New Year, Now Yoga: What is Yoga?

Who am I, what is yoga, and what’s to come

I came up with ‘New Year, Now Yoga,’ as an idea for a single article. The intention was to tell everyone why they should start practicing yoga in 2024. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to share. Soon, I’d jotted down over 100 topics.

Each topic delves into the question, “What is yoga?”

Though I’ve owned a yoga mat for over ten years, it wasn’t until recently that I discovered that yoga is more than a series of movements. I started attending an Akhanda practice and began learning that yoga is also philosophy, mantra, concentration, pranayama (breathwork), meditation and so much more.

From Akhanda, my curiosity only grew. As someone who has always loved learning, I wanted to know more. When the opportunity to do yoga teacher training (or YTT) arrived, though I waffled back and forth for a long time, and made up many excuses, I decided to become a yoga teacher . . . Actually what happened is I decided to do my 200-hour YTT to deepen my personal yoga practice and learn more about yoga.

In the beginning, no part of me wanted to be a yoga teacher.

Until I drove home after graduating from YTT and realized I’d done something I’d wanted to do since I was a young child, I’d become a teacher. I had always wanted to be a teacher, but I had always pictured the traditional classroom. Either teaching children or post-secondary.

I don’t cry often, but at that moment I sobbed. And I knew I had to share yoga.

So here we are!

That’s where ‘New Year, Now Yoga’ came from, and how I came to teach yoga.

Now . . . What is Yoga?

Yoga is derived from Sanskrit and means to yoke. Or to join. Integration and union are also good words to define yoga.

Originating in ancient India, yoga is more than the physical practice we traditionally see in the West. There are also mental and spiritual aspects to the practice, including breathwork, meditation, and devotion. Yoga is the joining of the mind and body. Connecting the physical to the mental, emotional, intuitive, and spiritual.

As my yoga teacher would say, yoga is also practiced both on and off the mat.

I look forward to delving into yoga with you.

Namaste!