Read up on the philosophy of yoga (it’s not all about the poses)

In the West, most of us think of yoga as being about exercise and meditation, but stretches are only a very small part of the practice. Yoga asanas (the flows) are just one of eight paths that make up yoga more generally. ‘Yoga’ is means ‘union’ in Sanskrit, and it’s all about bringing together the physical, mental systems of the body.

Apart from the asanas, the other seven paths of yoga are made up of:

Yamas (attitudes towards the world)
Niyamas (attitude towards ourselves)
Pranayama (breath work)
Prathayara (withdrawal of the senses)
Dharana (concentration)
Dhyana (meditation)
Samadhi (enlightenment)

By helping a friend, focusing on your breath while sitting on the sofa, speaking your truth or learning a new skill, you’re technically practicing yoga.

There are plenty of resources online allowing for deep-dives into the yogic world. If you find this stuff fascinating, there are also loads of books to introduce you to the topic. Autobiography of a Yogi, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice are all highly regarded reads within the yoga community.

If you’re not interested in the spiritual aspects, that’s OK; everyone’s entitled to take from yoga what they need. This openness reflects the essence of yoga – it’s an inclusive activity, left up to individual interpretation.

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