Have you thought of doing yoga but cannot get yourself on the yoga mat? Then this article is for you! Or if you know somebody in this position please read this and forward it:
1. I don’t have time
Yoga may be the number one return for investment of your time. If you do yoga for just 1 hour per day, every week, then you are investing 365 hours in a year. What do you get in return? Better quality of life, improved health, and a clearer mind. And on top all this, your life will be extended by many years. Considering that 1-year has 8760 hours that is not a bad return on investment! Why would you not take a deal like that?
2. I don’t have time now!
“Well it’s all fine and good, and I understand the part about life elongation. But I don’t have time now!” Some say. There are many in this position with little or no room to do anything extra as every minute of their time is used up. For people in such situations we recommend starting small. You can start with a small 20-minute sequence and practice it daily at home. The surprising thing is that yoga will create time for you. How? With a clearer mind, you will work more efficiently, make fewer mistakes, and have better charge of your emotions.
3. I am not flexible
This is like saying “I don’t want to learn French because I don’t know how to speak French!” Flexibility will be the end result of your practice, and you will get there slowly. If you are already flexible that is fine, but flexibility is not a pre-requisite for doing yoga. There are variations for most poses and you can use props for some poses. So if you are not flexible then you want to take advantage of yoga to stretch unused muscles, flex those tendons and ligaments, and breathe new life into your joints!
4. It’s not a workout
“I want to burn calories and Yoga is not a strong enough workout for my needs.” This is a common reason for wanting to skip yoga. Be sure, yoga can make your heart race and give you an intense workout. But more important is to understand is that yoga will de-stress your mind-body when breath and movement is coordinated. Once chronic stress reduces you will find the pounds drop away automatically as the mind-body regains its wisdom on how to deal with excess calories. No need to get into this fruitless race to outsmart the mind-body. Just give it the space it needs and it will do the right thing on its own.
5. It’s a girl thing
This applies to men. Some guys are reluctant to get into yoga because at this moment women dominate yoga. In fact since men tend to become inelastic and inflexible sooner than women, the need is more severe for men to take up yoga. If you are a guy and are reluctant to be seen anywhere near a yoga studio then you can do yoga in the privacy of your home. But if you actually visit a yoga studio you will be surprised to find that increasingly men are taking up yoga and you will meet wonderful people who you will enjoy doing yoga with.
6. It does not work
There is now more than 40 years of science documenting the benefits of yoga. So much so that there are many doctors who recommend yoga to their patients in certain situations and some insurance companies have also begun reimbursing costs for yoga and yoga therapy. Yoga, Pranayama (breathing exercises), and Meditation have all been shown to have powerful impact on the mind-body system to help reduce chronic stress, increase flexibility, and improve fitness. All this has a wonderful rejuvenating impact on the mind-body. Depression and anxiety fade away, accelerated aging disappears, posture improves, and you become happier and live longer.
7. I don’t do OM
Yoga makes many uncomfortable. Isn’t yoga aligned closely with Hindu practices? Isn’t there danger that by doing yoga you get on this slippery slope? The fact is that you don’t have to chant OM or do any other chanting to do yoga. The fact is that yoga is completely open and secular. A large number of people of varying faiths practice yoga, and in no way does it interfere in their faith. You may be surprised that yoga may help deepen your faith and make you more spiritual.
8. It’s not safe
Injuries in yoga are no different from injuries in any other physical activity like a workout at the gym or playing basketball. If you are careless or don’t use the proper techniques then the risk of injuries increases. The fact is that yoga can be practiced safely with little risk of injury. A good yoga teacher can show you the postures that you can do safely for your level of fitness and flexibility, and will show you the technique to safely get into and come out of the postures.
9. It is expensive
To practice yoga all you need is a yoga mat. Once you have learnt a sequence from a yoga teacher you can do this everyday on your own at home and don’t have to spend another dime. Of course practicing yoga in a yoga studio with a group of people under the guidance of a great yoga teacher is fun and can be cheaper than a gym membership. Bottom line: Investment in yoga is going to be the cheapest investment you can make for your health and wellness.
10. I’ll get to it later
The best way to end procrastination in anything is to simply stop thinking about it and start doing it. Just drive to a nearby yoga studio or take the yoga class offered at your gym and get started. Once you start the path will automatically unfold. Give it time. Do not expect any magic to happen in a sudden transformative moment. Stress that has been built up over the years will slowly start melting away. And just like when the windshield in your car slowly defogs and you gradually begin to see the outside much better, yoga will slowly give you a new perception of seeing the world in new light.
You may also like: Nine Ways To Invite Health Into Your Life
Credits:This has been written by Raj Shah and edited by Ketna Shah.
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