The Yin and Yang of Yoga
Looking back to the late 70’s when I ventured into my first ever yoga class I wasn’t aware there were different styles. I’m sure it must have been a Hatha one, but back then yoga was just simply yoga. For me anyway. Not many people had heard of yoga let alone all the various styles we have today. So, it’s no wonder people can get confused about what yoga is.
Most people nowadays will have heard of yoga and that’s a great thing. But if you venture into the wrong type of class for you then you may never go back and that would be a shame. I like to categorise with Yin and Yang. So, if you are a Yang person, who is always on the go and likes to move fast and stumble into a Yin class with very slow movements and longer held poses then it could very well irritate you to the extent of putting you off yoga altogether. And vice versa for a Yin person. Although I would say a Yang person would benefit form a Yin class and a Yin person for a Yang one. However, starting out it might be best to match your constitution.
So how do you know which class to go to?
Try more than just one class before deciding
If you are new to yoga, then try a few different ones and see what resonates with you. And try the same class more than once. On top of the different styles, you have the uniqueness of each and every yoga teacher. The class should make you feel good, regardless of all else. And that takes a lot of things into consideration like style of yoga, teacher, venue, temperature of room, ambience, time of day, and basically whether you get a good vibe from it. Yoga is more than just stretching your body. Simply put it’s a union of body and mind and the class should lift your spirits in some way making you look forward to going rather than having to drag yourself along. Check how you feel after each one.
What aspect of yourself do you want to work on?
Ask yourself if you want to work mainly on your physical body, your mental/emotional wellbeing, your energy or spiritual path. This will give you a good starting point. Nearly all good yoga classes will work with a combination of all these but some more on one aspect than the other. Then try a few classes and decide if they match what you are looking for. You might just be curious and that’s good too as you’ll then be open to the different aspects.
Are you mainly Yin or Yang?
Yin and Yang are relative, though generally speaking think about your constitution… is it mainly Yin or Yang? Yang is hot, quick, outgoing, extrovert, high energy whereas Yin is cold, subdued, introvert, slow paced, lower energy. That will help you determine if you want to go to a fast paced class like Ashtanga or Hot yoga or a relaxing one that focuses more on the breath and stillness like Hatha or Yin yoga.
The main thing is to realise that they aren’t all the same, even though they will all good in their own way. Or Click Here for some of the more common styles