13 Surprising Facts About Yoga 

Yoga Fact 1: Yoga is not just a fitness fad.

Crossfit. Zumba. Pilates. Is yoga just another passing fitness fad?

While yes, yoga is growing in popularity, it’s not just a brand new fad that will disappear in a few years. Yoga has been around for millennia.The global popularity of yoga is unprecedented, with yoga studios and studios on the rise all over the world. Whether it’s a sweaty hot yoga session or a relaxing, restorative class, regular people are putting on their Lululemon and going to see what all the fuss is about.So maybe yoga has become a bit of a craze, but the ancient tradition of yoga is more than just a fitness trend.

An interesting fact about yoga is that the tradition of yoga dates back nearly 5,000 years to pre-Vedic Indian traditions.

Then we find that yoga is the central theme of the Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu scripture that appeared around 500 BC.

The next evolution of yoga appeared around 100 BC. Around this time, Patanjali wrote the Yoga Sutras in an attempt to define and standardize classical yoga.

It was the revered Swami Vivekananda, an Indian Hindu monk and mystic who is credited with bringing yoga to the Western world in the late 19th century. His message that all beings are embodiments of the divine self remains central to the practice today.As yoga continues to grow and become more mainstream, its uses will continue to change and evolve. The fact that yoga is more than just a fitness fad is clear, as those who experience the powerful transformation of mind, body and spirit that yoga brings about continue to be forever moved by it.

Yoga Facts 2: SAVASANA (Corpse Pose) 

Savasana is a signature pose at the end of every yoga practice. And if you’re anything like me, you’re guilty of slipping out of class and going about your busy life the moment your teacher tells you to. I always knew that Savasana was important, but only recently did I find out why.An interesting yoga fact is that Savasana, also known as Corpse Pose, is a pose of ultimate relaxation, which is why many of us find it so difficult to relax into this pose. While you are in Savasana, your mind and body are calm. You allow your body to de-stress and return to its natural state as a human being and not as a human. Your body also consolidates the effects of your yoga practice, processing and remembering the information it needs.Finally, Savasana is the ultimate form of rejuvenation, healing and relaxation for the body. If you only learn to do one yoga pose, make it Savasana.The healing benefits of yoga are not just about relaxation and focus, they are also multi-purpose.

Yoga is now known to have a positive effect on the physical, mental and emotional well-being of doctors. Yoga practice is incorporated in many health centers as a complementary treatment of diseases.

Yoga Fact 3: When in doubt, go back to individual breathing.

An important fact about yoga to know is that learning to breathe is one of the most powerful things you can do. Not only does breathing give us life force, but oxygen is also responsible for removing waste and toxins, supplying oxygen to the blood and brain, rejuvenating our organs and reducing stress, anxiety and disease… and that’s just the beginning!It is no wonder that ancient yogis devoted serious time to understanding and practicing the relationship between inhalation and exhalation.There are many pranayama exercises (breathing exercises), some of which are very simple and others that should only be practiced under the guidance of a teacher. However, if you only learn one breathing exercise, make it one-to-one breathing.

The idea is that as many times as you breathe in, you breathe out for the same amount of time. So if you breathe in for five times, then breathe out for five times and so on. Not only is it calming and grounding, but it also improves the quality and duration of your breath.

One study found that the emphasis on deep breathing in Iyengar yoga helped individuals suffering from depression and anxiety. So, the next time you find yourself losing your cool, first stop your individual breathing and then see how you feel.

Yoga Fact 4: No one cares how amazing you look in your poses.

Believe it or not, an interesting yoga fact is that nobody really cares what you look like in your Revolved Half Moon pose. You may be able to bend in ways that the mind could not imagine before, or you may not even be able to touch your toes. It doesn’t really matter. Yoga is for everyone, so the way you move in and out of the different positions will be different for you and how you feel that day.

Yoga undoubtedly improves flexibility and posture and helps prevent injuries by strengthening the core muscles used for support and weight bearing, but these skills are not required to begin yoga.

When I tell people I’m a yoga instructor, the first thing I hear is, “I’m not flexible enough to do yoga.” When it comes down to it, the most important yoga fact to remember is that yoga is about flexibility of the mind, not the body. We all start somewhere. Wherever you start from today is exactly where you should be.

