Yoga and the Myth of Flexibility
By Martha Wagner
When I first became interested in yoga in my twenties I didn't know of any classes, so Richard Hittleman, one of the first yoga gurus on TV, became my guide. I was living in New Zealand in the early 1970s-long before the boom in yoga studios and health clubs, before yoga videos and magazines, yoga clothing, yoga vacations and yoga classes for pregnancy, cancer, osteoporosis and other health conditions.
More than 30 years have passed now, and yoga has remained a part of my life. I do some yoga stretches and poses most days, but for many years my primary "yoga time" has been a weekly class. My balance and flexibility have improved in some postures and become more difficult in others. I started yoga with no particular goal other than exploring another form of exercise. The mental and physical respite from daily stress and tension was an unanticipated benefit-one which has become a primary motivation for me over the years. I never fail to leave a class far more relaxed than when I arrived.
I've attended easy, gentle classes and strenuous classes, classes designed with a therapeutic approach (for knees, shoulders and neck, hip flexibility) and restorative yoga, with poses designed for deep relaxation. Usually I go to classes designed for multiple levels that draw beginners as well as more experienced yogis.
If you've never taken a yoga class, it's likely that a friend, relative or health care provider has suggested that you give it a try. If you've tried a class or two, but quit-or are saving yoga for "someday, but not now"-you may have succumbed to what Gianna Piccardo, a Portland-based yoga teacher (http://www.privateyogatherapy.com) - refers to as the "flexibility myth."
People who believe in this myth, according to Gianna, have heard that yoga would be good for them, but have dismissed it because they say they "can't even touch their toes." The core purpose of yoga is not about flexibility at all, she says. "The real purpose is to create stillness of the mind, first through the movement of the body and control of the breath. The physical practices of yoga were designed to prepare the practitioner for seated meditation."
The ancient science of yoga, Gianna explains, "is designed like a tree with eight limbs, each limb representing one of the main aspects of yoga. The eight limbs represent practices or observances that lead to this place of inner peace and stillness. Asana, or the yoga postures, represent just one of the eight limbs. "
You need not worry about mastering an ancient science, however! You can simply get started by finding a suitable class to try out. Health clubs, yoga studios, community colleges, community centers and hospital wellness programs are some of the places to look.
There are plenty of beginner level classes; you might even find a teacher trained by Silver Age Yoga (http://www.silverageyoga.org), which trains teachers for the 55-plus population. Class prices will vary. Many yoga studios offer classes on a drop-in fee basis and senior discounts may also be available.
