When some people think of yoga, they think of sweaty rooms and Lululemon leggings. There is an emphasis on “getting a good workout” or mastering as many poses as we can in today’s modern yoga culture. However, if we look back into Yoga’s roots, we can see that the original intention was to quieten the mind and body so the practitioner is able to meditate.

Patanjali, the yogic sage that lived over 2,000 years ago further expanded on the definition of Yoga in his seminal text, the Yoga Sutras. He defined Yoga as the combination of 8 practices, or limbs. These limbs are:

1. Yamas (social ethics)

2. Niyama (personal observances)

3. Asanas (the poses)

4. Pranayama (the control of breath or energy)

5. Pratyahara (the withdrawal of one’s senses)

6. Dharana (concentration on a one-pointed object)

7. Dhyana (meditative absorption)

8. Samadhi (a state of oneness)

The issue with many modern yoga styles such as Power Yoga or Bikram, is that they overemphasize the Asanas, or poses, while neglecting the other 7 limbs. In order to truly deepen your spiritual practice, the other 7 limbs should be incorporated.

My personal style of teaching Yoga incorporates many of the other limbs and is more introspective. I specialize in teaching Prana Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Yin Yoga and Meditation. When taking my class, you’ll notice a difference in how you feel after my class compared to a power style of Yoga.