, of how we hold ourselves, of where we feel disconnected. We don’t practice in emptiness. It is a challenging practice that requires our concentration…..and compassion towards ourselves (and we learn to tame our ego too). At the end of our practice, we have more energy and more space to be present for others.

Do I need any props?

I highly recommend practicing with two blocks. I use mine all the time - they are a game changer. If you really want to make the most of your practice, get 2 blocks! I find the best ones are sold on Yoga Matters.

Why don’t you say "Namaste” at the end of the class?

I’ve never felt comfortable saying Namaste. It’s a personal choice, but it doesn’t mean that teachers who say it shouldn’t. On issues of cultural appropriation, I turn to sources from Susanna Barkataki, a yoga unity and diversity activist. She’s written a blog about this if you are interested in learning more.