Yoga Myths you need to be aware of

According to various studies, some of the shreds of evidence that shows the very beginning of yoga was developed during the Indus-Saraswati valley civilization in 2000 BCE. Yoga is said to have a 5000 years history. The word yoga was first mentioned in one of the sacred-Vedic texts of Hinduism named Rig Veda. Vedas are a collection of ancient texts that hold mantras, songs, and rituals that were used by Brahmins, the Vedic priests. So the pieces of evidence from the Vedas tell that the practice of yoga started during the Vedic or pre-Vedic era. 

The followers of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism believes that yoga has a relationship with their religion and its mythology. So that’s why the followers of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism consider yoga as a religious practice and they too believe that practicing yoga will help them to attain self-realization or ‘moksha’. Yoga is seen as a way of exercise or physical action in the western world. 

For Asians, especially the Indian subcontinent, which includes the Indo-Tibetan area where yoga is highly rated and performed by a large number of people. But there is cultural appropriation and religious identity debates are going on most times in history and even now and these are even muddier than we knew.

The book which was written by Patanjali titled “The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali” is not universally accepted. According to religious grounds, the book is highly respected but in terms of science and technology, it is dealt with as nonsense. The reason why it is said as nonsense is that there is nothing agreeable in anything achieved by force or spirit.

Historically, if women practiced yoga, they were mostly invisible or sexually objectified, this is because, in the earlier history and religious practices, they believe women are the carrier of semen. ‘Hatha yoga’ insisted yogis(male yoga performers) should avoid the company of women except in the time when they need to obtain menstrual fluid to gain superpowers. 

Some of these yoga postures can bring health problems, especially in breathing-related problems.

• Yoga belongs to one religion

Yoga does not belong to any religion it is just a practice dealing with body, mind, and soul, which has its existence in all human beings and yoga is irrespective of religion. But there are still debates regarding yoga as a form of religious practice and deals with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. That is the reason behind the holy Catholic Church insists its followers not to practice yoga.

• Yoga is just body postures

Yoga is not only related to body postures or asanas but also deals with the mental and spiritual state of the body. Yoga also deals with breathing postures. The practice should start with the body but it ends with an ultimate goal which is to go deep within and find your true self.

• Learning yoga from books

Learning yoga is absolutely foolish. Learning yoga needs fundamental and careful training. Yoga is not as simple as referring to one or two books. Halfback knowledge in yoga practices can result in curious bodily damage. Yoga is purely a systematic process and the learning of yoga must need the support and direction of an abiding teacher.

Many other myths related to yoga are present, like

Yoga is time-consuming, the practice of yoga isn’t that time consuming, but it needs time. For a beginner, it is for sure that he/she needs a good amount of time to cope up with new changes or practices. Yoga helps to beat stress-related problems and helps to relax with the practice of less than an hour every day. 

Yoga is for people of all ages. People of all ages are practicing yoga nowadays. As one ages, body movements become rigid. But that does not mean only flexible people can perform yoga. Everybody has some extent of flexibility, and doing dome postures will help them to increase their flexibility. Yoga is not a total lifestyle change.