By now, we have all heard that practicing yoga can offer seemingly endless benefits
to any population. When we start to break down exactly how and why yoga is so
good for us, it is hard to make excuses against practicing. In “Why We Do It”, we
explore some of the specific conditions of cancer patients and survivors, and explain
how yoga may offer relief.
Sometimes students who are brand new to yoga are thrown off by the chanting
of “Om” during class. This root mantra is believed to be “primordial seed” of the
universe, the vibration that everything came from. This may sound a bit new age-
y to the uninitiated, but think of it as a similar notion to the Big Bang Theory. It
contains a four-part sound, including the silence that follows, and many yogis use
the sound as a tool for meditation.
That is the traditional framework of why Om is included in modern yoga, but to
simplify: it brings us all together. y4c classes aim to create a community and a safe
place for our students. Starting a class by closing our eyes and “arriving” in the room
together is a reminder to be present in your own body and in the room.