“Ommmmmmmmmmmmmm…….”

You are finishing your tree pose in the midst of your first yoga class. As you scan the Zen room, you notice an assortment of people.  A slender man doing a backwards pretzel, a blonde mom decked out in expensive yoga wear, a frizzy haired lady who looks as if her clothes were grown in her own organic garden, and then you.

You may ask yourself, how do I fit in? But the answer is that no one “fits in” with the yoga lifestyle.

“The original goal of yoga was to intertwine the body and the mind until the two could become one,”explains yoga instructor Aazdak Alisimo.

For the past 5,000 years Yoga has been meant to center the body and the mind.  Anyone can do this, but today many believe the body and mind are no longer combined and that it is now all about the looks on the outside, instead of the inner personal drive.

“Yoga is a spiritual practice that can deepen the way you connect with yourself and your health,” Alisimo says. Yoga is an individual practice focusing on inner balance, not an opportunity to compare yourself to others.

So why do people pay so much attention to the “look” of people who do yoga?

“Before going to a class I thought everyone was going to be a mom,” said sophomore Taylor Lavery, after her first yoga escapade. “I also thought everyone was going to be really fit and slim, but there were some heavy people, old men, and just weird looking people.”

Why have we become worried about yoga stereotypes for a practice that is meant only for self-reflection.

Is it these stereotypes of Yoga that make us hesitant to try it?

“The word yoga conjures up a foxy image of a young, slim, flexible, beautiful body – in a stylish outfit,”  Christopher Baxter’s writes in his book, The Inner Joy of Yoga.

Although yoga has attracted all types of people throughout the centuries, it  has changed significantly in modern culture. It used to be a way to find your inner self, but we have transformed it into a form of exercise.

In the 1930’s many Westerners began to study yoga as part of an increasing public interest in health and vegetarianism.  This attracted  Western pop culture icons in the 1960’s such as actress Mia Farrow and members of the Beatles. Since then, yoga has been gaining popularity with a variety of people.

This is why most people associate yoga with healthy and wealthy Whole-Foods-eating junkies.

But this isn’t the case.

Yoga is for anyone who is willing to try it. Yoga brings everyone together from different walks of life. No one needs to possess “the look”.

This is why anyone at VHS can join “Yoga for Athletes” (YFA).  Once a week you can bring a yoga mat and practice yoga within the walls of VHS.  The club began two years ago by  former student, Harry Kroessler.

There are millions of reasons to become a yogi. Yogis are not only more flexible than you are, but they are also healthier than you are.

“Yoga could possibly release pain, decrease pulse rate, and respiratory rate while at the same time increasing your endurance, immunity, and sleep,” according to Alisimo.  By simply practicing this at least once a week, it solves many bodily issues.  Practicing yoga can also be a lifesaver. This helps decrease your blood pressure, pain, pulse rate while increasing your lung capacity, hand-eye coordination, reaction time, posture and so many other wonderful qualities which can help you live longer.

After an injury, Taylor’s physical therapist suggested yoga for a sppeedier recover.  Athletes just like Taylor, practice yoga in their downtime to heal from their demanding sports which strain their muscles and joints.  “It was hard at first,” Taylor admits but in the end it paid off.

If yoga has all these benefits to a better life, why doesn’t everyone do it? Now that question is up to you.