Yoga and Mental Health
If you’ve ever disclosed your mental or physical health to someone, you may have received some unsolicited advice to do yoga for a “cure.” That is by no means my intention here. I want to talk about yoga, because I just completed a 300-hour yoga teacher training and have found yoga to be very helpful in my personal life and I want to give you the why. I have found it helpful as a practice of tuning into my body, centering my attention, grounding myself, growing compassion for myself and others, and fostering dedication/commitment.
Although Western media doesn’t portray it as such, yoga is much more than a practice of postures and not for only fit, flexible White women. The 8 limbs of yoga include a breathing practice (pranayama), the practice of caring for yourself and others (niyamas and yamas), and meditation. I am definitely not here to sell you on yoga or instruct you on how to work through the 8 limbs, but I wanted to offer a quick, non-comprehensive guide to classes you may see advertised at studios, if you’re interested in starting a practice and don’t know where to begin.
Hatha - Hatha is the technical term for many kinds of yoga, but usually when you see hatha style classes offered at a studio, they mean the poses are held a little longer with attention to alignment. Hatha classes are generally a bit more accessible than something titled vinyasa.
Vinyasa - Vinyasa is a flow of poses. Generally, when classes are advertised as vinyasa style, they may be a bit more physically challenging and may be a bit faster than a hatha class.
Yin - Yin classes incorporate Chinese medicine and yoga. Yin classes hold poses for longer periods of time (generally 3-5 minutes) and are less focused on alignment.
Restorative - Restorative classes incorporates props and restful positions. These positions are generally held for 5-10 minutes with a focus on rest.
More general practice descriptions can be found here. Hatha and vinyasa classes can be used as a way to physically challenge yourself while practicing mindful embodiment. Yin classes can be a bit physically and mentally challenging and can be a great practice in embodiment. Restorative can be wonderful when you need some dedicated time to rest your overworked nervous system. Based on what your needs are you can find what style best suits you. Definitely read the descriptions of classes from the studios you are researching to get a better idea of what to expect.
As always, take what is helpful and leave the rest. I hope you have the week you need.
