As the daughter of a Yoga instructor, I've come across many people who have plenty to say about the practice. As a born and raised Austinite, I was used to the use of the words "chakra" and "meditation," but I also found that many people disliked yoga, dismissed it or even found it to be morally wrong. As I did more research and talked with my mom about the practice, I found that many people have misconceptions about the health practice that is yoga. Here are some of those misconceptions.

1. Yoga is a religion.

This is a little tricky. Yoga does have spiritual origins and properties. It is designed as a mental, physical and spiritual practice. However, it is not a religion in itself. There seems to be a consensus yoga is in religion, but religion not to be in yoga. What that means is that yoga may be included in some religions, but it is not characteristic to certain ones and it is transcendent of such a label. It is meant to be for the self. It is also important to remember that yoga is extremely scientific in the way it has the body move.

2. Yoga is demonic.

This is similar to number one, and these misconceptions both are common in Christian communities. I've had people come up to my mother and warn her against practicing yoga because of its demonic properties. I assure you, the devil himself is not going to rise up from your mat and possess you in down dog. Besides, what goes into a man doesn't make him unclean, but what comes out of him does. Trust me, stretching your hamstrings, practicing good breathing techniques or meditating for five minutes is not demonic unless you are meditating on dark thoughts.

3. Only hippies do yoga.

Actually, yoga is used in hospitals, therapy centers and elderly homes to help patients be mindful of their bodies and heal. Certain types of yoga are gentle enough for the sick and elderly to do safely and its breath work is healing for patients with trauma. Athletes do gentle yoga to stretch out their muscles to help them retain flexibility and not injure themselves. Yin yoga is good for elderly people because it deals with connective tissues and joints and stretches them effectively to provide mobility. My sister works at a kid's focused aerial yoga (Yoga in hammocks!) studio that helps children with emotional problems learn how to control their anger and anxiety with breath and mindfulness

4. You have to be flexible in order to do yoga.

This one is similar to number three. But actually, the reason people do yoga is because they aren't flexible! Yoga requires you to slowly stretch your muscles and break up the fascia that is built up from hard workouts such as running, cycling or sports.

5. Yoga only stretches the body.

While yoga does help flexibility, it also is great for strength all over your body. Certain types of yoga, such as vinyasa flow or bikram actually can serve as a great cardio workout and get a sweat going. Yoga is also great for the posture and your core.

6. Om.

Om is a meditative word that some yogis use to center themselves and their classes. It is said to be the vibration or sound of the universe. It appears in Sanskrit texts and is said to be the most sacred mantra in Hinduism. However, it is also similar to the Christian idea of "The Word" or "the great amen." In yoga, teachers might use it at the beginning of class and the end to focus the mind and clear it. It produces a calming effect and prepares the body to do yoga. It might be spiritual if your teacher considers it to be so or it might be simply a technique to establish focus.

7. Namasté.

This word means, "The light in me acknowledges the light in you," or "The divine in me acknowledges the divine in you." It is another Sanskrit word that does have connections to the Hindu religion and it is considered a respectful greeting in those circles. Some yogis say this at the end of their classes as a farewell and some yogis do not say it. Again, this is a relative word, like om. It means what you choose it to mean. A sector of yoga within Christian meditation uses it to acknowledge the light of Jesus in each other. This sector of yoga is called Holy Yoga, and it is the yoga institution my mother teaches with. It might help to think of the words om and namasté as words that can be used religiously because of their origin, but also can be separate because they are man-made. They are merely words.

8. Zen.

Zen has grown to have many meanings. It is a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism that focuses on the importance of meditation and intuition. Zen has also become a synonym for a relaxed state of mind in western culture. Zen Yoga is a combination of Asian thought and Eastern Indian thought. However, like most yoga words today, it has no specific meaning. It is seen as an approach and a technique for clarity and focus, heavily influenced by breath work. That is its relation to yoga. Zen in relation to yoga isn't necessarily religious or new age, it's simply another approach to the practice, unless you practice Mahayana Buddishm.

9. The Chakras and Chakra balancing.

There is the crown chakra, the brow chakra, the throat chakra, the heart chakra, the navel chakra, the sacral chakra and the root chakra. In the western world these translate respectively to the brain, the pituitary gland, the thyroid gland, the heart and lungs, the adrenals, the kidneys and the reproductive organs. While there are mystical properties connected with these chakras, or centers of the body, they are also scientific. For example, while balancing through yoga, the throat chakra (the thyroid gland) is supposed to help with self-expression, endurance and energy. It is proven that the thyroid gland secretes fewer metabolic hormones in yoga and slows aging. The seven chakras are thought to be the seven energy hubs of the human body. Well...I'd agree. The brain, the heart, the adrenal glands...all of these are important body parts that control how our bodies function. Yoga is scientifically proven to help all of these organs perform better. Thus, this is not simply a spiritual practice, but a scientific, physcial and mental one.

10. Mantra.

The word mantra is everywhere these days. It's on bumper stickers and its tattooed on peoples' bodies. Mantras in yoga are used to help change mindset from negative to positive or to bring focus and clarity (om). Many studies have concluded that the power of words is real. Perhaps the most famous is Masaru Emoto's water experiment, in which he spoke negatively and positively to water and then examined its molecular structure. I know, it sounds crazy, right? I rolled my eyes before I researched this one. Turns out, the molecular structure of the "good word" water was better than the negative water. Check out his website to see for yourself.
However, when it comes to people, one can find countless scholarly articles on the benefits of speaking out positive phrases or thinking positively. Here's one from as early as 1993.

11. Meditation.

This is is similar to mantra. Meditation can serve many purposes. It can revive energy, calm the brain and prepare the body for sleep. It also can improve mental clarity and brain function. It's not something that only Buddhists practice. While meditation is an important and key aspect of Buddhism and Hinduism, the practice is beneficial for everyone. One can meditate on a word, on a prayer or on a feeling. Actors practice this to help with character work or to strengthen their ability to move from one emotion to the next. Christians also meditate on scripture and the Bible constantly calls us to meditate or wrestle with scripture.

Hopefully this article is helpful. Yoga is a wonderful practice and can be very rewarding and fun. Its healing properties have been helping individuals for ages. The practice of self-realization and mental clarity has a deep impact on a person's well being. Many people with eating disorders and other mental issues have experienced healing through yoga. I know this because my mom teaches with them. So, maybe you'll give yoga a try. Or, you can always Namastay in bed. I do that too.

Information gathered from Holyyoga.net.