What exactly is yoga and where can I find it in Queens?

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Today in 2013, it’s rare to find anyone not familiar with at least the basic idea of yoga. The colorful mats, the sanskrit symbols, that pose, “downward facing dog.”  In an age where you can never be earning enough, losing weight fast enough, or doing a variety of other things perfectly enough, the message of practicing without ego, of being present in the moment, and of cultivating stillness is actually pretty profound, and it’s no wonder yoga has spread like wildfire. Whether you are preparing yourself for a visit to an ashram, need an hour of peace and quiet, or are just looking to get in shape, yoga offers pathways to all of these goals.

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Well, what do those mysterious words mean and why the chanting? Why is a forward fold pose called an uttanasana?  Why does everyone say “Namaste?” Yoga is a 5,000 year old practice and one of the tenants of the Hindu religion, meant to ready a person for extended periods of meditation. Yoga is a Sanskrit word that literally means “to unite,” and the point is, through synchronizing movements with breath, to quiet the mind, and eventually “unite” the spirit with God. Lofty stuff, right?

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Not surprisingly, the physical poses, or asanas, are only one of the “Eight Limbs” of yoga. The yamas lay out standards of ethical integrity; niyamas deal with self-discipline and spiritual observances; the all-important pranayama, or breathing technique, slows the mind and connects body, mind and spirit. Pratyahara introduces withdrawal or sensory transcendence, and once separated from the world, dharana allows for dealing with the distractions of the mind. Dhyana is the serious state of concentration and meditation and samadhi – the end-goal – is the final state of union, of spiritual ecstasy. All of this was laid out definitively for study in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the seminal text written in the 2nd century BCE.

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As is the case with any 5,000 year old practice, a few different strains of yoga have evolved. Ashtanga yoga is closely based in the Yoga Sutras, with a strong spiritual focus. It’s fast-paced and strenuous and is great for weight loss. Vinyasa is a series of poses – known as sun salutations – liked with breath. It’s great for building strength and flexibility and delivers a work-out as well. Hatha yoga is done at a slow, gentle pace with a focus on breathing. Definitely stills the mind. Bikram, or hot yoga, is just that – a session of 26 poses in a room brought up to about 100 degrees. This is fantastic for stretching and for cleansing the body of toxins.

Iyengar yoga is closely allied with the traditional Eight Limbs with a focus on body alignment and balance. Kundalini concentrates on core strength and the power of the root chakra, the area around the lower spine. Two more modern iterations of the yoga practice are Jivamukti, which is vinyasa with chanting, and Anusara, or “celebration of the heart,” providing plenty of heart openers. There’s also restorative yoga, great for relaxation, and prenatal yoga for those pregnant.

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So where can you find places to do yoga in Queens? Stay tuned for our second post with a list of yoga studios around Queens.