YogMantra | Fascinated by Goat, Motorcycle or Beer Yoga? Try All Varieties of Exercises, But Don’t Call Them Yoga

Yoga is a means to flexibility and peace. Does that mean we are free to approach it through what resonates most with us? For example, enjoying the happy frisking of cute puppies, goats and rabbits like in `Dog Yoga’, `Goat Yoga’ and `Bunny Yoga’. Or, approaching peace through `Paddleboat Yoga’ or `Motorcycle Yoga’, via that extra thrill and challenge. What about `Beer Yoga’ and romantic `Couple Yoga’, where poses are combined with spirits and romance to get a high? Again, `Laughing Yoga’ is a form of release — but is it Yoga?

Various Takes That Make It Not-Yoga

You could call them a form of therapy, if their practice soothes your stress — but it is not Yoga. So then, the argument goes: if Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Raja Yoga are all valid paths of Yoga — that one can take to depending on one’s proclivity — why not other forms of Yoga?

The answer lies in the differences between end-purposes. ‘Yoga’ means to unite, which is the final goal of any Yoga. The union or oneness is between the soul, mind and body — a state where one remains unbothered by life’s vicissitudes.

According to Yoga Guru Dr Hansaji Jayadeva, president of the Indian Yoga Association, when we are free of all negativity, hatred, jealousy and other weaknesses, then we are automatically on a spiritual path. We are ‘in Yoga’, which means acting appropriately, at the right time, pausing to think before any action, and non-reaction to situations. Once committed to this state, you can’t separate spirituality from day-to-day activity — everything then becomes Yoga. Even lifting a glass of water and incorporating breathing into that movement would be Yoga.

Beer Yoga, Dog Yoga, Couple Yoga and the others may appear therapeutic, but there’s no relief beyond the momentary exhilaration. The distractions are an anti-thesis to the basic grain of Yoga, i.e. body awareness, breath awareness and passive concentration. And they cannot take the mind to that coveted state of remaining undisturbed.

Flexibility, Yes, But Body Must Also Be Disease-Free

‘Yoga’ has come to be used more for external management — a fitness regime that builds muscles, flexibility and immunity. In ‘Power Yoga’, for instance, exercises are vigorous and build stamina, muscles and tolerance. But overdoing it results in harming internal organs, and problems like hernia, digestion issues, muscle pulls, arise. In ‘Hot Yoga’, Asanas are performed under heat conditions as heat makes the body flexible. But the body also has to remain disease-free for which mind training is required.

In traditional Yoga, even when dynamic poses are part of the regimen as in Hatha Yoga, they have a purpose. The primary focus still remains control of the mind.

Don’t Learn Just One Aspect

Those stepping on to the path of Yoga must ensure they learn from the right person — one who takes Yoga holistically. If only one aspect of Yoga is practised, it is like exercising one hand and not the other hand or other limbs. Wouldn’t that be lopsided and comic? Similarly, one has to practice all limbs of Yoga; you must ensure that all aspects of life are taken care of — the physical, mental, emotional levels and then the spiritual level.

Develop A Flexible Mind Too

For anything to be called ‘Yoga’, the end result must be mastery over the mind. If the mind is not controlled, all efforts at the body level are of no use. Youngsters at age 28 get heart attacks these days, which is sad and so wrong. They go to the gym, do physical exercises, do Hot Yoga, Power Yoga — but what they have not learnt is to master the mind. So, they get heart attacks and die.

Youngsters are sensitive and easily affected: someone behaves rudely, they’re hurt; people don’t do things your way and you get angry, disturbed. In reality, we suffer not so much at the physical level, but at the mental level.

We must know how to deal with people and be able to tolerate even the nonsense of the world. This means being aware of how the world works, and also have the preparedness to deal with it.

Real Yoga Can Help Us Fit Into the World

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras give many such guidelines on how to fit into the world and not get toppled-over. We have to reach a stage where we are not affected by external factors like others’ behaviour, any result, the weather, or anything else.

That is exactly what Yogas Chitti Vritti Nirodhah is — a state where the modifications of the mind are stilled — a balanced state of mind.

(Note: The exception to the above are the elderly, who can enjoy all kinds of Yoga and do what makes them happy – dancing, clapping, movements, smiling. Their goal must be to remain active, healthy, have no need to criticise younger generations, and see the world from various angles.)

The author is a journalist, cancer survivor and certified yoga teacher. She can be reached at swatikamal@gmail.com.