Yoga lifestyle

Those who practice yoga and find it to be a great enrichment for their lives may feel the desire to make certain changes in their daily lifestyle, because yoga is not a sport or a purely physical practice that only consists of certain exercises, but yoga is much more comprehensive.

What is meant by yoga lifestyle?

Sometimes people talk about a yoga lifestyle - but what exactly does that mean?

The term "yoga lifestyle" can mean a number of different things. It often means that people who practice yoga buy appropriate yoga clothing , keep trying out new yoga studios and new yoga styles, spend their weekends at yoga events and do and consume many things that are considered "typical yoga" in a more modern and "trendy" context. Among other things, it is also about a certain attitude to life . To exaggerate a little, you could say: These are the somehow "hip" yogis and yoginis in leggings and OM shirts, who always carry a detox tea to go in one hand and a yoga mat in the other. Yoga lifestyle can therefore refer to being part of the yoga scene in a certain way and living in a way that corresponds to the image of modern yoga that is drawn on social networks, for example.

Yoga lifestyle can also mean a yogic lifestyle that is less influenced by certain accessories and is not defined by how many yoga styles you have tried or which yoga events you have attended, but rather aims to integrate yoga in all its different aspects more strongly into your own life . This also affects the philosophical and ethical dimensions of yoga as well as the implications associated with yoga for a beneficial way of life. Such a yogic lifestyle thus permeates all areas of life and can transform life profoundly.

Yoga lifestyle and nutrition

Most yoga practitioners in the western hemisphere find yoga through asanas, i.e. through the physical exercises that are also a part of the yoga path as it once originated in India. In the yoga styles that have emerged in recent decades, a variety of different sequences with different focuses and many differentiations have been developed. The yogic breathing exercises, referred to by the term pranayama , are also attracting increasing interest.

Often, the body's awareness improves as a result of regular practice, and this leads many practitioners to want to eat healthier and no longer burden their bodies with an unhealthy diet.

At the same time, the ancient yoga tradition includes a nutritional theory that includes three qualities:

• Sattva
• Tamas
• Rajas

While the Sattva principle stands for everything that is nourishing and beneficial, Tamas describes the heaviness that leads to lethargy, and Rajas that which makes us restless (in relation to nutrition, stimulants are associated with this principle, for example). A diet that is mainly based on the Sattvic principle is recommended, and uses as few foods from the other two categories as possible.

Yoga lifestyle and Ayurveda

Just like yoga, Ayurveda is an ancient Indian tradition. Many people who come into contact with yoga also begin to take an interest in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medical system , and integrate, for example, Ayurvedic detox practices such as tongue scraping or drinking hot (ginger) water in the morning after getting up, into their everyday lives. The Ayurveda theory of types, which describes various doshas or constitutions, gives recommendations regarding lifestyle and health prevention that are geared to the predominant characteristics and thus the dosha type of the respective person. The dosha theory has achieved great fame far beyond India. Ayurvedic nutrition is also very popular and offers many tips for a health-promoting lifestyle.

Yoga lifestyle and meditation

In addition to asanas and breathing exercises, meditation is one of the core practices of yoga. Many yoginis and yogis learn meditation techniques and regularly take time in their everyday lives to immerse themselves in meditation. It is not just about relaxation (although this is often suggested by commercials these days, for example), but it is also about deep inner experiences and insights and realizations that one can gain when one connects with one's own self in this way. For many people, meditation is a great enrichment in their lives.

Mindfulness and yoga lifestyle

One aspect that has come to the fore in recent years is mindfulness. Filling everyday life with more mindfulness means bringing more awareness into all of our daily activities. This makes you more present, often makes wiser decisions instead of acting on "autopilot" and, last but not least, you can enjoy the little things in everyday life more because you perceive them much more consciously. This alone can be life-changing and open up a whole new perspective on your own existence. Mindfulness is therefore also an important element of the yoga lifestyle.

Ethical aspects of the yoga lifestyle

In one of the most famous ancient source texts on yoga, the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali - a basic text that still plays a major role in yoga teacher training today - ethical principles (the Yamas ) are named, which represent a separate stage of the eightfold path to enlightenment described in the Yoga Sutra:

• Ahimsa - non-harming, non-violence (expressed, for example, in a vegan diet)
• Satya - Truthfulness (one is committed to the truth)
• Asteya - non-stealing (not taking what you are not entitled to)
• Brahmacharya - chastity (or in a less narrow sense: lifestyle aimed at the highest)
• Aparigraha - "non-grasping" (this means, among other things, not being greedy and not taking advantage of anyone)

Code of Conduct

There is also a code of conduct (consisting of the Niyamas), which also represents a stage of the eight-limbed yoga path according to Patanjali:

• Saucha - purity (in the physical sense, but also related to the mind and intentions)
• Samtosha - contentment (gratitude for what one has; modesty)
• Tapas - discipline, "heat" (sticking to something with an inner fire, even if it is not easy)
• Svadhyaya - self-study (reflection, introspection, also: study of scripture)
• Ishvarapranidhana - Devotion to God

Yogic practices and traditions as part of the yoga lifestyle

Many yogis and yoginis also practice mantra recitation with mala beads , enjoy attending kirtan concerts, burning incense , or follow other rituals and practices that belong to various streams of the yogic tradition.

Yoga lifestyle - a special perspective on life

Anyone who studies the yogic tradition will discover a rich treasure of philosophical and mystical statements about our existence. In yoga there is an entire philosophical system that describes the relationship of our individual souls to the source of all being. The goal of original yoga is enlightenment, or rather the knowledge of and re-merging with the original unity.

When you study the yogic scriptures and gain deeper insights through meditation, it gives your life a profound new direction. This is also what the term yoga lifestyle ultimately means. So the yoga lifestyle can include much more than just a superficial attitude to life.

FAQ about yoga lifestyle