This is Why You're Not 'Good' at Yoga

As a beginner yogi, it's easy to feel intimidated. After all, if you step foot in any yoga studio, you're bound to see a plethora of seemingly graceful, strong, and flexible people.

By comparison to the average person in a yoga studio, you may even start to believe that you're not "good at yoga."

Here's why that's not true at all.

Yoga isn't about how bendy or strong you are

Despite the modern perception of yoga, the classical practice of yoga itself has very little to do with flexibility or strength.

In fact, let's look at the Yoga Sutras, an ancient text written by an Indian sage named Patanjali that established much of what we practice in yoga today.

The book opens with a simple, declarative sentence defining what yoga is. Can you guess how Patanjali defines it?

"Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuating states of the mind."

That's it. It's not about being able to do a downward-facing dog or the ability to stand on your hands. Yoga is about calming the mind and finding a statement of mindfulness.

Of course, this definition feels far removed from the perception of yoga that we have today. Many of us just assume that yoga is another workout or exercise regimen, perhaps with an side of mindfulness and deep breathing thrown in.

However, if you look closely enough, you'll see the threads linking ancient yoga to the modern day practice.

What yoga is actually for

Yoga as we understand it today is actually just a small part of a system for stilling the mind. Yoga poses, which are known as asana in the original Sanskrit, are a single step out of eight.

Here are the other seven rungs in the ladder of yoga.

• Namas: Ethical restraints
• Niyamas: Internal rules or observances
• Asana: Yoga poses
• Pranayama: Breathing exercises
• Pratyahara: Withdrawal of the senses
• Dharana: Concentration or mindfulness
• Dhyana: Meditation
• Samadhi: Pure consciousness

It's also really important to keep in mind that the word "asana" literally translates to "seat." As in, the comfortable seated position you take when meditating.

In fact, all of the poses that we practice today as part of yoga asana were specifically developed to prepare the body for longer periods of seated meditation.

All of this is to say that yoga isn't about how strong, flexible, or balanced you are. Yoga is much, much deeper than that.

What this means for you

The point of this article is to gently reassure anyone who has been intimidated by the prospect of setting foot in a yoga studio. Comparison is the thief of joy, and how your body looks or performs is so far removed from the point of yoga.

Yes, with a regular yoga asana regimen, you will get stronger, more flexible, and more balanced. However, keep in mind that this is just a side effect from yoga. It's not the goal.

Put another way, you don't do yoga to get good at yoga. You do yoga to get good at life.

Of course, that's assuming that you practice the other facets of yoga, too. Don't just stop at the physical postures. Experiment and delve into breathwork and meditation, and see where it takes you.

The physical postures of yoga are meant to be a complement to a well-lived life that is spent mindfully. Your barometer for success should be how contemplative and mindful you are — not what your body looks like in a yoga outfit or how well you can do dancer's pose.

Also, keep in mind that we all start somewhere. You don't need to be a perfect yogi or meditator at first. You just need to show up.

As yoga guru K. Pattabhi Jois once said,

"Practice, and all is coming."