LO4: Final Article

What we seek, we can find!

Yoga has been around for as long as 5000 years ago and originated from India. There is no hard evidence to say yoga started this long ago however earliest archaeological evidence of Yoga's existence could be found in stone seals which depict figures of Yoga Poses.

 Yoga teacher Lydia Ainscough will discuss her thoughts about yoga and questions many people ask her when they first join or are interested in joining yoga classes. Lydia has been teaching yoga for a couple years now and started while she was going through a very stressful year so thought yoga was the way to solve it. She works in a yoga studio called ‘Unity’ at Carver House in the heart of Sheffield, which began over a year ago and has become popular within the community. She also has her own Facebook page with over 500 likes and all 5 star reviews!

 Yoga classes can sometimes be very expensive so it’s a good idea to start learning yoga at home in your own comfort, as a beginner this might even calm your mind and body as you are not around other people who you feel might judge you- which they won’t! Here is some advice for you beginners out there: Never judge yourself to anyone else this makes it seem like yoga is a competition-, which it is not. Doing this, will make you more focused on your own posture, therefore improving on each session you attend. Many beginners are scared to start yoga because of all the myths so Lydia is here to settle them.

What are the health benefits of yoga?

Yoga is good at working as an acupressure, through bends/twists/hold/postures we are pressing very important points in our body, releasing the tense and unlocking the blockages. This helps reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure, increase your concentration, be more focused, have a calmer state of mind and it also helps being a happier person as it releases endorphins which means a good mental health. These can all improve your physical health!

Has yoga changed your life, if so how?

Yoga has helped open my mind to the infinite possibilities we are capable of achieving, also I have increased enthusiasm about life and remember to live in the moment more often. It has also made me make new friends and introduced me to new religions and faiths; however, it is a very long story to go through it all :)

Is yoga for everyone?

This is a silly question as people who think yoga can’t be for everyone should start anyway and will realise if they go to a class you get all age, race, shapes and sizes who do yoga. The biggest tip to remember if you feel like you might not fit in with yoga is that nobody will judge you so just have a go.

Do you have to be flexible to do yoga?

I get this type of question a lot; I personally do not think you have to be flexible to do yoga as you are more focused on your breathing and posture more than anything else not if you can reach your toes. However, some yoga teachers may say you need to be flexible to feel the benefits of it but everyone’s opinion is different.

How is yoga different from stretching?

When doing yoga you are lengthening your muscles as you do while stretching but you also need to take in consideration of your balance and the strong emphasis on your breath, which you don’t tend to do as much when stretching. This helps with relaxation and meditation

How many times a week do you do yoga?

I typically do yoga about 4-5 times a week, I always make sure I do it at least 3 times a week wherever I am or what situation I’m in as I feel lost without it, sometimes I do more though depending on how I’m feeling. When I first started I only did it once a week so don’t rush into anything.

What made you start doing yoga?

I started getting into yoga, as I was interested in the spiritual side, finding inner peace and to reduce stress and tension. I had read plenty of articles about yoga before and I was very stressed at the time so it helped a lot and look where I am now, stress free and loving life!

What advice would you give for beginners?

If I was to give some advice it would be to never compare yourself to anybody else, yoga is a personal journey. Also to keep doing it. The benefits are there. The journey is more important than the destination. Even after years of practice, I can still be completely inflexible in some moves and that is fine!

As Lydia says, Yoga is for everyone! If you need any more Information or tips on Yoga just visit yoga.com for everything you need to know.