What is yoga?
When most people hear “yoga,” they think of stretching, poses, or exercise.
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And while that’s part of it, yoga is much more than that.
Yoga is a system, a way of living, that supports your body, your mind, and your overall well-being. It helps you move better, feel more balanced, and navigate life with a little more ease.
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At its core, yoga is about awareness.
It’s about noticing how you move, how you breathe, how you respond to life, and how you take care of yourself, both on and off the mat.
In traditional yoga, the physical practice is just one part of a larger system called the Eight Limbs of Yoga.
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You don’t need to memorize these, they’re simply a guide for living with more balance and awareness:
• Yamas – how we interact with the world (kindness, honesty, moderation)
• Niyamas – how we care for ourselves (discipline, self-reflection, contentment)
• Asana – the physical practice (movement and posture)
• Pranayama – breathwork (regulating the nervous system)
• Pratyahara – turning inward (reducing outside distractions)
• Dharana – concentration (learning to focus)
• Dhyana – meditation (steady awareness)
• Samadhi – a state of deep connection and presence
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Together, these practices support both how we live and how we feel.
Yoga also helps us understand the patterns of thought and behavior known as the kleshas (five afflictions).
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These are the habits that can keep us stuck, such as:
• holding onto things that felt good in the past
• avoiding things that felt uncomfortable
• identifying too strongly with roles or expectations
• fearing change or the unknown
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Through practice, we begin to notice these patterns and gently shift them over time.
Breath and Energy (Prana)
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In yoga, breath is more than just breathing; it’s a way to influence how you feel.
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Simple breathing practices can help:
• calm the mind
• improve focus
• support better sleep
• increase energy
• regulate stress
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This is often where people begin to feel the deeper effects of yoga, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.
A Note On Chakras
You may also hear about chakras in yoga.
Chakras are often described as centers of energy in the body that relate to different aspects of our physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
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Rather than thinking of them as something abstract, it can be helpful to view them as a way to understand patterns, like feeling grounded, confident, open, or expressive.
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When we support the body and mind through movement, breath, and awareness, we naturally support balance in these areas as well.