Yoga Facts 5: Speaking of poses, yoga is more than just moving from one pose to another.

Yoga poses are powerful, moving and beautiful, especially when they are done thoughtfully and with proper alignment.But the fact is that yoga is not just about asanas (postures). Yoga’s ultimate contribution to our well-being is the unification of body and mind into a state of flexible and activated focus.Some yoga practices such as Ashtanga yoga or Bikram yoga (also known as Hot yoga) originated as a practice of discipline, breathing and repetition of postures designed to purify the system.Today there are more than 100 different types of yoga. So it is definitely possible to find the type and approach that is right for you.

According to Yoga Journal, yoga has six branches of classical practices, including hatha yoga, raja yoga, karma yoga, and others. Each branch comes with unique features that represent a different approach to life. These practices appeal to many yoga practitioners and integrate the spiritual and emotional elements that people are looking for.

Yoga Facts 6: Yoga makes you look younger.

“Yoga is the fountain of youth – you’re only as young as your spine.” It’s a quote that’s been making the rounds on yoga Pinterest boards and quote walls for a while now. But there is a verifiable grain of truth in it.

A fascinating fact about yoga is that not only does yoga keep your spine young and flexible, but it is also directly related to a number of other health benefits.

For example, yoga:

protects your bones and spine

increases blood circulation

strengthens immunity

lowers blood pressure

maintains your nervous system

improves lung function

prevents disease

connects you to your inner spirit and so much more!

Yoga won’t actually make you younger. (Sorry, folks!) BUT, according to the United States National Library of Medicine, a combination of yoga and meditation helps slow the aging process.

Yoga Fact 7: How you behave on the mat is how you behave in real life.

It’s true—your yoga mat is a dress rehearsal for real life. How we behave on the mat is a mirror of how we will handle both negative and positive experiences in our lives.When we learn to stay present on the mat, we learn to stay present in the office. When we choose to open our hearts in Camel Pose, we begin to show a little more love and kindness to those in need.

When we sit with discomfort on the mat, we slowly begin to sit with discomfort in our lives – and then we can understand why it is there in the first place.And our ego? When we begin to let go of it, that’s when powerful transformation can really happen.

It is clear that people feel the need to connect more deeply with life experiences, and the practice of yoga enables this. The numbers speak for themselves. In 2016, nearly 53,000 yoga teachers registered with Yoga Alliance and more than 36.7 million adults actively attended regular yoga classes.

Yoga fact 8. Yoga is found in one of the oldest texts in the world

The word “yoga” was first mentioned in the Rig Veda, written around 1500 BC or earlier! This just goes to show that yoga has been in our culture since time immemorial, especially when it was mentioned in one of the oldest texts in the world!

Yoga Fact 9. Yoga can cause injury

Yes, it can heal your mind, body and soul. It can also alleviate many health problems, but it can also harm you. Yoga is like a double-edged sword, if you don’t practice it correctly, you can get injured. But don’t get too confused! If you find a good enough teacher (like Ronak Gajjar and Sheetal Tewari on GOQii Play :D) and are careful, you should be fine!

Yoga Fact 10. Reduces the risk of heart disease

In addition to reducing stress, it also helps lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood glucose levels, thereby promoting good heart health. A clever lifestyle intervention, we’d say!

Yoga Fact 11. There is no shortage of variety

As a generation with choices, you’ll be happy to know that there’s no shortage of asanas in yoga! With over 84 asanas, you’ll have plenty of variety to choose from.

Yoga Fact 12. It can spice up your sex life

It primarily works on two levels: mental and physical. Yoga can help you deal with stress, fatigue and low self-esteem, all of which can suppress your libido. It can also help you increase your flexibility, muscle control and strength, all of which will help you physically. Your sex life will blossom after a few asanas!

Yoga Fact 13. Yogis believe that we have a limited number of breaths

This explains why breathing in yoga is so controlled. Yogis often practiced it as a means of increasing life expectancy. Because they believed that each person has a limited number of breaths that they have, controlling their breath would help prolong their lives.