yoga for beginners

Having lived and grown up all my life at a Yoga Institution in Mumbai called Kaivalyadhama, I was introduced to the purpose of Yoga at a very early age. The spiritual definition and purpose of Yoga that I was taught was very different to the one I saw being promoted through mainstream popular culture. The image conscious version of Yoga that I was exposed to through the media was in stark contrast to the mental and spiritual process of Yoga that I learnt at Yoga school. While the popular notion of Yoga focuses on the physical realm of asanas and highlights concepts such as flexibility and body strength, the truth is that Yoga is the science of the human body and mind as an instrument to achieve one’s highest potential in this lifetime. The Yogic postures and breathing practices are designed to help an individual sit in meditation for longer, without any bodily aches and pains.Thus, the physical aspect of Yoga is only a minor stepping stone on the much larger spiritual path of Yoga. It is only when the body, breath and mind are quiet and undisturbed, that the spiritual message for the soul can be heard. Therefore, on the 5th International Day of Yoga, it is not only important to celebrate Yoga - but to also understand what Yoga truly is.