Q: What is yoga?
A: The word yoga, from the Sanskrit word yuj, means “to yoke or bind” and is often interpreted as “union“ or a method of discipline. A man who practices yoga is called a yogi, a female practitioner, a yogini.
Q: Why do yoga?
A: The postures promote the free flow of energy throughout the nervous system and assist in the elimination of toxins and poisons from the joints and other body parts. The yoga postures exert a beneficial pressure on various glands and internal organs, flushing and stimulating them. In addition, there are a host of physical as well as mental benefits from practicing yoga. Read 38 reasons to do yoga.
Q: I am fairly active, but can’t seem to shed my extra 10 pounds. Can yoga help me?
A: Yoga can help you maintain and lose weight. Yoga reduces the cortisol or stress hormone levels as well as burns calories and reduces stress. It also encourages healthy eating habits and provides an enhanced sense of well being and self esteem, which are significant factors in weight control.
Q: I’m not flexible. Can I do yoga?
A: Yes! You are a perfect candidate for yoga. Many people think they need to be flexible to begin yoga, but that’s like thinking you need to be able to play tennis to take tennis lessons. Come as you are and you will find that yoga practice will help you become more flexible.
Q: Will class be challenging for me?
A: Yes. But you determine the intensity in each pose. No matter what your age or experience level, this yoga will take you to your edge…and pull more out of you than you ever thought possible.
Q: How many times per week should I practice?
A: If possible, start with two are three times per week minimum. Don’t let time constraint or unrealistic goals be an obstacle…do what you can and don’t worry about it. You’ll likely find that after a while, your desire to practice will expand naturally and you’ll end up doing more and more.
Q: How is yoga different from stretching or other kinds of fitness?
A: Unlike stretching or fitness, yoga is more than just physical postures. Connecting the mind, body, and breath helps us to direct our attention inward. Through this process of inward attention, we learn to recognize our habitual thought patterns without labeling them, judging them, or trying to change them. We become more aware of our experiences from moment to moment.
Q: Why the heat?
A: Muscles, fascia, and connective tissue become elastic, allowing for greater flexibility with less chance of injury. It also promotes sweating which assists the detoxification process, thins the blood which clears the circulatory system, and elevates the heart rate which improves the cardiovascular system.
Did you know Inner Fire Yoga® Center uses gas and electric radiant heat to heat the yoga room?
Infrared heaters generate infrared waves, the harmless variety emitted by the sun, that penetrate deeply into joints and muscles, warming the body from the inside out. This type of heat is a “safe, effective way to help the body rid itself of toxins like mercury and lead,” says Alan Clark, M.D., online medical director of St. John’s Health System in Springfield, Missouri. Some research has shown that this form of “sweat therapy” benefits people with heart conditions or MS, both of which, many alternative health-care providers believe, are aggravated by environmental toxins.
Breathe Magazine, January/February 2005
Q: Why did I feel dizzy and nauseous during my first class? Is this normal?
A: This is not unusual. Practicing yoga in a heated room reveals to us our present condition, and inspires us to take much better care of ourselves. In the heated yoga room, your body needs an adequate fund of water to allow perspiration to release heat from the body as you practice. We estimate you need another 64-80 ounces sometime during the day to allow for your 90 minutes in the room. Once you are drinking enough water your body will tolerate the heat better and you will actually start to enjoy the heat.
Q: Does pre-registering for class online save me a space in the class?
A: Registering for yoga classes online does not reserve a space in class. Please arrive 15 minutes before class starts, especially for our busier classes, to ensure your space in class. Pre-registering online will speed up the self-sign-in process, and will assist you in planning your yoga-schedule. For now, however, our yoga-classes are filled first-come-first-served.
