Yoga is a form of exercise, a discipline, and a lifestyle. It has its roots in Vedic India and is actually a school of seven different disciplines for training one’s mind and body to be as pure as possible. In India there are still practitioners of all forms of yoga, but in the West the most popular style of yoga is based on physical poses, or flowing yoga. This yoga is used primarily for fitness purposes, but until like other forms of exercise it also concentrates on mental relaxation and is a low-impact exercise that is good for people of all ages and physical levels. On that note, yoga is also a very personal form of exercise even though it most often done in group classes. Because of this, many efforts have been made to make yoga classes feel as comfortable as possible. For instance, classes might be geared toward people of a similar community such as yoga for women, prenatal yoga, or even gay yoga classes.
Yoga is all about focusing your mind and body toward the task at hand. It is much easier to do so if you are in a situation in which you feel comfortable. From the moment you walk into the yoga studio the entire atmosphere should be designed to put you at ease. The lighting is generally soft and the floor supportive. Even though you are using the additional support of a yoga mat, most studios designed specifically for yoga will also have a sprung wood base so there is a minimum of wear and tear on your joints. Some studios will also play relaxing music at the beginning and end of each session.
A good instructor will have a tone that is both encouraging and soothing. This means that you should push yourself has hard as your body lets you, but not feel tension if you can’t immediately accomplish full-blown poses. Being surrounded by people who are at your same physical level also helps to make you feel comfortable.
They should have both a firm but comforting tone that challenges you to work your hardest but doesn’t make you feel bad if you aren’t as advanced as the other students. Of course, being with students who share your physical level or interests is also important.
Even the yoga class itself is designed to make you feel comfortable. It starts out with basic breathing and warm up exercises that will help your mind clear out all the cobwebs of the day. Then you move into more challenging exercises and poses.
If you are doing a Pilates combination class, you will do those exercises toward the tail end of the classes when you are fully warm and ready to push yourself up to the next level.
Then, by the end of the class you should really be pushing yourself to take it to the next level. Finally there will be a period of cool down and relaxation that includes more breathing and relaxation exercises. By the end of a yoga class you should have an energetic body but a relaxed mind.
All yoga is designed to energize your body and relax your mind. No matter where you do it or who you do it with, if you come in with the right mindset you should get the most from your class that you can. Of course, specialized yoga classes, such as gay yoga, can also help. If you are adventurous you can even try gay tantra.
Pointers conceived by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys recommends gay guides and gay romance travel.
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