At the end of every semester, I ask my university yoga students (physical education) to answer the following question: “How would you explain Yoga to someone who knows nothing about it?” Here are two responses I received this year.
“To someone who has never practiced nor known anything about the experiences yoga can bring a person, I would describe it as follows: ‘It’s something older than you would think which has been brought into our culture as a fad, but it has helped us nonetheless. It’s a spiritual connection you have with the universe around you and with your own body that no one else can critique or feel or even imagine. Every experience is unique to the person practicing. It’s a beautiful thing combining body and soul if you desire and practice, or it can be used as a significant exercise regimen. There are so many ways to enjoy and participate, and my knowledge hardly scratches the surface.'”
“The best way to explain Yoga to someone who knows nothing about it is to think of themselves as Gumby. Gumby is a character who is green and made of clay, allowing him to stretch to all shapes and sizes. His stretchiness allows him to twist, pull, fold and flex—all things that occur in Yoga. While he returns to his original form after each stretch, it’s clear that it has taken a toll on him and he needs time to relax afterwards. In Yoga, all poses require some form of flexibility and the skills Gumby has. At the same time, the practices of concentration and meditation are things Gumby must do to carry out a task but to also reflect or heal from it afterwards. Gumby was one of my favorite shows growing up and I think this little green character is the best way to explain Yoga to someone who knows nothing about it. Using cartoon characters makes Yoga less scary and relatable in a sense that touches your inner child.”
Holistic Yoga & Spiritual Guidance 