CEBU CITY, Philippines— Yoga is a practice only a few people understand.
To some, yoga is merely a fancy way of stretching our body. To others, it may be their way of enhancing their strength.
But, yoga, is more than just doing poses, and learning the flow.
Ayn Latonio, a vinyasa krama and gokul yoga teacher from Cebu and has been teaching since 2016 shares what one should know about yoga.
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“Yoga is a system that leads one towards absolute peace of mind. To get into this state of mental peace, you have 8 different components to practice and one of them is Asana, the physical component of Yoga. Majority of practitioners nowadays think that Yoga is merely a physical practice or just another fitness modality. Asana is just a very small part of the practice,” he said.
There’s a wide misconception of the practice today as observed by Ayn.
“Sadly, many practitioners get fixated in just the physical aspect of Yoga which is also perpetuated by how social media portrays Yoga. So now people think Asana alone is Yoga. That is a big misconception and that has made the practice very superficial,” he added.
READ MORE: Yoga: Breathing in the present moment
He reminds everyone that yoga is more on dealing with the mind.
This is why yoga was one of the biggest factors why weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz brought home the first Olympic medal for the Philippines.
Ayn is Diaz’s yoga teacher.
Ayn Latonio and Hidilyn Diaz
“Yoga is mental training more than anything. Not for mental toughness but for calmness and clarity. Flexibility, health and fitness is not the goal of Yoga, they are just side effects of the practice,” he said.
Yoga serves a deeper purpose than to just ace a pose, do a flow and get flexible.
It is all about finding that space in your mind to connect with yourself and calming the mind.
Remember, yoga is a personal practice, and everyone’s experience may differ. It’s important to listen to your body, respect your limits, and find a practice that suits your needs.
/bmjo
