School starting again marks a whole new year of rigorous academics, busy social lives, and of course extra-curriculars beginning again. With my hectic life starting anew, there have been few things I have been craving as much as an invigorating yoga class, and I know that I am not alone. This past Friday at dance lab in school, when we were given a few minutes to stretch on our own, I chose to start with a downward dog. Seconds after beginning the pose, a chorus of sighs and chatter between friends erupted with everyone saying the same thing: "I could really use some yoga right about now." My fellow classmates, some who are my best friends and some who I had never met in my entire life, made me truly question why has yoga, a practice which originated in Buddhist India, become so popular among teens in America?
One of my favorite parts about yoga is that it truly is for everyone. As teenagers, we are expected to be adults in more ways than we are given credit for. We are taught from an early age to accept criticism. Although we have become accustomed to being told that we are not good enough, whether it is through a grade given on a paper or being cut from your high school's sports team, we obviously enough do not like it. In yoga, acceptance is the norm and we are not given criticism but rather adjustments. This friendly atmosphere is much more welcoming than a class where you are constantly competing for the higher grade or a sport where you want to be seen as the star player on the team.
Yoga offers modifications for everyone's abilities and needs. (http://www.yogachicago.com/nov03/yoga-for-teens.shtml) For example, almost all types of yoga encourage inversions, which allow the deoxygenated blood in your legs to travel back up to your brain. Not everyone is able to hold a bound headstand (me pictured at left), so people can opt to do less difficult versions of inversions such as the shoulder stand, or legs up the wall - a pose where you lie on your back and let your legs form a 90 degree angle resting against the wall.
Yoga is a safe haven to everyone who practices it. It is an endeavor that encourages self-acceptance, experimentation, relaxation, and of course, a good workout. I believe yoga is popular among American teenagers because it tells us we are good enough just the way we are.
This is a good connection, and I agree with it. The norm we are all used to is that what you did can always get better, and though it may be good at the moment, it's definitely not good enough. I think with yoga, though you always can improve, it's not the main focus of it. It is relaxing also in the sense that you aren't focused on doing better than the person next to you.
ReplyDeleteYou've made such a good point, Naomi! I completely agree that yoga classes are an entirely different atmosphere than the competitive academic classes. Another benefit of yoga is the feeling of calm that you experience while going through the poses. It feels great and it's very important to take the time out of your busy schedule for your own wellbeing- especially with the rigorous lifestyles we have.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point that yoga's increasing popularity could be because it's accessible to everyone. Older people who have limited mobility or range of motion can do chair yoga and others -- like you obviously -- can be upside down long enough for a picture.
ReplyDeleteThanks for an interesting perspective on yoga.
When doing yoga I always feel time has almost frozen for a bit. The stress of school and sports and life melts away with the different poses. Teens in America are really looking for something that will de-stress their lives which is why many activities are popular like yoga.
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