In 2018, don’t make these top 10 common yoga mistakes

Planning to take up yoga? Here are 10 myths and mistakes you are most likely to make.

By: Smt Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra | | Updated: January 2, 2018 10:30 am

Yoga is one form of exercise that most people choose as a way to loose weight and tone up. But did you know there are some extremely common misconceptions that most people have before they start practising yoga? Well, when it comes to committing to the practice, it is best you know what yoga does not entail, so that you understand exactly what you are getting into. Here are 10 common misconceptions that you should know about: Also Read - auto draft test 1

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Myth 1: Yoga means doing asanas Also Read - Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry.

Everything from your diet, your routines to your perspective and attitude towards life is yoga. It is about doing any task in the best way you can. Yoga asanas are just one aspect of yoga, but apart from that it also includes pranayamas, kriyas and mudras – techniques that are equally important.

Myth 2: Yoga can be learnt completely from books and posters

This is a very common mistake that many people make. To be able to learn yoga well, it is a pre-requisite to have a good yoga teacher. As mentioned earlier, yoga is not just about doing asanas, but it is also about incorporating the right attitude through those asanas. There are four bhavas that we generally focus on dharma, aishwarya, vairagya and jnana.

Through various yoga techniques one must attempt to learn the concepts of these bhavas. This can t be achieved by looking at a picture or reading a book. So, it is important to practice yoga under expert guidance. Books and other teaching aids can t replace a teacher but can definitely be used as a complimentary resource.

Myth 3: Yoga gives mysterious powers

Some people may be under the misconception that yoga will give them mysterious or magical powers. Although some yoga gurus claim that it is possible, the path to Ashtanga yoga is eight fold, and none of the stages involved, mention any such power . What you will certainly gain though is better memory, concentration, quick thinking and a healthier body.

Myth 4: What you wear is very important

Do you need special yoga gear to start Yoga? Well, people certainly think they do, but in reality, this is quite unnecessary. It is however, important that your clothing be comfortable and the material of the clothing is chosen keeping the weather in mind. One must also remember that the clothes that one wears while doing yoga should neither be too tight nor too lose in the sense that it should not restrict one s bodily movements. Everything else like colour, patterns, etc. doesn’t matter at all. You can read more about how to choose the right clothes to perform yoga.

Myth 5: Do more asanas, other techniques are important

When it comes to exercise most people believe in the mantra; No Pain, No gain . Technically however, yoga or any other form of work out is not designed to hurt your body. The rule of thumb in yoga is to exercise to relax your mind and body. No doubt every muscle should be stretched or contracted, but only within one s capacity. Exercise should not be made synonymous with pain. In fact, the moment there is pain you must stop. Pain is a signal that our mind sends to our body to indicate that we have exceeded our physical capacity and that it is time to stop. So, understand your body, don t hurt it. What is important is to exercise regularly, perfectly, systematically and with a very peaceful state of mind.

Myth 6: It is better to do yoga in an artificially stimulated environment

Many people try to do yoga in a steam room or sometimes even in a room with the air conditioning turned on. This is another mistake that could hurt you. In reality, it is best to do yoga in a natural environment where you can practice yoga according to your body’s capacity. As you practice regularly, you will definitely see progress. You do not need any artificial support. What makes practising yoga in an artificially controlled environment inadvisable is that it can lead to muscle damage, can be harmful for your health and it takes a lot longer for your body to settle down.

Myth 7: You have to give everything else up if you practice yoga

Yoga is a science of living your life beautifully. You don t have to give up anything. In fact, you have to experience every single moment to the fullest. When you become aware of the fact that any difficult situation in life is just a passing phase, you are not affected by the situation negatively. This is what yoga teaches you.

Besides, yoga also helps you increase what we call body awareness . You start understanding your body better. This way you can be more active and you will know what kind of food or workout will help you to keep fit and healthy. You will also know when to stop so that you don t over-exert. Yoga also talks about developing hobbies and engaging in recreational activities on a daily basis. So, if one is physically healthy and mentally at peace, performs one s duties with efficiency and also spends time doing what one likes to do, how can one not be happy and healthy?

Myth 8: Practising yoga to lose weight

The purpose of yoga is not weight loss. It is to live a healthy life with mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Even the approach that yoga suggests is very holistic. Weight loss can definitely be achieved through yoga, but it should not be the sole aim. You must focus on well-rounded development and a positive change in your attitude.

Myth 9: Doing suryanamaskars in a very fast paced manner is the best form of yoga

Sun salutation or surya namaskar is a series of asanas or yoga poses performed in a flow. It is a circuit of alternate backward and forward bending movements, flexing and stretching the muscles of the body. The purpose of this sequence is to help you maintain hygiene and energy levels, and to help you have a positive mental state. The rules of practice for suryanamaskar are that it should be performed early in the morning as the sun rises. You should look at the rising sun with your eyes wide open, take a few deep breaths and remain totally focused and absorbed in the beauty, purity and vastness of divine nature. The moment the sun rises completely however, you should close your eyes and soak in the rays of the sun .

However, these days suryanamaskar has lost its significance and has been reduced to merely a form of exercise. People do sun salutations in a closed room, where the sun is not even visible. There is also a belief that if you do suryanamaskars very fast, you will lose weight very quickly. This practice is very harmful though. Sun salutations should be practised only keeping the core philosophy and the true objectives of the practice in mind.

Myth 10: You will get results quickly

It takes some time to bring about any kind of change in general. For this reason, you must first focus on incorporating the yogic techniques completely into your lifestyle and the results will follow. So, instead of worrying about results, make your approach more action oriented – this will ensure results.

Image source: Getty Images

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Published : January 1, 2018 10:30 am | Updated:January 2, 2018 10:30 am

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